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VATS taking a crap????

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Old 05-07-2006, 04:01 PM
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Default VATS taking a crap????

Sup? Well it doenst do it all the time. But about 1 in 3 times I go to start my car it doesnt do anything and the security light comes on and have to wait the mandatory 3mins before you can attept to start the car again. Now, its really starting to become a PIA. Is there a way I can see if its just the chip in the key or test the VATS module itself? Or is all that in the BCM? I'm used to 3rd gens when it comes to VATS. Hell, how can I just bypass the damn thing so I can eliminate the possibility of me getting stranded somewhere. Thanks.

Ski
Old 05-07-2006, 05:42 PM
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I would also like to know...my car is doing something similar.
Old 05-07-2006, 09:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Rebelord
Sup? Well it doenst do it all the time. But about 1 in 3 times I go to start my car it doesnt do anything and the security light comes on and have to wait the mandatory 3mins before you can attept to start the car again. Now, its really starting to become a PIA. Is there a way I can see if its just the chip in the key or test the VATS module itself? Or is all that in the BCM? I'm used to 3rd gens when it comes to VATS. Hell, how can I just bypass the damn thing so I can eliminate the possibility of me getting stranded somewhere. Thanks.

Ski
I have the same problem. I made a thread a few days ago about it. There are some good links in there, but Im still looking for solid answers.

And 3 minutes wait time? Sometimes mine turns on 10 seconds after it refuses to come on. I have a 95 though, so it may be different.
Old 05-07-2006, 10:23 PM
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Its internal to the BCM if I rememer right, There is the passlock sensor on the column can be going bad. I would get another key cut for it and see what that does, if not its most likley the passlock sensor, You would have to replace the lock cylinder and sensor. Its very hard to bypass because its based on learned resistance values. Many times it comes down to the sensor going bad.
Old 05-09-2006, 03:42 PM
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mine did the same last year, everybody was saying vats and bcm...WRONG!
On mine it was a loose starter relay. Actually, I never even replaced it. Just wiggle it on the rare occasions. Hasn't done it this year.
Old 05-10-2006, 02:22 AM
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mine may be different but it turned out to be a ground wire problem. also had rsistance on my key checked at the dealership again may be different for the vettes
Old 05-16-2006, 04:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Shooter_Jay
mine did the same last year, everybody was saying vats and bcm...WRONG!
On mine it was a loose starter relay. Actually, I never even replaced it. Just wiggle it on the rare occasions. Hasn't done it this year.
Are you talking about the wires that are physically attached to the starter or is there a little relay box somewhere in the engine bay? Thanks.

Ski
Old 05-16-2006, 04:27 PM
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If I remember all this right, it's in a fuse box under the hood, driver's side right on top, black box. Pop the cover off. There are among other things, two big fuse looking things that are relays. One for ignition, one for starter. I just wiggled both around and then my car started, did this a few times, now it hasn't done it in a long time.
Old 05-16-2006, 11:56 PM
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I had the VATS go out on my car around a year ago . What happens is there are two wires that come loose after time where the key goes and messes up as a result from starting the car . These two wires detect the resistance that is on your key on the little black thing . If I can remember GM uses 15 different amounts of resistance .
402 ohms
523 ohms
681 ohms
887 ohms
1130 ohms
1470 ohms
1870 ohms
2370 ohms
3010 ohms
3740 ohms
4750 ohms
6040 ohms
7500 ohms
9530 ohms
11800 ohms

You can go to a dealer and they might talk or you can try and read the resistance with an ohms meter at the house . Just take your key and an ohms meter and test it where the little black thing is on the key . The trick is the resistors that are used to trick the car can only be off by about 20 ohms or it will not work.

In my case , the key was 523 ohms . Knowing this I drove my beater to Radio Shack to pick up enough resistors to add up to within 20 + or - of 523 . I used three resistors that added up to 520 .
Next , I removed the panel underneath the steering wheel and located a orange tube that contains the two white wires that read the resistance of the key .The wires plug into the cars harness under there so I just unplugged them and cut the wires being sure to leave enough wire to sodder the resistors on . I soddered the resistors together and then soddered them on to the wire and plugged it up underneath the dash . I did not think it would work but sure enough the car fired right up with no problems even till now and I saved a few hundred in the process .
I will take the panel underneath the steering wheel off tommorow and take a picture of what I am talking about that way yall can see for yourselves.
Old 05-17-2006, 03:42 PM
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The wires I am holding in the two pictures were originally together . I had cut the wires in the orange tube so I could unhook them from the harness in the next pic so it would be easy to sodder .


Here is a photo of where the wires plug into the cars harness under the dash . The resistors are soddered together with one end of the resistors soddered to one of the white wires and the other end of the resistor soddered to the other . I also wrapped the soddered parts with electrical tape to prevent any bad readings the car may get of the resistance .


Last edited by snake charmer; 02-11-2008 at 10:49 PM. Reason: pics update
Old 05-18-2006, 12:24 AM
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Here is how I tested my key cylinder and key..

BE WARNED ALL OF THIS IS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!(And your car's!! )

First test the key with the ohm meter.. like this.



It should match one the the pre-set resistance levels put out by GM...listed by snakecharmer...If it doesn't match any of them,your key pellet resistor is probably bad and you need a new key..if it reads out and matches its should be good and now move on to the key cylinder..

Remove the panel like was mentioned...There will be two white wires incased in an orange casing coming from the steering column that plug into a harness.

Disconnect the wires from the harness leaving the plug intact for now (don't cut anything yet!)and place the key in the ignition.Turn to the "On" position...

Probe the electric connector from the two little wires with the ohm meter probes...Very similar to how you tested the key alone but now your testing the two little contacts at the end of the electric connector from the two little white wires coming from the column...Try the key in all positions,"off","on" and "accessory".You should get the same reading you got from the key earlier.

If you do not get a reading/wrong reading and you want to go the "Cost Effective" route,you will now need to bypass the key cylinder.

These are the wires

I went ahead and cut the wires about a couple of inches from the connector and then took the two wires that are coming off the connector and connected them to either side of a spair key.I then taped it up very tight and plugged the connector (now with a spair key on the end) back into the harness.

This way the correct resistance is now being read off the spair key trcking the computer into thinking that the reading is coming from the key cylinder which if course is defective and now bypassed.Now the key cylinder only serves to start the car like any other normal (Non- VATS) system.

The spair key is taped up and tucked away under the knee panel and nobody would ever guess that the system has been bypassed...

Its cheap and it worked for me.

Now if all this doesn't work.Then you have to maybe start suspecting the BCM module...

Here is the link to the thread I made when I had the problem...Has a few pics that might help if you should decide to do things like I did.

Lots of thanks to the guy who made the page to give people a good idea of what needs to be done...

BE WARNED ALL OF THIS IS AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!(And your car's!! )
Old 05-18-2006, 04:59 AM
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Yep, looks like thats what I'm going to have to do. I went by the dealership today and have them check it out, it wouldnt even read the ignition for a test. So, yea. But then, tonight go to leave a buddies house, bamn! Wont start at all. Lately its been starting, but with a constant Security light on. Well, now it just flashes the entire time and the car doesnt do ****. So, I pulled the bolster off and started looking around. I'm going to do what you did MJK. Thanks.

Ski
Old 05-18-2006, 09:15 AM
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I'm going to do mine as well. It's happened to me a couple of times, and it'll be one less thing to do when I install my remote start.
Old 05-23-2006, 04:32 PM
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guys, thansk so much for this thread!!! I think you just saved me around 450.00! Figured I woudl search this good ole trusty site for info on the problem. Got in teh car this morning, started up and ran fine, well on teh way to my job interview, the security light comes on, but i didnt think anythign of it because the car was runnign just fine. Well. come out of the interview and the ******* thing wont start. Take it to a dealership, they try and pull the 700.00 **** on me for new battery, lock cylender and 100.00 for a diagnostic!!!! I about ****! So I after I nicelly asked the guy to just put in a battery as I cant do it here at the apartment, all tools at my parents house, and the guy basically tellign me he wouldnt just put in a batery, he said well i dont know about that, I will have to talk it over with the service manager. That really chapped my ***, told him to park my car outside, and I woudl come get it myself. Well, if this fixes it, I will be thanking you guys for saving me 450.00 they watned to install the lock cylinder! Gonna try and get it fixed tonight. Thanks fellas!!!!
Old 05-24-2006, 12:52 AM
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Originally Posted by snake charmer
The wires I am holding in the two pictures were originally together . I had cut the wires in the orange tube so I could unhook them from the harness in the next pic so it would be easy to sodder .

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php...age&img=320759


Here is a photo of where the wires plug into the cars harness under the dash . The resistors are soddered together with one end of the resistors soddered to one of the white wires and the other end of the resistor soddered to the other . I also wrapped the soddered parts with electrical tape to prevent any bad readings the car may get of the resistance .

http://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php...age&img=320760
Man that install looks like ****. Why not just use 1 resistor of the correct value?
Old 05-24-2006, 08:04 AM
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The resistance that GM puts in the keys (most of the time) do not match up with resistors that you can buy off of the shelf. I had to splice three together to get mine to work. However, mine came out looking great.
Old 05-24-2006, 08:43 AM
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[QUOTE=SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]Man that install looks like ****.QUOTE]

Really constructive there buddy.....The guy is trying to help.
Old 05-24-2006, 08:48 AM
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The links won't work for me. Do they work for anyone else?

EDIT: OK, I see MJK's pictures that should be enough.
Thanks,
Old 05-25-2006, 12:48 AM
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[QUOTE=MJK]
Originally Posted by SeVeReDiStOrTiOn
Man that install looks like ****.QUOTE]

Really constructive there buddy.....The guy is trying to help.
You like that huh I wouldn't want something like that on my car. I know he's just trying to help...I was just shocked to see so many resistors on there.

I bought a bundle of resistors at radioshack and it has every resistor that you need. I needed a 12k(one of the hardest to find) and guess what...it was in there
Old 05-25-2006, 12:25 PM
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[QUOTE=SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]
Originally Posted by MJK
You like that huh I wouldn't want something like that on my car. I know he's just trying to help...I was just shocked to see so many resistors on there.

I bought a bundle of resistors at radioshack and it has every resistor that you need. I needed a 12k(one of the hardest to find) and guess what...it was in there
Wether I like that or not is not the thing man..I just don't think you have to tell someone's set up "looks like ****"...

"Maybe if you want a cleaner set up...blah blah blah"

"How come you didn't use the proper resistor?"

"If I were doing it,I would have tried...blah blah blah.."

There are a bunch of different responses you can give someone without be insulting is all I'm trying to say.

If I met you on the street and didn't like your shirt,I would'nt straight out tell you "you look like **** wearing that gay a$$ shirt,buy one like mine".If I don't like it,thats my problem...IF you asked me what I think about the shirt,I would say its not my style or something ...

I dunno,I guess you have your way of responding and I have mine...

Not trying to dog on you man but,I just thought that was a pretty harsh comment out of left field to someone who was trying to help another member of the board.

-Laters


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