95 Buick LeSabre Vats Bypass

[monkeyguy8504]

I'm installing a remote car starter in my 95 Buick LeSabre, but I can't find the VATS wires I need to hook up the bypass module. I looked at all the wires I could reach from under the driver's side kick panel and behind the glove box, but haven't been able to find anything that matches the description: "either two white wires or a purple and a white wire inside an orange (or sometimes black) vinyl shrink-tube."

Here's a link to a related thread:
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=625478

Also, what kind of damage can be done by probing the air bag wires, besides the air bag inflating?

[spinne1]

I can only speak of the 92. The VATS box is behind the glove box sitting on a shelf of plastic or hanging just above a shelf of plastic. If you looking into the glove box hole, it is on the left side, or towards the left-middle. There is a single wiring harness running to it with about 4-10 wires (I don't remember). It has NOTHING to do with the yellow-wrapped wires which are the air bag wires. LEAVE THEM ALONE. Don't probe them, etc. The air bags can severely injure you if you are close to them.

Now, because you have a 95, I believe they have passenger side airbags, right? (or did that come later) If so, the entire dash configuration may be different. If no one answers, do a Google search for LeSabre Vats or LeSabre pass key, or something similar. If you still don't get your answers, subscribe to alldata.com for your car and you should find diagrams to where things are.

[taser1984]

The easiest and probably best way to do a remote start on one of these is to take down the entire "I/P lower trim panel." This gives you good access to all the necessary wiring, especially the large ignition wires. (Doing this requires disassembly of 3/4 of the dash, and it will probably be damaged if you don't know how it comes apart, so if you're not sure, avoid it. The module can also be accessed by dropping the glove compartment down. Just bend the rubber stops over and it'll drop down. Although you might have to remove the black sound insulator first.) If you still can't find the orange (or whatever color it is on your car) VATS wire (or if you just don't like messing with hair-thin wire) then you can bypass the system right at the VATS module. It's a relatively small and non-descript box with one plug on it. It's on the passenger side. It will have one (I think white, maybe green) plug on it. (The manual says the wires have a red plug; I can't remember for sure.) It should have 10 wires in it. Cut and connect your proper value resistor across the ppl/wht and wht/black wires in pin spaces B7 and B8. Don't forget that this will render the VATS system useless all the time. If you want it to remain active when not remote started, you can use a relay, but that's a whole other issue.

Also, why would you even want to probe the airbag wires? Aside from being highly recommended against, there is no useful information to be found there.

[ponchonutty]

Yep, get up under the dash and see to see the column. You'll find the VATS wires coming down the column and going sort of to the middle of the dash.