1998 LeSabre Security Malfunction

[adeline91]

I have been having issues with a security malfunction in my car. Every great once in a while, most of the time when it rains, my security function in my car gets tripped and I am unable to start my car. The security light on my dash lights up and I have to wait 5-10 minutes for it to go off before I can start my car. I'm sure it's just a bad fuse but it can be very inconvenient sometimes and make me late for work! I have no idea where to even begin to look and I'm afraid if I start pulling wires that I might get locked out of my car completely. Any suggestions?

[aleekat]

I did this on a cutlass, applies to your car also.

http://vats.likeabigdog.com/

[Tech II]

It's not a bad fuse......more than likely, as Aleekat has explained, if you have a resistor on your key, it's not being read by the Passkey module, so the car will not crank, and the SECURITY light does not go out after 3-5 seconds, when the key is just turned to on....

The most likely cause, is the wiring in your steering column, which attaches to your lock cylinder....every time you turn your key, the wire going to it flexes.....sometimes two things happen....

One, the wire inside the insulation breaks, but the insulation doesn't....this will cause an intermittent contact, meaning sometimes the car will start, sometimes it won't.....

Two, the wire AND the insulation break together....in this case the car will never start, unless the wire broke completely, after the car was initially started.... then the car will continue to start, but your SECURITY light will remain on constantly....

You have two options, take the steering column apart and replace the lock cylinder and keys, or as Aleekat's link suggests, you cut the wiring harness before it goes up the column, and splice in a resistor, that matches the resistor chip on your key....

[happydog500]

I did the resistor thing years a go. It's easy to do. Never had a problem since.

Changing the lock is actually not very, very difficult.

Chris.

[Tech II]

Happydog, I don't think it is that easy.....

First, you have to know what you are doing......

You have to disable the airbag system, remove the air bag, remove the steering wheel, remove the SIR coil, directional switch, and you have to have the special tools to perform this....then you have to be able to snake that wiring harness up the column......much easier to install a resistor, especially for a DIY'er....

[happydog500]

You are right, a chip is easier.

The cylinder is easier then your making to be, imho.

Want to see a lock cylinder done first? Go to youtube and watch a video. Their are lots and lots of cars that are very similar, so if you can't find your exact car, watch how easy it is.

Here is your car. Watch it a few times, get familiar and you can do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSQPDe5jeUY

Chris.

[Tech II]

For ha-ha's I watched it....it was a good informative video.....

If you have worked on cars before, AND can follow the video, AND have the special tools necessary to do the job, yes, it can be done.....

I am talking about the DIY'er......first the video never mentioned anything about disabling the SIR system......compressing that lock plate and getting that lock ring off can be frustrating....

The hardest part of the job is assembly.......sometimes, getting the new wires down the column can be a daunting task.....I have seen guys get the harness caught, mid way in the column and try to yank the wires through, and damage them.......

In the case of the C and H cars, those wires go to the block in the video.....with F and W cars it goes to a two wire connector at the base of the column, making it a little easier to replace.......but in both cases, getting the wire harness down the column, can be tricky......having that column apart and having the harness stuck is frustrating.......just have to work it gently so that it doesn't get caught between the wire harnesses already going down there through a narrow space(sometimes moving the tilt mechanism up/down, will help free up a stuck harness pull through)....

One thing that is important to note, is that all air bags do not come off the same way....some use torx bolts, some use metric hex(8mm), some use metal clips(special tool), some need a pick inserted correctly, to release the retainers....