I've seen the posting for someone having problems with their car not starting. I'm having the same problem with an 89 RS 5.0 TBI Convertible. It was running just fine...drove it to work, came out to leave and it wouldn't start. The starter does nothing. It's got a new battery, the radio, wipers, etc. all work.

So far, we've found a relay in the left side of the driver's side floor area that connects a green/wht wire (going to the Park/Neutral switch in the console) and the yellow wire coming from the ignition switch, that is not operating correctly. If we jumper from the yellow to the green/wht, turning the key to start will cause the engine to turn over, but not start. There is a small green wire that goes to the coil in the relay that appears to be "floating" and this would cause the relay to not work...but I don't know where this green wire is coming from. Does anyone have a wiring diagram that shows this wire? We have a Haynes '82-'92 Camaro book...but the wiring diagrams don't even show this relay, let alone the green wire that is coming from it!

Thanks for any assistance.

 

I've found the problem. Just thought I would go ahead and post it for anyone else that sees the same thing.

To begin with, I found a post here on Thirdgen.org giving a review of repair manuals...and stating that the Haynes that I have is basically the worst...which I had pretty much already figured out. So I stopped by the local bookstore and picked up a Chilton's 82-92 Total Car Care Manual (which was supposed to be close to a Helm manual but at a fraction of the cost, and I could get it immediately). The Chilton manual had wiring diagrams that showed the relay I was looking at...and that the "floating" wire I had found was going to the pass key decoder module. Great...a bad module? No...

I found a web site: http://www.smpcorp.com/download/view/tt3q00.pdf that gives a diagnostic procedure for checking out the VATS. Following this procedure, it appeared that the resistance from the key was not staying constant when turned to start. Removing the key lock cylinder showed the culprit...one of the small wires for the VATS was being held together by the insulation. When turned off, the resistance was correct, but as the key was turned the wire separated.

So, today I will either buy a new lock cylinder or a resistor...one way or the other the car will be running.

...bought the cylinder..and 2 new keys...it's running fine!

 

where is this module located?