Twice on my ride back to the office, the security light came on and went off. The first time, it was on for about two minutes. The second time, five minutes. This marks the first two times I've ever seen that light turn on (except for the usual bulb test at startup).

Based on what I've read here, it seems to be either the key or the lock cylinder wearing out.

I'll start using my other ignition key. Can anyone offer some more troubleshooting steps? I'm not willing to disable VATS permanently.

Could be a trunk or hood pin switch as well. There'* a few different things that'll trigger it. Without a Tech II it may be a pain to narrow it down.

BTW, bad battery cables could do it too.

Why are you unwilling to disable VATS? Any thief that wants to steal our cars would have it running w/o worry of VATS in about 15 seconds.

Any Stereo shop that does Car Starters will install the Needed Diode for 20.00

180,000 miles. ZZP GT1 cam, ported/polished LIM, gutted intake, R1 slotted rotors. Everything else is broken. Ok Ok I get it

THIS. I had the light come on a time or two, then it suddenly started not accepting my key and wouldn't start sometimes.

I prepared to disable VATS, undid the hush panel....and saw VATS had been disabled a long time ago.

Cleaned my cables at the battery and all my security light problems disappeared.

My hood has seemed to bounce a bit ever since the cam install. The hood supports seem great. The light always came on while I was idling, so maybe it'* a bad motor mount shaking the hood pin... maybe?

As for keeping VATS... I don't know. Peace of mind and the anti-theft discount I claim on my car insurance, I suppose.

The hood hasn't changed, they all do that shake. You just never noticed before. That'* the beauty of not removing the hood. We didn't misalign it or change anything. We simply disconnected the limiting hood struts for a moment.

The engine mounts are completely different from that hood pin switch. The switch (if equipped) is on the drivers side of the radiator support in a fixed position.

I am sooo with jdaniels on the cables that you can't imagine. dh2

BTW..who wants to steal a 1997 Bonneville?

I've heard of people having security light issues when the temp drops. Not sure why this is but there seems to be some validity behind it. I only ever see my light come on and stay on from time to time in the winter.

Just wondering if a broken mount'* vibrations may travel through the frame and shake the hood pin switch. But now that you say the switch was an option, I realize now that I've never seen it before.

For what it'* worth, the cuts on my old ignition key were looking quite rounded off compared to my new one. Both keys' "chips" look almost identical, though.

Looks have nothing to do with functionality. However if the key was an issue..I'd expect you to get intermittent starting issues.

Pop the hood and look for the switch. Trust me when I tell ya.. you may just not have ever noticed it. Heck..you never noticed the hood shake before and that was one that always drove me crazy about the 92-99'*.

I don't recall ever seeing a switch or sensor of any kind on the driver'* side of the radiator support, but I'll gladly take a look. Do you have a picture of it?