antitheft light blinking - no start

[Hark]

Okay - I've tried to follow the passkey problems to find a solution - but there are way too many pages to wade thru. My daughter's 1997 Malibu with 125000 miles on it has this problem, antitheft light blinks and it won't start, she turns the key to accessories and leaves it for a while then it will start. Last time it happened though she had to wait 30 minutes, so it's obviously getting to the point of no return. Can someone reply with the technical service bulletin site to put the toggle switch on a 97 3.1? It seems like there is a way to put in a switch instead of just cutting yellow wires. The first couple of pages of threads refer to putting in a toggle switch but it mentions 98 and newer models. There's no check engine light on when this happens, just the antitheft blinking, so I haven't taken it anywhere to check any codes.

Any help appreciated. It's been a good little car for us, but with that many miles would like to fix this before it becomes a major expense, and she drives 1/2 hour to school so it's not ideal to leave her waiting for 1/2 hour in freezing weather. Another weird thing - is this just a cold or damp weather thing? It didn't do it all summer long and now it's acting up quite frequently again.
Thanks!

[stratford_boy]

I cut the yellow wire (do it with the car running, or it will never start!!!) about a year ago and have never had a problem since, even disconnected the battery several times with no issues...I did this so that I could put a remote starter in without having to run a bypass module...I also pulled the cluster and ripped out the led for the theft light...if you do this your issues will go away, of course until the ignition switch goes, then you'll have to replace it...but that's a separate issue in itself!

[ponchonutty]

Well, I'm not sure how to bypass a PK1 car. Those are different than those that are a '99 or newer. They also use a bulb check wire as well. You could try to cut the yellow wire but I don't think it'll help you. I also don't recomend either. Cutting that yellow wire or doing the toggle switch is a little pointless.

[Johnny R]

My 99 Malibu does this to me from time to time too. I just wait it out. Just leave it for 15 minutes for it to reset itself. You don't have to leave the key on acc. Just take the key out, lock the car, go for a coffee or a little walk to work off the frustration. Then come back, drive off and have a great rest-of-the-day.
Best of the season to all of you.

[samturner]

Might as well bite the bullet and get the problem fixed right. I am sure the dealer in your area is fine. I had to find an independent garage and I found a good one that I think saved me a lot of money on my 99' Malibu.

[Hark]

So what is the "fix" that needs to be done? Is it a new ignition or something else?

[samturner]

It happened to me once and I got it going a while later it happened to the wife when she got it going I had her take it in. I think it was the ignition switch they said they replaced and the cost was around $300.00 its been awhile so don't really recall. I was afraid the next time there wuld be a towing bill and around here they won't come out for less then a hundred dollars.

If your handy with cars and have the time I think you can do a search and find the directions on how to do it. If you can swing it just take it in and get it over with. You should be able to get an estimate over the phone.

[Hark]

My husband usually fixes everything on our cars, but sometimes with all these computerized things, we don't always know what exactly to "fix". So does everyone seem to think a new ignition will actually fix the problem?

[ponchonutty]

Well, it depends. You really need to have the computer scanned for codes to see what's going on. 90% yes, replacing the ignition switch works. But, sometimes it's the decoder that's around the ignition and can even be the BCM itself. I swear that replacing these systems at $300 to $500 a pop is what's keeping GM going.

[Angel4711]

I have a 1998 Chevy Malibu that I bought used in December 2007 (a month ago) and it just started having this problem, which is how I found this site.

My poor husband was spending hours outside jumping my car with his and trying over and over again to get my car working. He kept adjusting the jumper cables on the battery terminals thinking that might work, but nothing was getting my car to start.

The first time it happened, I was able to unlock my car (in a grocery store parking lot), open the trunk, load up the groceries, but then I tried to start it and nothing happened. No lights, no radio, no AC, no start. My husband met me there, jumped the car and it was fine. I was so mad because I just bought a new battery when I got the car a month before.

Now, the next time I tried to start it was a few days later. This time, the lights in the car, the radio and AC came on when the key got to the ACC line, but then everything went dead when I tried to start it up. We tried jumping it, but it didn't work. It was at time that I noticed the flashing lights below the steering wheel that apparently have something to do with the security system. I'd looked up an owner's manual online and had read about it prevously (from what I remember, unless it recognizes the right key, it prevents gas from getting to the engine, making your car a doorstop), but I didn't know it had anything to do with that funny black key-looking-thing under the steering wheel. Now that it was blinking, it got my attention. It did slow red blinking, fast red blinking, slow green blinking, but nothing really consistent that I noticed. In any case, I figured now that it probably had something to do with the security system rather than the battery. Still, just in case, my husband tried for about half and hour and then we sadly canceled our for-the-first-time-in-a-month dinner plans since it was now too late at night.

The next time I tried to start the car, which was the next day, my husband tried starting it again. He managed to get it started once and left the car running (doors locked) for about an hour hoping to recharge the alternator. We went to start it later and the same thing--the car went dead when I tried to start it. So, I went to the computer and he went back to the jumper cables.

I saw a thread about cutting wires, but that scared me, so I kept reading. I saw another idea of permanently disabling the security system, but that would cost money, too, and I can't work, so I kept reading. Finally, I saw the answer to my prayers in the post that said to put in the key, put the car in neutral, and then start it and that has been working like a dream!!

SUMMARY: If your car's dome/dash lights come on when you stick the key in, but then everything dies when you try to start the car, check under the steering wheel. If lights are blinking, it might be the security system. So, before you spend a zillion dollars on this, try putting the key in (don't start, but you can stick it in ACC), then put the car in neutral, then start. For about the next 6 times I've started my car, it has worked without a problem!!

[usmailman956]

My 03 started the same thing even when we left for an hour os so it still would not start. I reset the thing by leaving key on acc for about 15-20 min and restarted. I think there is a sensor in the ignition swith that maybe gets dirty or something. I shot the switch wit WD40 and so far it has not come back or happened again. I also use different sides of keys whenever I think about it. Put the key in first one side up then the other