Newbie here, so if this post needs moving, please do so.

I have a '94 Camaro RS with a 3.4 v6. I let someone borrow my car and they lost the key. I went to the dealership to get a new one, but the one they give me won't work with my vats. I gave them the VIN and all, but still doesn't work. I've been looking at similar posts, and have seen the vats bypass things, but I don't want the little light from one of the ones I saw, and the other one was from a seller with very little feedback. I can't afford to get the vats taken of my pcm, and I can't get a new key, so it looks like this is my only option. Can anyone help me out? Where does the module with the light on it go, and can it be hidden? Thank you for any help.

 

If you know the resistance of the pellet in the right key, you can buy a resistor and splice into the wires. That will disable the vats system. It tricks it into thinking the key pellet is in all the time.

 

Go back to the dealer and have them make you the right key. Unless your car has been modified from stock (VATS), they should be able to make you the the right key. That's how everyone else does it when they lose a key. They can also use a device in their service department to plug in and determine the resistance of the key pellet needed. It's called an "interrogator".

 

Make them make you the right key. Shoebox is right.. there's no reason they can't. Go make a fuss about it in front of other customers and they'll be happy as hell to take care of you.

 

What do I need for them to get the right key? It's a long way from my house to the dealership, so I can't afford the towing charge from here to there. Other than the VIN number, what should I take them? I'm on my third new key, and they still won't work. I bought the car used, so I don't know if the vats was altered before I got it or not. They've honestly tried to make the key work, it just won't. Could the problem be something else? The symptoms all point to it being vats, but I could easily be wrong. Thank you for the help so far, and keep it coming!

 

If it worked fine with the old key, it should work fine with a new key.

There are only a limited amount of VATS key values. You could go to Radio Shack and buy a resistor of each value and test them all until you find the correct one, then tell the dealer the value to have them make the right key. Shoebox has a page on his website that lists all the values possible.

It's hard to believe the dealer cannot make the right key based on the VIN. maybe your car had its VATS box replaced at some point and the value it requires is no longer the stock value??