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Cadillac Repair/1994 cadillac sts 32v northstar

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Expert: - 2/28/2011


Question
does the vats anti theft system locks the engine from turning over when trying to rotate it from harmonic balance

Answer
Hello,

Not sure what you are asking here when you throw the harmonic balancer in.

The VATS is designed in which if the VATS module cannot read the resistor in the key, the engine will not start.

Now, if you are saying you tried turning the harmonic balancer and the engine does not turn over, you have more serious problems than just the VATS, and it sounds like you have a seized engine. If you try jumping the starter solenoid, and the engine doesn't at least crank, and you can't turn the engine over by trying to turn the balancer, the engine is toast and the problem has nothing to do with the VATS. The VATS and about any anti-theft system are blamed for just about any malfunction in a vehicle.

The VATS does not LOCK the engine.

Just a thought--this is an aluminum engine and if the vehicle was even in the least part over heated, severe engine damage results. I have answered many questions after the owner already destroyed the engine from running the engine hot. Don't know if this is your situation, or like many drive with the oil light flickering and engine noise till it seizes.

As I say though, jump the starter and if the engine does not turn over, its not a VATS problem.

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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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