About two months ago I bypassed the starter enable relay because my car wouldnt start sometimes. Ever since then my engine will crank but wont start. The security light stays on when it doesn't start this leads me to believe that this is a vats problem. What is the best way to fix this? Also my chip in my key is a little loose, could that be a problem because this only happens about once out of every five starts

 

I think you have just answered your own question there with the loose pellet in the key. Get a new one and you should be good to go.

 

Yup, a loose pellet will stop you cold. If the vats module doesn't see it it'll disable the relay (which you bypassed) but it will also not send the required 30Hz square wave to the ECM which disables the injectors.

Measure the resistance of the pellet in the key with an ohmmeter to find out what # key it is (gm uses 15 different resistances, ie: #1 is "x" ohms, etc. do a google you'll find it somewhere, it's what I usually do ) then get a key blank from the dealer and have it cut. Other possibility and also fairly common is the wires that go to the lock cylinder for the contacts break or go bad, in which case you'd need to replace the lock cylinder as well.

If you just want to bypass it you can take the resistance you've already measured, get a miniature potentiometer and set it for the same resistance and splice it into the wires to the vats module at the base of your steering column, or have it deleted from your mem-cal.

 

thanks guys. I am going to try a new key today. I forgot to mention that i got a code 46 when the car wont start. Does that mean that the vats is screwed or is that normal when there is a problem with the key

 

Code 46 sets if the incorrect key or starting procedure is used. Once you get your problem straightened out the code should go away.

 

Turned out to be the key. I went to GM and had a new one made. So far so good! Thanks for all the help!