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Cadillac Repair/Passkey on a 96 buick roadmaster wagon

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Expert: - 3/4/2009


Question
Hello Sir,  I am a Mom of 3 who dislikes minivans and loves my Buick Roadmaster station wagon.  It is pretty beat up, but doesn't owe me a thing. my husband is going to make me get rid of it if I can't figure out what to do with this pass key situation! I never know, ever time I get into the car, if the car is going to start or not.  I turn the key and the pass key light comes on.  I wait the obligatory 3 minutes and try again.  Sometime I have to wait another 3 minutes, Sometimes it starts.  I waited up to 30 minutes once!  Talk about anxiety!! I have taken to spraying a cleaner in the ignition (Alcohol based.  I once was told it was the key, so I went to the dealer and purchased a new key,  that didn't change anything.  I was also told I would have to have a new steering column, ignition system put in;  doesn't see, worth it on a car that is already 13 years old with 127,000 on it.  Please help me.  I really don't want a new car. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi,

First of all getting a junkyard column would just give you more problems because the chances are one in fourteen that the resistor chip in the ignition key in the used column is going to match the computer in your car.

The most common problem in which the engine won't crank, is that the two wires running down from the ignition lock under the dash break inside the harness. The easiest correction is to go to an auto alarm store and ask for a VATS bypass kit. These kits come with any after market alarms set up for remote start. Have the guy at the alarm store measure the resistance in your ignition key and grab the correct resistor from the package. Cut the two small wjite wires in the orange sheath and leave the wires from the steering column dead. Take the other two wires, one on each side of the bypass resistor and connect. That way, the car sees the right key everytime.

Please understand, this is a very common problem with this system, but I can't say for certain that this is the problem.

If you do bypass the system, have a hidden starter kill switch installed at the same time.

It takes 30 seconds to steal your car and it may not be great looking, but it would be great for burglaries and other crimes.

Good luck,


Rob

Cadillac Repair

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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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