It was mounted underneath the hatch release button when I bought the car new.
I don't think it's factory because it's wired with butt connectors.

 

It could be some sort of security thing.. you know some dealers have "keys" that are needed to start a car that your looking at.. unplug it and see if your car starts..

 

My dealer screwed me with the same thing. Its an electronic lock for the ignition.

Even though I custom ordered my car and it never sat on the lot, they put the damn thing in. They said that their insurance company required it - but I don't believe it. They wanted to sell me the "key" for $250 as an add on. When I declined, they put half the "key" in (without the handle) so the system will work and we can't use it to disable the car. (That tan wedge in there is a simple "key" that crosses the terminals in a coded order.)

Total BS. Its completely redundant to our VATS system and a lot less secure/useful. Very annoying. But, I'm not bitter... Can you tell?

I just zip tied it under my dash and try not to remember its there.

 

Interesting.
Do you know of a link to the manufacturer or a supplier of this POS?

 

No, mine is a different manufacturer but looks the same. If you want to get rid of it... I know mine consists of the "key socket" and a box of electronics which is spliced in to a single ignition wire. I'm pretty sure that mine can be removed by cutting the electronics out and re-splicing the ignition wire. (In my case, I've been living by an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" motto. But I should probably take it out. One more thing to break.)

 

have something similar on mine but I do have both 'keys' to stick in it.

 

Thank guys.

 

Those were added at the Dealer...

 

I got inspired by this thread and finally took mine out. I just cut it out and re-spliced the wire.

The "electronics" were wired in to the 20ga purple/white wire that sends a crank signal to the starter/engine. Splicing was straight forward, except I had to disconnect the dash-to-engine compartment connector just above the lower IP and then pop out the crank wire terminal from the connector. Without doing that, I didn't have enough room to get tools in there.

There is a 6mm bolt that secures the connector and then a blue positive lock that goes through the side of the connector, which needs to be removed in order to get the terminal out. I also had to be very careful to save every inch of wire as there isn't much to spare and still get the connector to go back in.

Anyone want the old module? I'll sell it to you cheap!

 

Man that's one dealer I would never go to again and I'd force them to remove it as you didn't order it and it is not original equipment by the manufacturer.

I'd be pissed!!!!

 

Oh, I was pissed... I custom ordered the car and it took 9 months to deliver. (At the time, most dealers had trouble getting WS6's and SS's) In addition to this "security" module, GM had also run out of their color quotas and delivered my car black instead of the blue I ordered. So, the dealer gave me a choice - I could take the car or wait another 9 months...

I'm a little more glad that I took this module out. I just dissected it and found that it runs off of a relay. (So, the ignition is normally disconnected and each time the car cranks, it flips a relay and makes a connection to the starter.) Even though this relay is the nicest one I've ever seen - its completely plated in copper - its still another point of failure down the road that would make a really tough problem to debug.

 

Mine is in between the ignition switch and the starter fuse. (circuit 5)
A hidden starter button/switch might be a good way to replace it.

 

i have this in my car as well.... tho whoever had the car before me bought into the thing and i can actually take mine out.... it makes it look like theres another OBDII under the dash, cept smaller.... it's retarded....