Another F'ing VATS issue, really?!
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 555
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From: NearHouston, TX
Another F'ing VATS issue, really?! Looking over the car I noticed one of my High Beams was not working, no problem just replaced them both with new.
Get in the car to start it - Security light. Stays on for like 5 mins and goes off. Try remote start, same thing. Everything else works, fuel pressure gauge, lights, stereo, just no start!
Key is 2 months old. Battery is new Optima yellow top showing 13v. I tried to jump start it just for the heck of it to rule out idea that I drained power from battery during the 2 minutes of powering high beams.
I jumped positive battery to pin 87 on starter relay and the starter turns. I turned ignition and checked voltage on pin 85 and 86 and nothing! So I'm stuck in a security mode. Have an aftermarket Autotune security system that has worked great with no issues.
God this topic gets freakin old! Any ideas out there?
Get in the car to start it - Security light. Stays on for like 5 mins and goes off. Try remote start, same thing. Everything else works, fuel pressure gauge, lights, stereo, just no start!
Key is 2 months old. Battery is new Optima yellow top showing 13v. I tried to jump start it just for the heck of it to rule out idea that I drained power from battery during the 2 minutes of powering high beams.
I jumped positive battery to pin 87 on starter relay and the starter turns. I turned ignition and checked voltage on pin 85 and 86 and nothing! So I'm stuck in a security mode. Have an aftermarket Autotune security system that has worked great with no issues.
God this topic gets freakin old! Any ideas out there?
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
From: NearHouston, TX
Just jumpered pin 87 on starter relay with ignition on, car tries to turn over but it won't run. I was hoping to get it running and just drive a few miles and see if this security state can be reset or something.
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
From: NearHouston, TX
Problem solved for now, removed kick panel and looked over wiring and the aftermarket Autopage alarm installation and everything looked good. The VATS resistor mod was already performed for the autostart feature. I saw a relay down there, popped it out and back in. Checked the ignition and it started! WTF. I'm thinking bad connection or loose wire, not sure.
I cut out the resistor mod and they are at 610ohms, my key pellet is 680ohms. I replaced with closer match resistance, soldered in a 450 ohm and a 220 ohm resistor in series and it got to 687ohms, soldered all in, replaced relay, started / stopped engine a few times, drove around for a while.
Final resolution will be during next dyno tune I will ask tuner to remove the VATS in the software. Hopefully between the new resistors and VATS tune this problem is solved forever.
I cut out the resistor mod and they are at 610ohms, my key pellet is 680ohms. I replaced with closer match resistance, soldered in a 450 ohm and a 220 ohm resistor in series and it got to 687ohms, soldered all in, replaced relay, started / stopped engine a few times, drove around for a while.
Final resolution will be during next dyno tune I will ask tuner to remove the VATS in the software. Hopefully between the new resistors and VATS tune this problem is solved forever.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,330
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Bear in mind that regardless of what your tuner might tell you, you will still need the VATS bypass. It is not possible to tune out VATS. You can tune the PCM to ignore the missing fuel enable signal from the BCM but you can't tune out the starter relay override. You must either keep the resistors in place (in which case the tune is meaningless) or rewire the starter relay to bypass the BCM.
Bear in mind that regardless of what your tuner might tell you, you will still need the VATS bypass. It is not possible to tune out VATS. You can tune the PCM to ignore the missing fuel enable signal from the BCM but you can't tune out the starter relay override. You must either keep the resistors in place (in which case the tune is meaningless) or rewire the starter relay to bypass the BCM.
