'99 LeSabre Not Cranking

[Sachmoe]

Hi all,

I have a '99 Buick LeSabre that the other day suddenly stopped cranking when trying to start.

The situation is very similar to that posted here http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t646772.html.

The only exception is that when I put the key in, and to the 'On' position, the security light continues to stay on and blink at me.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by Sachmoe

Hi all,

I have a '99 Buick LeSabre that the other day suddenly stopped cranking when trying to start.

The situation is very similar to that posted here http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/t646772.html.

The only exception is that when I put the key in, and to the 'On' position, the security light continues to stay on and blink at me.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Thanks

The security light should come on solid when the key is turned to "on" and not blink. It should go out after about 5 seconds if it has read the right resistance from the key and wires to it in the steering column lock cylinder.

If the light blinks, it has read the wrong reading. It could be from a dirty pellet on the key, dirty contacts inside the entrance to the lock cylinder which brushes the contacts on the key, or broken wires that connect to the lock cylinder. Those wires are very fine and the individual wires in them can break especially from tilt wheel flexing over time. This changes the resistance.

The blinking light should go off after 3 minutes. This indicates the Theft Deterrent Module is ready for a new reading on the key. You can put in the key again or a different key if you have one and try again.

Solution if you determine its a bad reading that can't be fixed by cleaning with a pencil eraser on the key or alcohol on the key chip inserted to get it on the contacts inside the entrance to the lock cylinder is to replace the key resistor with a fake resistance pack the same as the key had. The faux resistor can be put where the little wires connect into a locating down on the steering wheel; the two wires are usually inside a tube which looks like a wire that's white, orange. Of you can put resistors over on the theft deterrent module which is behind the glovebox above the heater. The glovebox lid is easily removed with 5 or 6 screws after removing the hush panel underneath the dash. The wires at the theft deterrent module are normal sized wires.

In both cases you take a reading from the key resistor and see which GM resistance it matches. Obtain resistors at Radio Shake or an alarm installer place and put these two wires into the connector going to the theft deterrent module.

Resistances

Orange, White, Red, Black RES390 - 392
Green, Red, Orange Black RES510 CN 523
Blue, Gray Brown, Black RES680 FW 681
Gray, Gray, Violet, Black RES910 GP 887
Brown, Brown, Orange, Brown RES1.1K KA 1130
Brown, Yellow, Violet, Brown RES1.5K N5 1470
Brown, Gray, Violet, Brown RES1.8K UN 1870
Red, Orange, Violet, Brown RES2.4K XB 2370
Orange, Black, Brown, Brown RES3.0K GA 3010
Orange, Violet, Yellow, Brown RES3.6K NP 3740
Yellow, Violet, Green, Brown RES4.7K FY 4750
Blue, Black, Yellow, Brown RES6.2K C5 6040
Violet, Green, Black, Brown RES7.5K XY 7500
White, Green, Orange, Brown RES10K KB 9530
Brown, Brown, Gray, Red RES12K UW 11800

I lucked out at Radio Shack since mine was 887. I used a pack of 220 ohm resistors and can solder 4 of them in series for 880 which is close enough.