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???

 

Ok, i got my column today. It came out of a 92 firebird tho . 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.

 

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????

 

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.

 

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