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Cadillac Repair/car not turning over

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Expert: - 6/11/2010


Question
i have a 1991 cadillac deville and it will not turn over i have replaced the ignition switch and cylinder tested the battery and the starter

Answer
Hello,

there is a very big difference between a mechanical lock cylinder and the electrical ignition switch. In this car you cannot change the lock cylinder and expect it to start. The original key is coded to the computer by resistance.

You need to put the original lock and key back in.
After that send me an email to robo14@aol.com
You probably have broken wires in the steering column for the anti theft system. I will tell you how to diagnose and how to get it repaired. Don't forget to take the new lock cylinder back for a refund.
These guys at the parts store are morons for selling you a lock and key you can't code by yourself.

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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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