Drove car for 2 weeks after VATS bypass. Now car won't turnover from Key. Can crank at starter and car cranks up fine. The car side lights and tail lights are blinking and the security light is on with door locks off and on. I found a Viper box that is clicking under the steering column. Where do I begin to debug this issue? Help needed in Maryland?

 

Simple , you need to remove that aftermarket Viper alarm , that is now likely malfunctioning , and put the wiring back to it's stock (pre viper) configuration . Almost every aftermarket alarm incorporates a starter kill function and that is what's very likely keeping your starter from working . The connection that had to be cut to install the starter was either a fat yellow or a fat purple wire , depending upon where in the starter solenoid circuit they cut into for the starter kill . You will naturally need to find where it's been cut into the circuit , usually at the big bundle of wires under the steering column , and eliminate at least the viper's starter kill relay , but honestly pulling the whole Viper deal out and restoring all original connections really would be best .

PS , a few pictures of what's going on under/around the steering column area would likely produce more specific answers , depending of course on the quality of the pics .

 

WoW! Thank you OrangeBird. I will start tomorrow trying to find where Viper was infused in the wiring. Anyone have picture of the wiring under the steering column?

 

I don't know what's wrong w/ your car, Jim, but I pull aftermarket alarms off every used car I buy.

There junk, IMO and the installs are usually badly done.

Besides, have you EVER heard a car alarm go off and called the Police? Or thought "theres a car being stolen" ? It's more like "What PITA's alarm is annoying me".

 

Before you start yanking wires for the viper, double check and make sure whatever you did with the VATs bypass is still functional. I know for me, it was a couple of resistors soldered together to match the chip in the key, so if you did the same, check your resistance again and make sure it still matches, and make sure the wires aren't broken or anything. Aftermarket alarms ARE junk and you should remove it at some point, but check the simple stuff first.

 

So if you just used resistors to bypass the key cyl part of the vats, you haven't really bypassed the vats. Its still there, just reading resistance from the resistors and not the key. The vats could still be a problem.
I 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th removing those junk alarms. I remove them from everything I can.