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Cadillac Repair/ignition switch

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Question
I have a 95 cadillac sedan deville with a 4.9 in it. When i bought the car half of the key was broke into the ignition switch, which caused no problems then. I believe it is now though, my dome lights and a chime will stay on and never go off when i shut off the car. Can you tell me if there is an easy fix to this. I have pulled all fuses and that dont work. Is there a sensor i can disconnect, or will i have to replace the ignition switch and if so can u tell me how?

Answer
Hello,

There is an easy solution for all this. Call a locksmith. Depending on how hard it is to get out, most times me and locksmiths can retrieve broken keys out of the lock. That will fix your key chime and dome light situation and then you can put all the fuses back in.

The locksmith can make you a new VATS key and install the lock if he has to for more than 50% less.

The ignition lock and key are over priced junk for this car and GM preyed on people that needed the crummy defective lock wiring running down the column only to break and strand people. GM would charge $75 for each key and up to $500 for the ignition lock.
They are crooks. The locksmith gets the lock and keys from the same exact manufacturer (Strattec of Milwaukee). None of the American manufacturers make the locks and keys.

Is your VATS bypassed. In theory, without the resistor chip in the key, the engine will not start.

If bypassed be warned: Old cars are stolen all the time and 30 seconds with a screwdriver on the left side of that steering column and the car is gone!


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Rob Painter

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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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