Clean Key, Wait 3 Minutes.... getting me mad

I have a 98 Aurora. Lately, and quite intermittantly, I keep getting the message on the DIC of "Clean Key and wait 3 Min". I have switched to my spare key and I still get the same thing.

I also have a thing under the dash called "Safe Guard", where a little plastic computer card is slid into. Was this factory or an aftermarket addition? If it is it factory, is this the root of my problems? What would be the recommened fix?

Thanks in advance!

Brett

i've never even heard of that. can you start your car?

Yes I can start it, after I wait a few minutes. It is surely not a 3 mintues wait, but it at least 2. Sometimes it will crank on the next try, sometimes it will do it a few more times.

Keep in mind it does this only a few times a week. All other times, it cranks just fine with not errors.

I found this on a the cadillacforums.com in regards to the a similar problem on a Seville.

The contacts in the ignition switch "read" the resister pellet in the key....that little silver sliver in the black plastic surround in the shank of the key. Make sure the resister pellet is clean on each end. The cleaner spray or a LITTLE WD40 in the ignition switch may help also.

One thing that can happen is that the contacts in the ignition switch can be bent or damaged if the key is not inserted straight into the ignition switch. The switch has a fairly long "lead in" made in it if you look at the entrance to the key slot. This may have been worn over time and allowed the key to enter slightly peepeeed. Make sure you insert the key straight and gently in the future so as to not damage the contacts.

If the contacts are becoming worn and/or the lead in for the key is worn the key may be starting to twist slightly in the ignition switch as you crank and unseating the resister pellet so that the VATS does not see the correct resistance and defaults the system. Develop the habit of inserting the key and then cranking using the "ears" on the ignition switch so that the key is not side loaded or twisted during crank.

One final thing about VATS on an older car. The ignition switch and the VATS contacts do not like a heavy wad of keys hanging on it all the time....this side loading of the key by a heavy ring of keys can also unseat the resister pellet from the contacts during crank and or wear the contacts over time increasing the problem. Switch to a ignition key that is alone on a key ring or one that you can disconnect from the normal wad of keys when in the car....it'll help preserve your aging ignition switch a little longer.

You can bypass the VATS if you want to.....Use an OHM Meter to measure the resistance across the little resistor in your key. Go buy a resistor at the electronics store that matches the resistance as closely as possible ( It needs to be very close ) if not exactly. Find the two small wires coming out of the steering colunm should be a white with black trace and a purple with a white trace unplug them and solder the resistor between these wires on the car side and it will fool your VATS into thinking that all is well and your car will start! I've done quite a few of these here lately and This has always worked! I usually put a little shrink tubing over the whole thing to make it look clean and not short to anything. Let us know how it comes out.

What is a VATS and does this sound correct? Sounds like the fix I would need to do as well.

Vehicle Anti-Theft System.

I've never heard of the little credit card thing either. The resistor trick is pretty standard though. It's something that gets done a LOT to make remote starters work. A car stereo shop ought to be able to make quick work of the problem. If you want to do it, a variable resistor (potentiometer) might be easiest, though a little bigger than a normal resistor.

It sounds like to me that maybe the ignition key switch might be going bad. Maybe the contacts that hit the VAT contacts on the key are dirty inside the ignition switch.