I have an intermitten problem that is driving me crazy. Went to take my car out yesterday, turn key on, hear pump, turn key, nothing. Tried it many times, removing key and trying again, nothing. Came back a few hours later, started fine... Started it 20 times in a row and did fine. Came home today, go to start it, again nothing. waited about 20 minutes, tried it and it fired right up. I did notice when it wouldn't start, the security light was staying on. Is there a prob with my securty system? Can it be disabled?

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/vats_passkey_system

https://www.thirdgen.org/vats

 

Would a new key possibly help, or should I just bypass the system?

 

I had the same thing happen and mine was caused by a clutch safety switch that would not always engage/disengage. Replaced it and haven't had a problem since.

 

automatic here, wish it was a 4 speed....

 

Is there a bypass chip, tired of being embasresed when it wont start

 

did ya figure this out?fix the problem ,then bypass it. the wires from the ignition cylinder that read the resistance off the pellet are probably loose. your going to have to take the whole steering column apart basically. you can buy a spare cylinder that comes w a key ,then hide the existing cylinder once it is fixed under the dash somewhere. however before you do any of this check under the dash for a pair of yellow or orange thin wires that lead up to steering column, if that is loose, then clip them on tight and hopefully it fixes that problem.

 

You don't have to take the column apart to bypass the VATS - just solder in the resistor at the dash side.

You do have to remove steering wheel to replace the key cylinder if going that route, then just have the new key cut with the old key's resistance.

You could check the starter enable relay, the ignition switch (not the key cylinder), and the neutral safety switch, but I pointed you to the VATS issues since you stated the security light was on.

What usually happens with VATS, is that the little contacts and springs wear out in the key cylinder, and thus they no longer make contact with the pellet on the key. These contacts and the springs behind them are so small you can barely see them at all, and million insertions of the key wears them out over time. Most folks do the resistor bypass to get by (as I did on my 1997 Z28), but replacing the key cylinder thus keeping VATS in tact is the better route (but harder and more $$$).