won't start-security

My 96 bonneville will occasionally not start. It will not even turn over. The security light on the dash comes on. Does anyone have any idea what is going on?

I can tell you what exactly is wrong, well at least, well whatever. It is the Ignition Lock Cylinder (the thing you put your key in to to start it). Ok, what you might want to try first is cleaning the key's chip with an SOS pad. If that doesnt work then most likely it is your Lock Key Cylinder. What happens is that GM was stupid and made the two wires that go from the cylider to the power so small that every time you turn that key they twist and eventually break causing the security light to go on saying that you have an incorrect key in the cylinder. The part is app. 35 dollars, cheap if you put it in yourself, but you will also have to foot another 40 or so dollars to get another key made for that specific cylider. they give you a blank with the resistor type that that cylinder uses an all you have to do is tell GM that you need a key with that blank and that chip type. Hope this helps!

With an occasional no start problem, I wouldn't expect a broken wire. A broken wire would not allow the car to start at any time. The wires do not physically move when the ignition is turned on/off but there are small contacts that can wear or break.


As described above, the first step is to clean the resistor and the key cylinder. I will usually use QD electronics cleaner to spray in the ignition cylinder if I have problems. Spray some in and work the key in and out a couple of times. Also, try a spare key if available for a couple of days. This will help determine if the key is at fault or you need to dig into the car.

One other think I can think of. Do you have any aftermarket products such as a remote car starter installed? If so, this would be a suspect. Installers must interface with the VATS wires in order for the remote start to function properly. As explained above, they are very thin and sometimes do not make a good connection.

well not to argue a point but I went through the exact same thing last year. I would put the key in and it wouldnt even click. The SECURITY light would stay on solid for about 10-15 mins and once it started blinking again I was able to try and start the car again. If it didnt get it then I would have to wait again. I talked to a few people at GB and a few of my friends and they all said if I replaced that part that all my problems would be solved. Once I took the steering column apart I took out the piece and sure enough one of the wired were broken. From what i hear it is a very common problem and its basically sheer luck that the car actually does start. After I found that out, some of my friends had the same problem. I told them and replaced the cylinder and it didnt fail. I mean obviously I could be wrong but like I have my heart on this one lol I got stuck at a gas station for over an hour last year!!! LOL

It sounds like you had the exact same symptoms but that doesn't mean that the author has the same problem that you had. It wouldn't be right for any of us to assume that it is one specific problem. I certainly haven't troubleshooted the car so I don't know what the problem is for sure. I, like you, can only give my experience in order to lead the author in the right direction.

Before you send someone down the "disassemble the steering column" road, I think it would be in order to do some investigating first. What if it's just a blown fuse? I wouldn't want to go through all that trouble without eliminating all of the other possibilities. Right?

true... I do jump the gun alot, its just something ive seen so much of and, well 100% of the time for me that answer resolved the problem. SORRY! lol im pretty impatient when it comes to stupid cars LOL!

And there are other ways of walking around the VATS problem forever

true... I do jump the gun alot, its just something ive seen so much of and, well 100% of the time for me that answer resolved the problem. SORRY! lol im pretty impatient when it comes to stupid cars LOL!
Yeah, can't you just wire in the correct resistor value and be done with it forever? Then you wouldn't have to shell out the big bucks for keys either.

That's one way to do it. Providing you don't mind disabling the security system permanently and the problem isn't at the VATS module.