So I get in my IROC today and turned the key.....nothing happened. I mean the radio and electronics came on but it didnt even attempt to crank. So after verifying the battery was good, I kept trying and trying to crank the car to no avail. When I turned the key to the "ON" position, I could take the key right out. A few times I was able to turn the ignition without the key. So I sat in the parking lot for 10 minutes confused why the car would not crank and then I tried again....magically the car started right up. I was confused. I turned the car off, removed the key and tried again. Started again with no issues. So I drive down the street to my house and while going about 50 mph, I easily pulled the key out of the ignition......the car was still running like nothing happened. After I made it home, I turned the car off and started it again a few times with no issues. However, I was able to turn the ignition without the key again a few times before it locked up. I am lost....please help.

 

Your car is a VATS car, meaning it is equipped with GM's Vehicle Anti Theft System. This system will prevent the car from starting unless the correct key is inserted in the key cylinder. That's why the car wont start without the key, even though your ignition cylinder is worn out, which is why you can turn it without the key and remove the key with the engine running. Replace the ignition cylinder. Be sure you get a VATS cylinder(with the contacts for the VATS key). You will need to have the new cylinder recoded to fit your key. I assume that your key is also badly worn so you may want to have it read for the key code. The key code simply denotes the resistance of the pellet in the key shank. There were, as I remember, 15 different codes, or resistance values used. You can find the code yourself using an ohmmeter to read the resistance across the pellet from one side of the key to the other. With this code, you can order matching blanks and have them cut before your key wears out completely.

Better yet, just get a new cylinder, purchase blanks to match your key's VATS code, and have the blanks cut to match to the new cylinder.

 

This sounds exactly what happens with our family's Saturn Ion.

 

ASE Doc.....I thought VATS only killed the injector firing, not the cranking though. If that is right, the engine should crank over but never start. It sounds like the OP wasn't even getting cranking when he turned the key. IF so, that would rule out VATS as the problem, wouldn't it?

 

sounds like a bad battery ground . even before i went ebl flash with vats disabled you could take the key out while it was running . i've also been able to listen to the radio but the car wouldn't crank over . try unhooking the negative battery cable an cleaning it's conection an be sure it's tight

 

The VATS prevents both cranking and fuel injector pulse. The VATS system includes a Start Enable Relay, which it closes when it sees the correct key code. A poor connection in the battery circuit will certainly prevent cranking, but it wont cause being able to remove the key with the engine running or turn the cylinder without the key.

 

Or the column is loose and the key is not moving the ignition switch all the way.

 

Ok thanks. Yeah i already had a new vats key cut. It wouldnt work either and it was brand new. The battery connect was perfect, i just replaced the terminals and there is good contact with no corrosion. The car wouldnt even crank but the radio and electronics worked. Sounds just as ASE Doc said, i need to replace the ignition cylinder. Since I have the vats system, I should get the replacement professionally done correct? Is there a way to disable VATS? Thanks guys

 

If the VATS system is fully working, then yes. http://www.austinthirdgen.org/index.php?pid=10

 

If the VATS system is not fully functional, for instance if there is a problem with the fuel enable or start enable control circuits, you will need to purchase a bypass module that replaces the fuel enable signal generated by the VATS module. You will also need to bypass the start enable relay by jumping the large yellow wires of the connector together.

Without the VATS system there is no antitheft protection so you may want to install an aftermarket alarm with or without start interlock.

 

Sounds like the VATS wires at the lock cylinder may be bad or broken. I would try the resistor bypass and see if it fixes things before I spent any money or time chasing anything else. If that fixes the problems it is in the column if not your VATS module is the next most likely culprit.

 

My friend had an 87 T/A that did the same thing. No vats though. But u could just turn the lock cylinder with no key. And take the key out anytime.

 

Had the no crank issue in my 89, changed the key and voila! started right up. Don't know if it's been suggested yet, but I would just change the ignition key cylinder for a new one and see if the problem goes away. Your current one isn't even holding the key in anymore...