About a week ago on a rainy day I got my my car to start it up to go to work, turned the key - nothing. FP primed, all electronics are on...but the security light is on. Come back 5 minutes later, car starts right up. I had this happen to me one other time that day, but hasn't happened in the 5 days since...until today.

Went to leave work, security light blinks on and the car doesn't start. I tried all 3 keys I have for my car, none of them started it. Got out of my car, walked around a bit, came back, security light was off and it started right up. Any ideas? I've talked to boosty and he said that water in the drivers floor will cause it - but this confuses me beucase I have no leaks at all.

Any suggestions appreciated....

My advice is to get rid of it. It'* a PITA anyway.

http://www.12vp.com/info_resistors.htm

You might try checking the various ground points physically and cleaning them. YOu can try cleaning the contacts on the keys with a pencil eraser. Clean the contacts inside the lock cylinder by dipping the key in alcohol and inserting it in the cylinder repeatedly.

Mine had acted up on my 98 after I had put in graphite lube by puffing it into the lock from the squeeze bottle. I did cleaned all keys and the cylinder. I had one repeat sessions of lockup after t hat and none since--knock on wood.

When you tried all three keys did you wait the required 3 minutes for the security light to go off each time before inserting the next key? The security light is on to stay for the time duration even if you put in a key with the right resistance.

I also found I was in the habit of inserting the key quickly and turning it right away. When I had trouble I slowed that way down. In fact I turn the key and let the fuel pump cycle and then rotate to start position. I felt I might have been going too fast for everything to read the key before I had turned to start.

Isn't it five minutes to recycle the VATS?

I was lucky, mine crapped out while the engine was running, that'* a different thing then no-start.

thanks for the post, I guess I should have mentioned in mine that patience is not one of my strong points.

No Boosty didn't say this problem was water.

Boosty said water is a possible cause when you said the system was going nuts and other things were acting funny as well.

Do the standard key cleaning you've read here. Probably just dirty

well i kno from experience whenever my ignition started acting up like that it was time to changet the entire assembly...i think its gone in my car 3 times, just be prepared for the worst

What entire assembly? If you've had serious ignition or Vats issues 3 times, you either haven't repaired it correctly or are very abusive of the system.

VATS is a very reliable system, and few people have problems with it.

Clean the key and the contacts in the ignition cylinder.

Reliable? Reliably useless perhaps. This system completely failed in our Bonneville and has given me off and on issues in our Regal. My mom'* Grand Am has recurring VATS issues and 2 of my grandfather'* cars have problems with it. My brother'* car has had problems with it also. If you can clean it and make it work, then do so, but I certainly wouldn't recommend repairing this system if it fails completely. Just bypass it and forget about it.

its killed the entire ignition system on my car at least twice...and i kno for a fact its been installed properly since my uncle who was a mechanic for pontiac did it both times (he is a technical genius), guess it just doesnt work good for my car

Both of you guys need to understand that the vast majority of members here will never experience a VATS failure in the lifetime of their cars. I've never had an issue with either of mine, and I've got a pretty good mental picture of how many VATS issues are posted here. It'* really not that common.