Ignition trouble (in column)

[jessica2112]

My car wont start sometimes. I have to move the tilt wheel up and then back down before the ignition does anything. Not even a click when it's acting up. Just dead. Any Ideas??????? (Key is clean). It is like the battery is disconnected. Thanks in advance.....! I think I saw my security light on while it freaked out.......!
:mad:

[hockeyman]

My car does the same thing, only once every year or so. No response at all when turning the key. I'll try it a few more times and then it starts without any problems...

I think it's something to do with the passkey system. Not sure what that is or what it does though.

[jessica2112]

Thanks, it's done it twice now. As long as it doesn't leave me stranded. When cars start doing that to me, I sell them.

[TopHatJimmy]

If the SECURITY light on your dash lights up when your car will not start, it is the Passkey System. There are two tiny white wires connected to the lock cylinder that commonly break, causing intermittent or no start.

If you want to "fix" the problem, you have to go to a dealer and have them replace the lock cylinder and get new keys. I had to do that just after I bought my car to the tune of $350 + $45 per key....

If you want to "bypass" the problem, get a DMM and meter the resistance of the pellet in your key (mine was like 6000 ohms). Go to Radio Shack or equivalent and buy that value of resistor. Drop the knee panel under the steering column and look for a bright orange plastic sleeve in the ignition wiring harness. Follow that sleeve until it comes to a small black connector. Unplug the connector and cut the end off leaving about an inch or so of the orange sleeve attached. Now slide off the sleeve and you will have 2 tiny white wires, use one of your resistors to connect the two wires together. (Wire1 - Resistor - Wire 2) Plug the connector back in and start the car. If it starts, good job. If not, the SECURITY light will come on and you did something wrong, check your connections again. This will effectively bypass the Passkey system and costs about $1.50 or so.

[hockeyman]

^ That should be posted as a sticky! Thanks!!

[ma4life]

if your security light isn't blinking, than it's not the pass-II system ... mine did the same thing but left me stranded at the gas station. Long story short, there's the ignition switch about half-way down the column that's gone bad (burned up) on me twice. If you don't have any dash lights and the stereo still works, look at that switch.

[98Camaro3.8]

Originally posted by ma4life:
if your security light isn't blinking, than it's not the pass-II system

It doesn't have to be blinking to have a problem with PASS-Key II. Only when something is broken will it flash. Under normal conditions if the reading it gets from the chip is not what it's expecting, it'll stay illuminated for 3 minutes. This could happen if those white wires begin to come loose and start getting weird readings....but still getting some reading.

[viper98885]

My car was doing the same thing. I replaced the ignition switch (mid-way down the column) and it didn't fix it. I also tried a new starter and nothing. Finally, I installed a push button starter and I don't have any problems. After talking with some GM techs, they determined that it was probably in the ignition cylinder (where you put the key in). I didn't feel like switching it so I just use the push-button setup now.