steering column trouble

Ok heres the deal. I picked up m 92 aniversary RS for 300 bux cuz somebody tried to steal it and the ignition was all messed up. My steering column is trashed and i removed it from the car. But the lock cylander is perfect and untouched. My question is when i pick up the new steering column from the local yard, will the key that comes with it work with my old computer? I have the key with the chip in it and the guy said that if the resistance from the chip is not the same as the old key it wont start or i will have to have a GM tech come out and reprogram my computer to accept the new key. So if i can use my old lock and key in my new steering column how do i swap them out or if thats not possible how do i make the new key work???? thanks:bow: :bow: :bow::bow: :bow:

dont you know how to hotwire cars chris? f*ck a key, lol j/k

Just remove the chip from your PASS key and install it in the new key. It just snaps in. I guarantee that's what the GM folks will do. You can't listen to half these wrecking yard buzzards. Most can't walk and chew gum without falling down.

haha, tommy, thats how i got the car home in the first place. Black z--thanks for that, i was ****tin myself over this. :bow: Im going to get the steering column this weekend so ill let you kno w how it goes--i wanna cruise:cool: :cool:

When you install a fresh "VATS" module (like the first time a new car is started, or after you replace the module) it reads the key used to start it and learns that resistance value. If you get a new ignition column, you may want to grab the VATS module out of that car (it's under the console, behind the radio) and change it too. Then it should work just fine. The other option is to measure the resistance of your current key and splice a resistor across the wires under the column (that is what I did when my VATS wires broke off of my ignition switch the second time). Then, it will work and you don't have to change modules.

Have fun!

ok i found a wire under my dash with a resistor on it i dont know wat color and i dont want to find out cuz its like 10 degrees out. Do you reme,ber wat color it is???I didnt know wat it was but it just confuses me cuz i thought it was something to do with the ignition key. So wat does the VATS module look like and how difficult is it to get out, why cant i just change the chips in the key, i tried it and the chip pops out pretty easily so i wanted to do that. thanks much tho

It's easier still to just pop out your resistor chip and install it into your new key.


When you install a fresh "VATS" module (like the first time a new car is started, or after you replace the module) it reads the key used to start it and learns that resistance value.

I do not believe this statement is true. The ECM has a learning capability but only in engine performance parameters. The VATS operates with a comparitor circuit otherwise it could learn any resistor. GM has 14 different key resistors. You could burn a new eprom to ignore the VATS.

OK good. Thats what i was hoping and planning what i would have to do. Thanks:bow: :bow: :bow:

Originally posted by 92BLKL98
It's easier still to just pop out your resistor chip and install it into your new key.


When you install a fresh "VATS" module (like the first time a new car is started, or after you replace the module) it reads the key used to start it and learns that resistance value.

I do not believe this statement is true. The ECM has a learning capability but only in engine performance parameters. The VATS operates with a comparitor circuit otherwise it could learn any resistor. GM has 14 different key resistors. You could burn a new eprom to ignore the VATS.

nope, thats right, a VATS module learns the resistance once, so any key will work on a brand new VATS module, and only that resistance thereafter will work in that module, the VATS module trips the starter enable relay and sends a signal(square wave?) to the ECM and the ECM will then allow the injectors to pulse

So does the resitor in the key alow the VATS to pass contols for the starter and then send a clock to the ECM for the injectors?

Originally posted by bmillington
So does the resitor in the key alow the VATS to pass contols for the starter and then send a clock to the ECM for the injectors?

pretty much, so to disable VATS, you need to remove VATS from the chip in the ECM and bypass the starter enable relay

Originally posted by Dave89IROC
pretty much, so to disable VATS, you need to remove VATS from the chip in the ECM and bypass the starter enable relay

OK it's great to learn something new, but they are talking about removing a module from a junkyard car. Plus, if it's a learned parameter wouldn't the resistance be stored on his original memcal. It wouldn't be dificult to have the VATS function disabled in the memcal if all this presents a problem. The bottom line is it would just be simpler to replace the cylinder with in the new column with his original cylinder using his original key and resistor.

Changing the cylinder isn't that simple if you don't have a lockplate compressor and steering wheel puller. It's really much, much easier to just take the chip from the old key and put it in the new one.

Also, the passkey resistance is a learned parameter, but it's not learned by the memcal. It's learned by the passkey module itself which is a whole different "little black box." The memcal only enables/disables the function. It has nothing to do with the actual operation.

I just went though all of this when someone tried to steal my car. We ended up with a column out of a 92 rs and its key wouldnt work with my module. So we just had a key cut from the 92 rs key and then put my chip on it. I think it was like $20. I have a chip that disables vats (anlu.bin from a tbi caprice) but vats saved my car from being stolen and me being totally ****ed so I figured I'd leave it on.

OK, if getting around this problem is as simple as switch the pass chips, why would ppl go threw all the trouble of changing the VATS module, key cylander etc, getting my column tomorrow tho
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

Either because they have a problem with their current passkey system (i.e. broken wire in the column or messed up key cylinder) or because they didn't know the chip comes out of the key.

I broke a wire in my column. Fixed it only to have it fail again, so I bypassed it. However, I never tried to remove the passkey chip from the key. Never thought about it.

Im still trying to figure out what the mystery wire is under my dashboard is? It is spliced and has a resistor taped in. No clue wat its for. Wat else could need a resistor put on it thats wired under the dash besides the pass crap. And also for the airbag folks out there--There is an orange wire that looks like it leads up with that big yellow wire to the airbag. The yellow wire is cut, wat is it???:confused: :confused:

Ok, i got my column today. It came out of a 92 firebird tho:mad: . Any differences between the two???I dont know of any cuz it bolted right up and plugged in not one problem at all. The battery is chargin up right now and im waitin to see how it all works, ill make a post in about an hour to tell you how its works out.:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

:confused: Ok i turn the key and everything just dims. Ok, not enough voltage to make her start. Not a big deal the cables are prolly just loose or something. Wrong! when i took the charger cables off the courtesy light goes and there NO power in the car anywhere i mean no where. Whats goin on?? The battery is dead, bad cell, wont take a charge????:confused: :confused:

Well it turns out that the starter was sticking and the battery problem somehow worked itelf out. The mystery wire turned out to be part of the PASS system as it looked like the guy before tryed to bypass it and it didnt work too well. So i took out the plug end with the resistor on it and plugged it into the right plug on the column.I went out again and turned the key. I heard the starter engaging but it wasnt cranking. Nothing a that couple taps from a hammer couldnt take care of. So i turn the key. Cha ching! She stared right up and idles like a charm. Everything works perfect now. Thanks for all the help.:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

I had a similar problem a week or so ago when my lock cylinder got stuck and would not move at all. They key was stuck in it and I had the windows down. Not to mention I was downtown and was not about to leave it like that, so I had it towed home, and began swapping parts from my spare 89 column. I had mangled the old tumbler trying to mess with it, so I now needed a new one. Came to find out it this little pin/spring over by the turn signal lever had snapped and lodged itself in the gears and would not alot the key to move. All that work, but now my steering wheel locks and i have a new key. I just took the key that came with the spare column, and my key that came with the car , to GM. They read the resistance off the stock key, and cut the keyblank with that resistance to match the new key. It all worked great. I got a steering wheel puller at Kragens for 17 dollars and had two people hold the lock plate back while I jimmied the c-clip off. Wasn't that bad. Hardest part was getting the little black plastic piece that engages the higbeams to stay put while rebuilding the column.

Will

Damn, glad mine wasnt that hard.:)

If only you saw the pics, its a mess in that column, what a crazy fuggin design

Will

LOL, yea i know what you are talking about. I took mine apart at first to see if I could repair the damage. It was WAY too complicated. Thats when i said F**k this and bought a whole new column.

I had no choice, glad you had it easier

Will