1992-1999 Series I L27 (1992-1994 SE,SLE, SSE) & Series II L36 (1995-1999 SE, SSE, SLE) and common problems for the Series I and II L67 (all supercharged models 92-99) Including Olds 88's, Olds LSS's and Buick Lesabres Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.

Security light on, no starting

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Old Nov 25, 2008 | 03:53 PM
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Um... replacing the fuse does not jump up the amperage. Amperage is the current flow, determined by the draw from the device(*) in the circuit. If the fuse had more than 15 amps going through it, it would have blown.

On the other hand, if you're sure that doing that gave you a clear and reproducible improvement, it might have been from interrupting the power to the processor, which would have forced it to do a reset when you put a fuse back in and restored its power supply (which is normally hot at all times).
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Old Nov 26, 2008 | 06:05 AM
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Tried to start the car again no luck. I'm trying to understand how this darn computer thinks?

It will go into a failure mode if the car is running with the wrong resistor value? That'* why I get the blinking security light and no start now whereas before I had a solid light?

The one thing I did differently the last time the car started was put it in NEUTRAL.

I wonder if I disconnect the battery and touch the wires together to dissipate any capacitance will the computer go back into the steady security light condition and allow me to start from neutral again?
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Old Dec 3, 2008 | 01:15 PM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by Virginian
Tried to start the car again no luck. I'm trying to understand how this darn computer thinks?

It will go into a failure mode if the car is running with the wrong resistor value?
Not exactly... If the car is running, it didn't detect the wrong resistor value, since it wouldn't have let you start it in the first place. If the light comes on _after_ startup, it'* most likely because continuity through the ignition key was interrupted for some reason (e.g. dirty contacts, worn lock cylinder). The system is designed to not shut down if that happens, for obvious reasons, but it will flag the problem by turning on the light.

That'* why I get the blinking security light and no start now whereas before I had a solid light?
No, I believe the blinking light indicates a failure detected in one or more branches of the protected areas. I'll need to check that in the manual. (Didn't you mention disconnecting the trunk lock sensor at some point? Reconnect that, if so.)

The one thing I did differently the last time the car started was put it in NEUTRAL.
That sounds more like a problem with your ignition interlock than your VATS circuitry, if the only thing you changed was the position of the gearshift.

I wonder if I disconnect the battery and touch the wires together to dissipate any capacitance will the computer go back into the steady security light condition and allow me to start from neutral again?
I rather doubt it, and I would not recommend doing that anyway. "Dissipating any capacitance" is also known as "going BOOM," and I know of no repair procedures that involve shorting the battery cables together.

--Andy
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Old Dec 3, 2008 | 01:30 PM
  #14  
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Originally Posted by Virginian

I wonder if I disconnect the battery and touch the wires together to dissipate any capacitance will the computer go back into the steady security light condition and allow me to start from neutral again?
LOL! I believe, just disconnecting and counting to say 10 will suffice.
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Old Dec 3, 2008 | 03:50 PM
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Originally Posted by GXP Venom
LOL! I believe, just disconnecting and counting to say 10 will suffice.
I agree... I don't think it will make any difference anyway, but disconnecting and counting to 10 will do no harm, beyond maybe erasing the learned ECM parameters and the radio and clock settings.

The Security light is driven by a processor that can decide perfectly well for itself whether it wants to blink the light or keep it on steady, so whatever it'* doing, it'* doing deliberately. I need to go find the manual tonight to be sure, but the blinking denotes one or more specific conditions for you to look into; it'* not a random glitch, in other words. More here as soon as I dig it up...
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Old Dec 3, 2008 | 10:07 PM
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Originally Posted by acg_ssei
I need to go find the manual tonight to be sure, but the blinking denotes one or more specific conditions for you to look into; it'* not a random glitch, in other words. More here as soon as I dig it up...
All righty, here we are, from the '93 Service Manual, Book 1, Chapter 9D, Page 5, Row 13, Seats 5 and 6:

Bulb Flashes and Engine Does Not Start

If the "SECURITY" indicator flashes once per second and the engine does not start, this indicates that the PASS-Key II™ module sensed an open, a short or otherwise invalid (value matched none of the available 15 key codes) input from the ignition key resistor input. The PASS-Key II™ module does not start the disable timer during this operation mode. This operation mode could also be caused by malfunctioning power or ground circuits. Check that the ignition key is not damaged and refer to the diagnostic procedures in this section.
So basically, it'* saying that the circuit through the ignition key is flaky, and it can't decide whether your key is the right one or not. I would start by trying a new ignition key (of the correct resistor value; a good hardware store should be able to help you and I don't think you need to bend over at the dealer for it). If that doesn't help, your ignition key lock or its wiring may be wearing out.
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Old Dec 7, 2008 | 02:02 AM
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check ur battery connection both positive and negative connections into the battery. mine did the smae thing and i checked the fuses and and tested the VATs system, turned out my connections with the battery were bad.
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