My sis has a sweet white 97 SSE. Searched forum here for 1.5 hours, found great info, still no crank. Any experts have a suggestion? Details: We have factory alarm.
remote fob doesn't work,changed battery,tried resetting,nothing,no panic alarm either. It used to work occasionally before. (found out here where to buy new one)

I open drivers door with key, security light is blinking. try to start, all dash lights power up when ignition switched to on, then after bulb testing cycle, security light turns off. Turn key to start and no crank at all.
After reading a post here,found out factory alarm is disengaged with either the fob or by the power door switch unlocking all doors when a key is used in a door. When key used to unlock drivers door, power doors do not unlock. After a couple of tries, key unlocking psg side got it to make the rest of the doors unlock. Got in, turned key, no crank.

Can't help but think it'* a problem with the factory alarm. Starter has been working fine, not laboring, so I don't believe it'* that. Again, no aftermarket parts, all stock. Does anybody have ANY ideas what to check???? oh yeah, tried both regular and spare keys with the code thing built in. Fuse to ignition fine (also works chime which sounds)No dice there as well.
Thanks for any other suggestions on how to fix this problem.

Henry

I had the same problem ans sprayed some contact cleaner in the key hole and used an eraser on the resistor in the key. Maybe this won't help you at all since you used both keys? :?

yah sounds like a vats problem...when the car tries to crank without seeing the resistor it will do exactally what you are saying. try some cleaner in the key hole i think this will be your best bet. the stock alarm does not have a starter kill so it is not your stock alarm trying to shut off your car. if contact cleaner does not work you may have to bypass the vats system, but yet again it could be something else, but this is my best guess, others please chime in for more ideas.

It could also be the neutral safety switch. Try starting in neutral and see what happens. You can test the yellow wire (might be purple) at the switch on the transmission with a test light. If you do not get +12v upon crank, then it is most likely a VATS problem.

See here http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=25539 for some information pretaining to bypassing.

One side note. Before my car was drivable, I had problems with my VATS and audible alarm. It was caused by a low voltage problem because the battery was not being recharges by the alternator (and I'd forget to charge the battery).

Not exactly; as of '93 at least, if the VATS does not detect the correct resistor, it will not only refuse to crank the starter (or enable the fuel pump) but also will light the Security light solidly for 3 minutes before it resets itself. If the starter motor is cranking, you do _not_ have a VATS problem.

Well, there is a security system for _starting_ the car (VATS) and another system for securing the whole car against breakins (what you or I would call the actual security system), but both use the same amber Security light on the dash for communicating, so things can get a little confusing.

If you don't lock the car with your remote, or with your key in an outside lock, or by pressing the inside lock button while a door is open, then you won't arm the breakin protection (i.e. the system that flashes the lights and honks the horn). You'll know that you _have_ armed it if the Security light shows solidly for 20 seconds after locking the car.

But you cannot _not_ use the VATS protection; that remains in force at all times, and if it'* not happy with the key being used to start the car, it will refuse to allow the starter to crank, and show the Security light for 3 minutes. (Note that if the engine is already running, it will _not_ try to shut it off, nor will the breakin protection try to kill the engine, as you mentioned.)