Security System Arms Itself?
Security System Arms Itself? Okay im sure someone on here has dealt with this before, sometimes (randomly) if i turn off my car to get gas or something and go back to fire it up my "Security" light will come on on my dash and my car wont do anything but turn on the interior lights. Wont try to start wont do anything! I can disconnect the battery and let it sit and still nothing, the only thing that i have found that works is just letting it sit for like 20 minutes then it starts up just fine.
Any ideas? Its really annoying when i just want gas or something and people have to wait on me... and this only happens like once a month if that.
Any ideas? Its really annoying when i just want gas or something and people have to wait on me... and this only happens like once a month if that.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,330
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
This has nothing to do with the alarm system. The car has a Vehicle Anti Theft System (VATS) that is separate from the alarm. It checks to make sure the correct ignition key is being used to start the car by measuring the resistance in the pellet on the key. If the reading it gets doesn't match the value in memory, the SECURITY light on the dash lights up and the car won't start.
Spray some contact cleaner (available at Radio Shack) into the ignition cylinder and work your key in and out to dislodge any grime that may have built up in there. Then clean the contacts on your key using a pencil eraser followed by alcohol.
That should take care of the problem. If it doesn't, there is a way to bypass the system to prevent it happening again. Do a search for "VATS bypass" to get instructions.
Spray some contact cleaner (available at Radio Shack) into the ignition cylinder and work your key in and out to dislodge any grime that may have built up in there. Then clean the contacts on your key using a pencil eraser followed by alcohol.
That should take care of the problem. If it doesn't, there is a way to bypass the system to prevent it happening again. Do a search for "VATS bypass" to get instructions.
