98 Custom, Chip in key going bad?

This afternoon i got into my car and turned the key and nothing happened. No clicking no dashboard lights etc. So I turned the key to the "Run" position to check the battery voltage on my dash and it read 12 volts. Temperature read 160 degrees as always, 3/4 tank of gas, oil was full....yada yada.

Strange thing was that when i turned the key i got nothing. It were as if the ignition was not even intact and none of the lights on the dash lit up ie "Check Engine" "Water Temp" "Battery" etc.....
15 minutes later the car started up as if nothing were wrong. When i got home i put the key to "Run" position to check the lights on the dash and i got the normal lights...ie "Check Engine" Water Temp" "Battery".

Someone had told me that the chip in my key may be going bad and when that happens the car wont start. So now i'm going to switch the key from my extra set.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

My experience is that a bad chip on a key or a bad VATS Reader will give you dash lights but not start the car.

When you turn the key on, look for the "security", does it stay flashing or flash and then go out after a few times?

My experience is that a bad chip on a key or a bad VATS Reader will give you dash lights but not start the car.

When you turn the key on, look for the "security", does it stay flashing or flash and then go out after a few times?

Well now that the car is working it lights as normal during start up then goes away. When the car didnt start none of the lights on the dash lit up. Battery is fine . I even honked the horn and operated the windows no problem. Maybe the ignition has a lose wire or is on it's way out? Thanks for your help.

[QUOTE=happydog500]My experience is that a bad chip on a key or a bad VATS Reader will give you dash lights but not start the car.

I agree with happydog on this one, I've had my VATS system fail on me twice, once being the contacts inside the ignition cylinder (not the key pellet itself) and recently my VATS module went out on me. The lights and seatbelt warning chime all came on as usual when the VATS system had failed these 2 different times.

Ok, It turns out that it was the starter in which you cannot find unless you crawl under the car. I wanted to give it a few knocks with the tire iron to get her going but couldnt find it from above the engine compartment. $170 later my car is fixed.

I just want to thank everyone for helping me out with your advise. I'm always looking foward to hearing suggestions from my fellow Buick owners ;)

I've had my VATS system fail on me twice, once being the contacts inside the ignition cylinder (not the key pellet itself)

Loekee75, when your ignition cylinder went out, did you replace it? Can you give me some information on it (I can't find any)?

Was it part of the cylinder, or hooked to it? Did you do the work yourself or did you take it and have it done? How much did it cost?

Please give me any info you can, Thanks,
Chris.

The ignition lock cylinder takes about 1½ hours to replace. A new one can be found at NAPA, O'Reilly, PartsAmerica, and a bunch of other places for under $50. You will get keys which are mechanically cut to fit the lock cylinder, and need to use those to have new keys cut on blanks with the proper resistance pellet in the bow (about $9 each at a locksmith, $20 at a hardware store, $30 at a dealership). You will need the original key to measure the pellet resistance.

Common failure points are the lock cylinder leaf contacts (contamination) and the small wire harness on the lock cylinder itself. Those wire flex every time the lock is moved, and can eventually wear through and short or break.

You might find this helpful:

PassKey/ VATS Systems (http://72.19.213.157/files/VATSSystem.html)

GP--
Is that a pic of your '98 lesabre?---if so, I didn't know they were still making vinyl tops?---looks nice--

GP--
Is that a pic of your '98 lesabre?---if so, I didn't know they were still making vinyl tops?---looks nice--
Yep, she's mine. It's actually a cloth top. Perhaps it may look vinyl in the pic.
I bought her almost 2 years ago for $6200 and with only 50,000 miles . According to carfax, it was a one owner whom drove an average of 6600 miles per year. 6 way power seats, leather interior, Concert Sound II stereo system with controls on steering wheel, yada yada yada. I'll never sell my Lesabre.:nono:

Thanks for the compliment:wink: and welcome to the forum :bananasmi

You will get keys which are mechanically cut to fit the lock cylinder, and need to use those to have new keys cut on blanks with the proper resistance pellet in the bow (about $9 each at a locksmith, $20 at a hardware store, $30 at a dealership). You will need the original key to measure the pellet resistance.

I called NAPA and they have a key cylinder for $49.99. He said it has two wires coming off it. Shouldn't it have something hooked to it to read the resistance?

Seems like if I just replace the cylinder, the bad VATS Reader is still in there somewhere.

GP--

I got my 96 LeSabre 4 yrs ago this month with 62000 on it for $5500 OTD (car,tax, tags,etc)---seemed like a good deal at the time from Fiore Buick, Altoona,PA---4 new tires and they repainted the trunk and 1/4 panel which had some scratches---runs like a charm with 110,000 now---I love Buicks, no matter how much they brag about Jap cars----best of fortunes:)

Recently Consumer Reports rated cars using an overall customer satisfaction survey. Well, as you might guess, Lexus was #1 and what was #2?

Scroll down for the answer;






















No, it was not Ford! :shakehead











No, it was not Chrysler! :shakehead









No, it was not Toyota! :shakehead









YES, the # 2 rated car was BUICK! :iceslolan

More recently, Buick had earned some of those #1 spots away from Toyota, err, "Lexus" cars.

Story Time!

A few months back, my son bought a new Lexus. I stopped by his house to check it out and compare it with my Ultra. He handed me the keys and said to take a “real car” for a drive! I drove the Lexus down the same roads that I drove my PA to get to his house. While driving, the first thing I noticed was, the Lexus had more road noise transferred into the cabin than my Ultra. I stopped at a stop sign, then and gave the Lexus the full throttle blast. Acceleration was adequate, however, no match for the Ultra! I will have to admit, brakes were better than the Ultra.

When I got back to his house, I told him it was a nice car, however, he needed to drive a Buick to realize what a “real car” was. I handed him the keys to the Ultra and told him to do his own comparison. About fifteen minutes later, he returned with a stunned look on his face. I ask what was wrong. He said that I must be up to my old engine HP tricks and that the PA motor was not stock! In addition, the PA Ultra was quieter, more powerful, rode better and handled just as well as the Lexus. (This particular Ultra has, Grand Touring Suspension (GTS) with the F41-HD option). The only HP modification on the Ultra so far, has been a 3.4 blower pulley, PCM performance reflash, CAI and a recent tune-up.

In his final attempt to impress me with his newfound baby, he pointed to his GPS navigational display and to his “powered rear window shade” and said; “I don’t recall seeing those options in the Buick”. I admitted that the Buick did not have all the gizmos, however, while I am driving, I like to keep my eyes on the road, not a GPS screen! Also, I have no need for the rear window shade, since I have 5% tint on the rear & 20% on the side windows.

After all was said and done, he backed up and looked at the exterior of both cars, and said: “My car looks better than yours”!

I let that comment end the discussion.:iceslolan

Great Story Hotz28 :grinyes:


I'll take a Buick over a Lexus anyday!!!!

For VATS problems, the two little wires from the lock cyclinder are in a larger plastic cover that looks like a single wire and can be replaced at the connector at the base of the steering column with a pack of resistors of the right ohm rating that you solder together in series. This is easily done and alot cheaper than labor time and parts to replace the lock cylinder.

It does bypass the security system however. But you don't need a resistor in the keys anymore. A shop that installs alarms bypasses the VATS all the time if you don't want to do it yourself.

Also if you're getting the security light flashing after key insertion and having to repeat to engage the starter after the three minute wait, or if you're getting the light coming on and going off while driving, you may end up where I did with a constant security light but the VATS system doesn't block starting. It has gone into a failure mode where it believes it no longer is reading resistant or operating correctly and simply quits working. I've read of people cutting the two wires from the key cylinder while the motor is running which causes the same failure mode for the theft deterrent module and sets the code where it doesn't try to block the starting motor anymore.