About a month ago I was out in the Camaro and I was getting ready to leave a resturant and the car wouldn't start, and the security light came on and stayed on even after I cut the ignition switch back off. So I called a friend and he told me to pull the PC fuse for about 10 min and then put it back in. It temporarily wiped the computer, long enough for me to get the car started. So I took the car to Durham through a friends advice to Carolina Auto Masters, and got the VATS erased out of the computer. That should have worked but didn't, about 4 days later the car did it again, wouldn't start and the security light was back on. Jeff the one who helped me at CAM, said to replace the module underneath the dash, I called a local dealership and told them the problem and they suggested to replace the key lock cylindar. That its probably not reading my key, hence the car thinks I'm the theif.

Little history on the car, I do know it was repossed from its previous owner, so it did not have the original keys with it, some how they had cut a regular key and the security light was on when we got the car. So we took it to a local dealer, and they spent about 2-3 hours trying to figure out how the car would start w/o the orginal key with the computer chip in it. So we bought 2 new sets of keys from the dealer, decided to put them in the ignition and see what happened. The car flashed itself to that key and the security light went out, and we hadn't had a problem since until now.

I just need to know if I should replace the module under the dash or the key lock cylindar, I hate putting new parts in and not really knowing if that is the problem, or the fact that I'm just throwing parts at that might not fix the problem. Any ideas?
I'm sure that it could be both at this point.


Greenfire

 

the exact same thing happened to me about 4 months ago, it didnt crank and light stayed on for about 10 min, then it worked fine, 2 weeks later my parents drove it and it didnt crank until i had an ignition cylinder put in.
In case you dont know, the reason its not working is because of that little metal chip on the key, there are 2 wires that make contact with that metal piece when the key is put in the ignition, a current is sent across checking the code or something i guess, but in my cylinder, one of the wires had come loose, hence the car couldnt check the key and therefore wouldnt crank. Cost me about 260 bucks to get it put in (they wanted 1000 dollars rofl because
1) $250 battery cable (WTF)
2) Fuel filter.. (bs i changed a couple weeks b4 this problem)
3) Fuel injection cleaned
4) forgot the last thing, but i knew it was bs
to make a long story short i had just the cylinder replaced and it worked fine!
gl with the problem!

Scott

 

real common problem with the vats system is the two little wires that send a present amount of voltage across the "chip"...the chip is actually a resistor. Sounds to me like you're having issues with the wires.. Afew strands may be broken causing the computer to see a different "chip" therefore it doesn't want to let the car start. That would be my best educated guess, but there is only one way to know for sure. Replace it. I is something that can be done by yourself, just make sure to disconnect the negative bat cable and let the car sit for 30 min...to make sure the airbag doesn't pop when you pull the steering wheel. Aside from that it's not too hard..Achiltons/haynes manual will come in handy also...unless you have access to AllData/Mitchel on Demand....

Good Luck.

Chris

 

Thanks guys, I really apprciate your advice, I guess I'll try replacing the key lock cylindar. I hope that works. I'll keep you all posted.


Greenfire