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I just got the car about 6 weeks ago and its never given me any issues. Yesterday the battery was dead. Its a 2 year old delco. I jumped it, let it run for 15 minutes and then put my trickle charger on it overnight. I went to move it just now and it all comes on with the key, but wont engage the starter. The security light is on and has been. It would never relearn. Its doing the same thing with both keys. Is this a security issue or a vats? As far as I know it does not have a aftermarket alarm. I need to get it moved asap. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
If the security light stays on, it sounds like a Vats issue. The chip in the key isn't reading the correct resistance. You can get it tuned out or replace the ignition cylinder lock and have a new key made.
Battery side terminal bolts loose, corroded, or mis-threaded ?
Can you fully CHARGE and load test battery ?
Main power feed stud on starter corroded or burned ?
Battery side terminal bolts loose, corroded, or mis-threaded ?
Can you fully CHARGE and load test battery ?
Main power feed stud on starter corroded or burned ?
The battery terminals are clean I took them apart yesterday. No to mis threaded. I have the battery fully charged. If the ignition switch doesn't do it I will head for the starter.
No need to swap out the ignition lock cylinder if it's just a VATS issue. You can easily bypass the system with a resistor(s). Just search "VATS Bypass" and you will find plenty of guides on doing this.
No need to swap out the ignition lock cylinder if it's just a VATS issue. You can easily bypass the system with a resistor(s). Just search "VATS Bypass" and you will find plenty of guides on doing this.
I am going to tear into it today and see what happened. It would be nice just to bypass it. I will keep everyone updated with what it is.
Well the update that I have is no. I thought that I had a lock smith that would come out and fix it. After two weeks of waiting and him totally forgetting to come last Wednesday, I ordered a bypass for it from Ebay. It came late last night. I plugged it in, hooked up the battery cable and the exact same thing. Now the security light isn't just flashing its staying on. Not sure if that's part of the bypass or not. So I started pulling fuses. Nothing is blown. I checked to make sure all of fuses were getting fire. They all are. I am not sure how to test those big fuses to see if they went bad, but they all were nice and clean. I still believe it is a security issue. So once I can determine it doesn't need a new ignition switch or the ignition module, I found a local guy that will make one for the car. The only other thing I am thinking is maybe the starter just took a dump. The car has 70k miles but how many times has that starter been used in the 23 years it been on the road. I think that is a long shot. Neither key is registering and they are the factory keys. I cleaned them as well to no avail. I will report back when I figure it out.
If the security light is on, then you're dealing with a VATS issue, IMO. I wouldn't even waste time worrying about the starter.
What sort of "bypass kit" did you order from Ebay? It should include resistors that will need to be matched to your specific car. If you didn't have to test resistance and match up the proper resistors, then I don't see how it would work. There isn't just one generic specification that will work for every application.
If the security light is on, then you're dealing with a VATS issue, IMO. I wouldn't even waste time worrying about the starter.
What sort of "bypass kit" did you order from Ebay? It should include resistors that will need to be matched to your specific car. If you didn't have to test resistance and match up the proper resistors, then I don't see how it would work. There isn't just one generic specification that will work for every application.
It was one designed for it supposedly. I didn't pay much for it at 30 bucks so I am not worried about it. So the reason for the starter, Everything comes on there is a click for the starter and the starter does not turn. I am being told that VATS wont stop the starter from engaging, it just wont start. Is that correct? This is the first time I have hit this so I am trying to figure it out.
Well she runs again. After jumping the starter and seeing that it wasn't the issue, we started it. Turned the key off and same thing. I was reading on the BCM failure and my car only has one of the symptoms of failure the security light blinking. I am going to test the orange wire and the key and see if I am getting the same numbers. If we are then I know it is the BCM. If it is not its in the ignition switch or the VATS itself. Either way I will fix what is wrong with it and then I am going to go around the VATS security all together. I am done throwing money at this problem.
So a little update. I had not had time to tackle building a vats bypass. The one I got on eBay obviously didn't work. I ended up determining the starter was good. Hot shotted it and the car fired right up. So just to get it mobile I wired a toggle switch temporally so that I could start it and drive it. I took it on a 40 mile cruise this morning. Had to stop for a target order. I accidentally used the key and ignition switch out of habit and guess what? It started right up. I was thinking no way. So I killed it. Hit it again and it started back up. Its been killed and started 6 times now with no issues... I am lost here. The security light is still on, but its not flashing. It got really mad when I first bypassed the ignition switch. It was flashing fast in my face. It slowly calmed down the more I drove it. Now its just on and not flashing. Has anyone seen their car do this?
With the security light on, it's a Vats issue. It may fire up 100 times and then number 101 will not start. I still recommend replacing the ignition cylinder lock and having a new key programmed. Unless you know someone who can tune it out.
With the security light on, it's a Vats issue. It may fire up 100 times and then number 101 will not start. I still recommend replacing the ignition cylinder lock and having a new key programmed. Unless you know someone who can tune it out.
That is on the summer to do list. I do have to where I can start it without the ignition as a back up.