Lost key
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 193
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From: Central Ill
Lost key
My daughter recently bought a 1995 coupe/ base. Her purse was stolen and the only key to the car was in her purse. Was told all I needed was VIN number and go to local dealer and he could pull it up and get the VATS number and cut a key. First dealer said he could cut it but it would cost $35 dollar a key and were 99 percent it wouldn't work. Secondly dealer said that he could and it would work, but when he contacted GM they told him that they no longer carried the VATS numbers for that old a car. Was told to contact the Muesum and they could get the VATS off the build sheet, no luck. So does anybody have any ideas on what to do.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 16,097
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From: Dallas Texas
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I was lucky when I lost mine. I measured the ohm value on the ignition key. With the ohm value, it gives you the key code. There are 15 key codes. But my local dealer I believe is able to get that based on the VIN. Did you try more than one Chevy dealer?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 6,192
Likes: 750
From: near the thumb in the mitten
Dealer with have a tool called a "pass key" interrogator which reads and can be substituted for vats key. It has a dial with the different key values. 15 tries 3 min minimum waits between each failed attempt. Or variable resistor and key resistance chart tie variable resister to 2 small white wires going to turn signal connector. Set resister value to each key of the chart. You will still have to wait at least 3 min between failed tries. When car starts note resistance value/ key in chart to get correct blank. You do have a key that will turn in cylinder. You just need steel key cut to key code ;not a vats key until blank number is known.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
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Have the dealer that said they would get you the codes LESS RESISTANCE to get the information. Have that dealer cut you a "WORK KEY" (GM# 26007687)- a brass blank with no "resistance chip". If that key "rotates" the cylinder then the "Interrogator" will work to complete the project to ID the VATS.
If that "work key" doesn't rotate the cylinder then it's likely the cylinder has been replaced already and you'll need to do a cylinder and the VATS ID!
If that "work key" doesn't rotate the cylinder then it's likely the cylinder has been replaced already and you'll need to do a cylinder and the VATS ID!
Last edited by WVZR-1; Jul 14, 2016 at 11:28 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 21,094
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From: Phila., PA burbs
You're in the same exact situation I was in about 6-7 years ago. I lost my only set of keys for my 91. GM had my door cut on file but no ignition key info (cut or VATs resistance). I bought a new ignition lock cylinder, which as WVZR-1 mentioned, comes with a work key (no VATs pellet). I installed the new lock cylinder so now the key would turn, but obviously not start the car without the proper resistance. I then got a potentiometer and used it to duplicate each of the possible resistances. It was tedious, but not too difficult. After an afternoon of playing around with the resistances I got the car to fire. I took the newly obtained VATs resistance, along with the work key, to the dealership and they cut me a new key.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 16,097
Likes: 821
From: Dallas Texas
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I remember when I was working on a VATS problem, I ohmed a wire that went to the VATS. It was under the driver side steering wheel. It was an orange wire, if I recall correctly. That wire gave me the same ohm reading as the pellet on my key.
