A couple of weeks, my car decided not to start, the Security light was on and I had to wait until it went off. When it did, I tried again and with the key in the Run position, the security light was flashing, jiggling the key I got it to stay on and then start the car. Since then, I've used that same trick a couple of times to start the car.

NOW, the security light is on all the time, but I am still able to start the car! I did a search on the board and found out where the wires from the ignition lock are and took the connector loose, I cannot measure any resistance over the lock when the key is in there, so the wire is probably broken somewhere. BUT, I am STILL able to start the car! WITH THE CONNECTOR LOOSE!?!?

So, in summary, the security light is on ALL the time, I can start the car without problems without any resistance on the connector to the VATS!?!?

Anyone have an idea what is going on? I know it doesn't sound like a problem right now, but I don't want to get stranded somewhere where I can't do anything about it!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Sam

 

the same thing happened on my 95Z vert. it left me stranded one day for about four hours because of that crap. then the light came on and stayed on for about a year until the car was STOLEN two years ago. i've often wondered if the VATS had been functioning properly if the bastards would have been able to take it. it was also never recovered, so if anyone has seen a sebring silver 95Z convertible with the VATS system messed up, shoot me an email. so i can definitely say try to get it straightened out. it might be worth the effort.

mike

 

Your theft deterrent module is in "fault enable mode". The problem with the cylinder probably occurred when the engine was already running. When this happens, it allows you to start the car with a fault in the key cylinder and you have no PassKey protection. The security lamp stays on all the time. Repairing your key cylinder problems should return it to normal.

 

I suppose its POSSIBLE that contact is being made ONLY when the key is turned to the starting position.

If you are planning on defeating VATS and just need to get the correct resistor, measure the resistance ON THE KEY.

In any case, I'd address the issue immediately so you don't get stranded! It will happen. Oh yes....it will happen.

 

Aha! I did not know it had a feature like that. Thanks!

But apparently it does "reset" after a certain time, because monday morning it was giving me trouble again.... Could that be caused by the VATS reading the right resistance again at some point?

I'd like to correct the problem and still have the VATS working, but after looking at the steering column from below I can see what a PITA it's going to be to replace that one wire!!! So I may just end up putting the right resistor across the connector and be done with it. If someone wants to steal the car bad enough, they will take the time to try out 15 resistors... because that's all it takes!

Sam

 

Shoebox?

 

Hello?

 

I was wondering if you knew about what I copied above. Do you know when it will reset? Because I have now made a bypass with a resistor, but I still don't know if it works, because it does not try to read the resistance...

Thanks!

Sam

 

I would guess that it may have been reading it intermittently.

From what I read, it would supposedly go back to acting normally when the key cylinder was replaced. I would assume it would think the resistor was no different from the key.

 

I did not describe the situation well enough: Right now, the Security light is on all the time. I have the PASS-KEY wire that goes to the ignition lock unplugged. I am able to start the car because apparantly it is in "fault enable mode", which causes it to not pay any attention to the resistance it reads. So when I plug in my resistance, it still acts like before (security light on all the time and starts without problem). I have tried taking out several fuses in an effort to "reset" the system, but it still acts the same way. I guess that taking off the battery terminal would "reset" it, but I haven't done that yet...

What I would like to know is how do you get it to try and read the resistance again? I know it's not a problem right now, but I'd like to try out the bypass here at home before it decides to not let me start the car 100 miles from here!

Thanks again!

Sam

 

Well, it says that if the fault condition goes away for 1 minute, the security lamp should go off. I am assuming that you had the resistor in there for more than a minute with the key ON.
You could even try inserting the resistor while the engine is running to see if the security lamp goes off after a minute or so.
You might need to experiment with the battery reset, too.

 

I guess I did not have it in there long enough, because this morning I decided to just plug it in and see what happens on the way to work and a couple of minutes from my house the light went off. I got some gas and restarted after that and the light went off like normal (right after starting), so everything is back to normal.

Thanks for keeping an eye on this thread!!

Sam

 

Cool, it actually worked like it said.