My Security Light is on, and my car won't start.

**my_first_camaro_1998** · 05-05-2008, 02:06 PM

My alarm went of 2 days ago when I misplaced my original keys and opened the driver's side door with a spare key. After I found the original keys and turned off the alarm by pushing the LOCK button on the remote, the car was fine-or so I thought. I tried to start my car this morning, and she wouldn't start. The security light is on and it won't let the car turn over. The battery is fine, as all the gauges are functioning, including the radio. What could be wrong??

**02CAWS6** · 05-05-2008, 02:22 PM

I ran over to the gas station on Friday ($4.09 per gallon them SOB's) anyway after filling I got in and the Security light was on and the car wouldn't start. I made some phone calls opened the door reached in and it started. Then Sunday morning went out got in and the same thing happened. I opened my drivers door and tried again and it started.

Sorry I'm not any help, but I am hoping somebody knows what is going on.

**0rion** · 05-05-2008, 02:40 PM

vats issue. You can first try cleaning the pellet on your key real good and if that doesn't work it's most likely the contact wires inside the ignition. You can fix that or the easy/cheap way is here:
VATS bypass

**2001NBMZ28** · 05-05-2008, 02:42 PM

With the alarm armed and opening the door with the door key it will go off if you don't get the key in the ignition within a few seconds - normal. If the security light on the IP is staying on it's a VATS issue, car isn't recognizing the resistance of the key pelet.

Edit: Need to type faster.

**my_first_camaro_1998** · 05-05-2008, 03:18 PM

I read the thread on bypassing the VATS, and since I don't exactly have $300.00 to spend at the dealership, I guess thats what im gonna do.

1 question though:
how much is a multimeter and where can I get one? (same question for the resistors)

**Baluchitherium** · 05-05-2008, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by my_first_camaro_1998

I read the thread on bypassing the VATS, and since I don't exactly have $300.00 to spend at the dealership, I guess thats what im gonna do.

1 question though:
how much is a multimeter and where can I get one? (same question for the resistors)

You can get a decent multimeter at Radio Shack and the same goes for the resistors...

**Spaz** · 05-05-2008, 04:09 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

vats issue. You can first try cleaning the pellet on your key real good and if that doesn't work it's most likely the contact wires inside the ignition. You can fix that or the easy/cheap way is here:
VATS bypass

fucking brilliant!!! $0.10 to fix a head ache!!! i love it!!!

**my_first_camaro_1998** · 05-05-2008, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by Baluchitherium

You can get a decent multimeter at Radio Shack and the same goes for the resistors...

I saw a lot of different multimeters on the radioshack website, and I wanted to know which one to get (15 range, 8 range, 19 range, etc.)

**0rion** · 05-05-2008, 08:17 PM

multimeters are typically $10-$20. I have a cheap digital meter that's by far my favorite. It's small and easy to stick in a pocket and gets the job done.

**Baluchitherium** · 05-06-2008, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

multimeters are typically $10-$20. I have a cheap digital meter that's by far my favorite. It's small and easy to stick in a pocket and gets the job done.

Same here...and my meter is adjustable as far as ranges go.

**Dare2Dream** · 05-08-2008, 05:20 PM

You want a multimeter that measures resistance, every other function is a bonus.

**ScrapMaker** · 05-09-2008, 12:45 PM

What if my security light just started staying on... but my car is working just fine?

**0rion** · 05-09-2008, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by ScrapMaker

What if my security light just started staying on... but my car is working just fine?

then you're on borrowed time.

Usually it'll come on but if you wait 3-4 minutes it'll let you start the car anyhow.

**ScrapMaker** · 05-10-2008, 10:13 AM

I went out and had a key made, (PITA because they don't have the exact key w/o resistor,) shaved it at the base so it would fit... and it starts my car just fine...

Guess I'll go and do the resistor by-pass... No way am I going to pay $400 (quoted at $377 from a local shop I always use.) Especially when I will probably get an aftermarket alarm sometime soon...

I'm not so sure about the "borrowed time" suggestion... if the resistor SENSOR went out, then the security light will stay on indefinitely, and I can start my car... if it somehow started working again, it would simply read my key and work anyways...

Resistor solution seems like the best option. I just hope the orange sheath is easy to find...

**0rion** · 05-10-2008, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by ScrapMaker

I went out and had a key made, (PITA because they don't have the exact key w/o resistor,) shaved it at the base so it would fit... and it starts my car just fine...

Guess I'll go and do the resistor by-pass... No way am I going to pay $400 (quoted at $377 from a local shop I always use.) Especially when I will probably get an aftermarket alarm sometime soon...

I'm not so sure about the "borrowed time" suggestion... if the resistor SENSOR went out, then the security light will stay on indefinitely, and I can start my car... if it somehow started working again, it would simply read my key and work anyways...

Resistor solution seems like the best option. I just hope the orange sheath is easy to find...

inside the ignition there are 2 wires that touch each side of your key's pellet which is basically just a resistor. Then the vats module looks for that resistance. I'm by no means knowledgable with how the vats module works.....I just know what symptoms I see people having on here and what I had myself. There are varying degrees of vats issues. Have you tried using a pencil eraser and cleaning your key's pellet or used a second set of keys to see if the light would go off? That's an option too. I would just bet that at some point it's not going to let you start the car immediately.

**my_first_camaro_1998** · 05-13-2008, 07:22 PM

Thanks alot guys. The resistor idea worked for a few days ... but it kept slipping out, even with the tape. After 2 days and $400 at the 'stealership', she's back in running order.

Problem #2 - I need mods for this daily-driver 3.8 ... any ideas? (Ram-air intake and SLP Loudmouth II's on the way)

**0rion** · 05-13-2008, 07:39 PM

could've fixed that slipping out problem with a $10 soldering iron.

That's why I always prefer to solder wires over anything else.....especially tape.

Post in the v6 section about mods...those guys can help you a lot more than I would be able to.

**ScrapMaker** · 05-13-2008, 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by 0rion

inside the ignition there are 2 wires that touch each side of your key's pellet which is basically just a resistor. Then the vats module looks for that resistance. I'm by no means knowledgable with how the vats module works.....I just know what symptoms I see people having on here and what I had myself. There are varying degrees of vats issues. Have you tried using a pencil eraser and cleaning your key's pellet or used a second set of keys to see if the light would go off? That's an option too. I would just bet that at some point it's not going to let you start the car immediately.

The way I see it... if the sensor in the ignition cylinder was working AT ALL, and my key was dirty, then my car wouldn't start... My light is staying on, which means that the sensor is defective---probably sending a resistance value that makes no sense to the VATS...

I'm still going to put on the resistor, just because I want that light gone... I guess, depending on what kind of failure the "sensor" is having, it could possibly read a value that makes the VATS thing that I am stealing it...

**stanger88** · 05-14-2008, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by my_first_camaro_1998

My alarm went of 2 days ago when I misplaced my original keys and opened the driver's side door with a spare key. After I found the original keys and turned off the alarm by pushing the LOCK button on the remote, the car was fine-or so I thought. I tried to start my car this morning, and she wouldn't start. The security light is on and it won't let the car turn over. The battery is fine, as all the gauges are functioning, including the radio. What could be wrong??

Same thing happens to me when I leave a door on the car open too long. Wait it out, 5 minutes or less and it should go out and you can be on your way. My 95 TA did it too, just a nice feature so that if you leave your door open or whatnot (I guess someone did it...) and someone jumps in the car and grabs your keys they can't haul arse outta there.

**Dare2Dream** · 05-14-2008, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by ScrapMaker

The way I see it... if the sensor in the ignition cylinder was working AT ALL, and my key was dirty, then my car wouldn't start... My light is staying on, which means that the sensor is defective---probably sending a resistance value that makes no sense to the VATS...

The wire in the ignition can get lose causing the problem to appear intermittently until the wire breaks. I had that issue on the last TA, I'd sit there and move the steering up/down, wait for 3-5 minutes for the security light to reset and try to start again. It was a pain in the neck and I would have definitely done the bypass if I had known about it.

On my current TA, it went out completely without warning, so I had to do the bypass in a hotel parking garage after 2 days. Really happy that I didn't have to get it towed to the stealership and to me, the key security isn't worth the $400 if it can result in me getting stranded (again) in the many places I've stopped away from home.