I'm having this problem lately with my car starting. I know GM made the security key with the chip on it,and somethings not reading it. You turn the key and absolutely nothing happens and the security light comes on, but if you take the key out and wait 15 minutes it will start. my key is 16 years old now, and I am going to order a couple new ones from the GM garage. Can they just simply wear out, or could it be something else? Thanks alot, Randy

 

yeah they go bad

 

I would have the ignition keys checked at a dealer before replacing them. They have a machine to read the chip in it. If they can read it, your problem is not the key but the wires going to the cylinder; they have frayed and are about to break. If this is the case and you have to replace the cylinder, you will have to get new keys also. That or bypass the vats system entirely. There are numerous posts on how to do that.

 

Mine's doing the opposite. I can start and shut off my car with the key just fine, but I can pull the key out of the ignition and it'll keep running.... I know that there are a lot of older GM's that do this, but mine has the security key... Any ideas. Can this cause problems later?

 

If you can pull the key out while the ignition is in the "on" position, the cylinder is worn out.

 

That's what I thought, but my concern is will this mess with anything else? It starts every time like a charm. I don't want to lose that. I just don't want to blow money on something I don't need to, but I don't need to get stuck with it not starting either. My dad's went bad on his 80 Olds' and it was a pain and a half to do as so many mechanics wanted too much to do it. So we just installed an ignition switch. You need to have the key to unlock the cylinder, then you just hit the momentary switch to fire her up. The key is what shuts it down.

 

9 times out of 10 the contacts in the iginition lock cylinder or the wires going into the ignition lock cylinder are bad/worn/loose. In either event the ignition cylinder would need replaced which comes with a dumby key with no chip (last time I checked gmpartsdirect.com had them for about $35) Then you get a correct key blank (about $15) and get it cut to the dumby ket that comes with the lock cylinder. GM used 15 different key chips iirc, they're actually just resistive pellets embedded in the key that can be checked with any ohm meter and cross referenced off of a chart to find out what number key you have.

 

Thanks for the info Cooper.. I didn't know half of that. I just know it's something that I wanted to know about now for incase I need to do something about it later. Should probably look into it a bit more now though. Thanks again

 

I'd agree with that 100%. I would just bypass the circut with a resistor insead of fixing it. Theft rates on 3rd gens are almost nill now. Not like it was when VATS was first introduced. Was needed back in them days.

 

hey dont worry about the fact that the key can pull out and the car still runs. The only thing it will do is make the car easier to steal. Because then all the thief needs is the correct vats chip.

The reason it still runs is GM installed a failsafe; were the car will run after it is started. The car understands this as if the vats have failed, but it will get you home.