Disable Security System

[m-sanborn]

How can i disable the security system in my 93 Lesabre or at least fix it? The light blinks and the car wont start. I hear clicking under the dash and under the hood in the relay box area but no start. It happened to me a few times and if i waited a few minutes and tried my other key it worked. But the problem got alot worse. It happened to me today and its been 8 hours and it still wont start and the light just keeps blinking. I read in one post that it happened to one guy more when it was humid. It was raining here today. Could that be an issue? Ive tried some of the ideas i've seen in some of the posts on here but nothing works. The resistors on the keys are clean and so are the contacts in the key cylinder. I havent seen any posts on disabling it on my 1993 Lesabre. Every vehicle but mine. Any ideas anyone?

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by m-sanborn

How can i disable the security system in my 93 Lesabre or at least fix it? The light blinks and the car wont start sometimes. When it first started to do this if i waited a few minutes and tried my other key it worked. But the problem seems to be getting worse. It happened to me today and its been 8 hours and it still wont start and the light just keeps blinking. Ive tried some of the ideas i've seen in some of the posts on here but nothing works. The resistors on the keys are clean and so are the contacts in the key cylinder. I havent seen any posts on disabling it on my 1993 Lesabre.

http://www.12vp.com/info_resistors.htm

[DjDio]

This happened to me on my car. I had no way of going anywhere to have the reistance tested on my key so i cut the 2 little white wires and used my spare key as the resistor and it started.

[Bassasasin]

DjDio:

That little reisistor is a bit tough to connect to with something dependable?
How did you connect to the key's resistor "pill"?

Bass

[DjDio]

I stripped about an eighth inch of the white covering to expose the wire itself and i put both little white wires, one on each side of the resistor on the spare key, held them on with my fingers, (making sure i didnt touch the key itself and turned the ignition with the other key and it started. Now it starts all the time without the use of the little white wires. I disconnected the battery and reconnected it and it still started without the resistor. My security light is on. If that bugs me enough i'll turn the light off by pulling the bulb or snipping the wire for it. But isnt that minor compare to having a vehicle that wont start? It cost me nothing at all. And here in Corinth Maine, i dont have to worry about somebody stealing it.

[DjDio]

Originally Posted by Bassasasin

Really... I've never heard of just trying it once and leaving it..

I thought it looked for the key resistor every start cycle.

Interesting. .

I changed my battery yesterday and it still starts with out the resistor.

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by DjDio

I stripped about an eighth inch of the white covering to expose the wire itself and i put both little white wires, one on each side of the resistor on the spare key, held them on with my fingers, (making sure i didnt touch the key itself and turned the ignition with the other key and it started. Now it starts all the time without the use of the little white wires. I disconnected the battery and reconnected it and it still started without the resistor. My security light is on. If that bugs me enough i'll turn the light off by pulling the bulb or snipping the wire for it. But isnt that minor compare to having a vehicle that wont start? It cost me nothing at all. And here in Corinth Maine, i dont have to worry about somebody stealing it.

What we have here is, you used a resistor key to bypass the decoder module and started the engine. Once the resistor key was removed, the engine will continue to run! Anytime the PassKey module detects an incorrect resistance after the engine is running, the PassKey module will allow the vehicle to be restarted, even with the existing failure. The SECURITY lamp will remain on, to warn the driver of a fault in the PassKey system. Word of caution here, operating in this condition also means that the vehicle can be started without the correct key resistance, and is defenseless against theft. (This may, or may not be a problem in Maine) The ECM will also display error code 53 while in this mode. This error code does not store in VRAM memory and is only present while the condition exists. The code only serves as a diagnostic tool while troubleshooting the VATS system.

[Bassasasin]

AHH... great info.... thanks.. My wife's security light is on all the time, no matter which key I use...

And to reset? Obviously not by disconnecting the battery!
I have confidence in my keys at this time and wife dont like seeing the light. It just appeared a week ago.

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by HotZ28

What we have here is, you used a resistor key to bypass the decoder module and started the engine. Once the resistor key was removed, the engine will continue to run! Anytime the PassKey module detects an incorrect resistance after the engine is running, the PassKey module will allow the vehicle to be restarted, even with the existing failure. The SECURITY lamp will remain on, to warn the driver of a fault in the PassKey system. Word of caution here, operating in this condition also means that the vehicle can be started without the correct key resistance, and is defenseless against theft. (This may, or may not be a problem in Maine) The ECM will also display error code 53 while in this mode. This error code does not store in VRAM memory and is only present while the condition exists. The code only serves as a diagnostic tool while troubleshooting the VATS system.

What does it mean when the light stays off after some problems with the VATS system. It's not on at key "on" and stays off. It did come on after car was left outside in very cold (0) weather instead of garaged. It was on afor a day while carstarted and ran. Now it stays off again.
98 leSabre

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by imidazol97

What does it mean when the light stays off after some problems with the VATS system. It's not on at key "on" and stays off. It did come on after car was left outside in very cold (0) weather instead of garaged. It was on afor a day while carstarted and ran. Now it stays off again.
98 leSabre

This sounds like you either have a light bulb failing, BCM or IP panel problem. On Passkey II, the TDM is built into the Body Control Module (BCM). Keep in mind, the “Security” light may turn on to warn of a system malfunction, but even if it doesn’t, a key recognition circuit failure with the proper key in the lock will cause the TDM to enter what GM calls a “fail-enable” mode. Essentially, the theft-deterrent system goes offline and the engine will start and run with any key that turns the lock. This is the "fail enable" mode that was discussed above.

[HotZ28]

Originally Posted by Bassasasin

AHH... great info.... thanks.. My wife's security light is on all the time, no matter which key I use...

And to reset? Obviously not by disconnecting the battery!
I have confidence in my keys at this time and wife dont like seeing the light. It just appeared a week ago.

There is a 30-minute programming procedure that does not require a scan tool.

1) Turn the ignition switch to START, then release it to
the ON position (the engine will not start).

2) The “Security” light should be ON. After 10 minutes,
it should turn OFF.

3) Turn the ignition switch OFF and after five seconds,
repeat steps 1 and 2.

When this procedure has been completed three times, turn the ignition switch OFF. The control units will exchange the correct commands during the next start-up attempt. If programming is not completed correctly, there will be either no theft protection or the system will lock in antitheft mode and the engine won’t start. Try the programming procedure again. Note that this will not reprogram key recognition, only the information transmitted on the Class 2 data link.

[Bassasasin]

Will give it a try..

Thanks.

[DjDio]

Originally Posted by HotZ28

What we have here is, you used a resistor key to bypass the decoder module and started the engine. Once the resistor key was removed, the engine will continue to run! Anytime the PassKey module detects an incorrect resistance after the engine is running, the PassKey module will allow the vehicle to be restarted, even with the existing failure. The SECURITY lamp will remain on, to warn the driver of a fault in the PassKey system. Word of caution here, operating in this condition also means that the vehicle can be started without the correct key resistance, and is defenseless against theft. (This may, or may not be a problem in Maine) The ECM will also display error code 53 while in this mode. This error code does not store in VRAM memory and is only present while the condition exists. The code only serves as a diagnostic tool while troubleshooting the VATS system.

My point is, how really secure are these Passkey systems???? A thief can walk up to a car with 15 different resistors GM used on these systems, try em till one works and drive off with your car. I dont know where your from, but where i am in Maine there is a difference. A thief would have enough time to do this and might be seen by a deer or other wild animal. No biggie with a code 53 or security light for me. The car starts and goes down the road. No money spent, no tows to the stealership. Its a 1993 Buick LeSabre. If someone wants to steal it, that means they want it more than i do. If it does get stolen, i'll return the bottles i have collected at the local redemption center and buy another one. A newer one might be worth stealing. The other day i saw a moose cruise by in a 2005 and he was being chased by a mountain lion in a Crown Viki.

[Bassasasin]

At the time of the Pass Key development the cars were of huge value. The security at that time did a great job protecting the owners of those cars. I would dare to suspect owners maintained possesion of thier porperty just because of this deterrant.
The newer key security is even more state of the art and more difficult to violate. During that era cars could be stolen with a screwdriver. This car needed a very smart thief, with a screwdriver, and a bag of resistors. No car is safe from a real smart patient thief.. but a real smart thief would be thinking of the economics of either stealing 20 cars or 1 very difficult one.

To disable it you can either put in a resistor, or get a module that will send the .. what is it 700 hz signal?... to the PCM.. Or get the problem of heavy keys or dirty tumbler key resistance reader replaced.

That was one, smart, moose. Too bad about the mountan lion with only a Ford.

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by Bassasasin

At the time of the Pass Key development the cars were of huge value. The security at that time did a great job protecting the owners of those cars. I would dare to suspect owners maintained possesion of thier porperty just because of this deterrant.
The newer key security is even more state of the art and more difficult to violate. During that era cars could be stolen with a screwdriver. This car needed a very smart thief, with a screwdriver, and a bag of resistors. No car is safe from a real smart patient thief.. but a real smart thief would be thinking of the economics of either stealing 20 cars or 1 very difficult one.

To disable it you can either put in a resistor, or get a module that will send the .. what is it 700 hz signal?... to the PCM.. Or get the problem of heavy keys or dirty tumbler key resistance reader replaced.

That was one, smart, moose. Too bad about the mountan lion with only a Ford.

The 3 minute wait along with having to have obtained the key cut for the car and have 15 keys with that cut at $28 each retail customer price...
actually there's a box that switches from resistance to resistance if I remember what I've read. I don't recall it shortened the 3 minute wait however; I believe it was for dealers to retrieve the key resistor information if it was lost. I thought selling dealers kept a record of the keys and resistance.

The key resistor saved a coworker's Trans Am. She found it peeled that morning but they weren't able to start it by moving the ignition switch by force--they didn't have the resistance key.

Plus most thieves aren't that bright; watch COPS. Yes, there are some professionals. Hers might have been destined for one of several chop shops found around our area over the next few years. But the pickup guy wasn't up on the theft prevention built in.