hey my name is kody i have a 1996 pontiac bonneville ssei the car has awsome power but when you turn the key to start it it wont do nothing no crank wont turn over and no clicking the radio plays and has power in the whole car when you try starting my car its just like your trying to start a car in gear thats what my car does so any suggestions?

Welcome to the club

It sounds like you are having a problem with the PATS. (Passive Anti-Theft System). There are a few possibilities. Your key may be damaged or wet or your anthi theft module might be bad, or a short in the steering column. Those are the possible problems that I know about. Others here might be able to elaborate better than I could.

You might also try flooding the lock with electronic cleaner. Put the tip of the tube in the slot and give it a couple of short squirts. When it starts to back out, the fluid will look a little dirty; give it another shot until it comes out clean. Then LEAVE IT ALONE and let it dry for at least a few hours, maybe overnight. It'* not water but it is wet.

Hope it works for you. I've gotten a LOT of good information here. There are some folks with strange senses of humor, but they're all willing to help. After you've learned a bit, please come back and share what you know.

Alcohol swabbing over the key will do you just as good. However, the first question that should be asked is if this is the original key that you are using. Cut keys, if they don't have the pellet embedded in them, will not work unless you do the bypass trick.

Try a spare key first.

The system is not PATS. It'* VATS (vehicle anti-theft system) or PASSKEY (in case you're searching for information, you'll need to know the right terms).

Does the car start at all? If so, what do you do that makes it start?

When you turn the key to ON what does the Security light do? It should come on and stay on for a few seconds and then turn off. If it'* flashing, that means it didn't read the right resistance for the key in the ignition.

Try a different key if you have one. Clean the chip in the key with a pencil eraser. Clean the two contacts inside the ignition lock by dipping the key in rubbing alcohol (or the drinking kind like vodka) and put into the ignition to carry alcohol in on the chip to clean the contacts.

if the security light stays on flashing, it will flash for 3 minutes and then let you try another key insertion.

If it'* not reading the right resistance, it can be due to the two thin multi-stranded wires that go up through the steering column are breaking where the tilt occurs and that causes the resistance to change.

Or the key contacts are not making contact against the chip.

Of the Theft Deterrent Module is going south and not working right. Does the security light come on occasionally while driving? Then go off while driving?

Solutions: replace the key contact setup by putting in a resistor set at the bottom of the steering column in the two wires leading up to the top of the steering column. Need to read resistance of the key chip and check with VATS websites to see which of the standard 15 resistances that is close to. Resistors can be purchased at Radio Shack and soldered in series to get the right resistance to jump the two wires.

Have an alarm installer shop put in the resistor pack they use to bypass the GM VATS when they install an alarm. They buy the resistors from suppliers.

OR WAIT

I have a 92 Pontiac Bonneville and my security light is flashing and my car will not start at all. Before it wouldn't start completely, when i would turn the ignition to start the car, right after the car starts it also made that noise like when you make a mistake and turn the ignition key when it'* already started. Also, there were times when my car would start and I notice the security light was on and then after a couple mins then it would go off and the car would start. Can someone give me a little insight with this problem.