Had a no start issue with my 1988 Vette today and it left me stranded for a while until after numerous attempts (and time) it decided to start.
I’m wondering if this is the dreaded VATS issue that I was hoping would never happen to me.
I was driving for approx 20 minutes and then pulled over to stop and check out a house with a friend.

I’d only left the car for probably no longer than 2 minutes and then got back in, turned the key and got nothing.
The dash gauges were operating ok (and did not dim when I tried to start), I heard the fuel pump prime and then turned the key to the start position, would not crank.
I tried jiggling the key in the ignition barrel, thinking that maybe the resistance pellet wasn’t making correct contact, still no start.
I did notice that every time I turned the key to the start position the ‘security’ light was flashing, which made me suspect it’s possibly a VATS issue?
I tried a few times without any success, I think (if I recall correctly) you only get a few shots at trying to start before the ECM prevents any further attempts until you wait for 5 minutes before resetting and allowing further attempts?....correct me if I’m wrong here.

Then after approx 30 minutes had passed I tried again and it still wouldn’t crank, so I tried a few more times and on the last attempt I held the key continuously in the start position for a few seconds and suddenly the car started.
When I got home I turned it off and then tried a restart, it started straight away, so it looks like it could be an intermittent problem.

Any suggestions as to what’s possibly going on here, how do I start diagnosing this problem?
Do any codes get set if it is a VATS issue?

Thanks,
Ken D

 

Do you have a second key? What condition would you say your key that failed is in? Your situation certainly "hints" VATS. Do you have a FSM?

 

forget about the security light it has nothing to do with vats. I do have a question while you were looking at the house did you leave the keys in the ignition switch?

 

Could be VATS, but it could also be neutral safety switch, conductors (wires) near starter heating building resistance. There's a VATS bypass resistor kit that can be installed. If it happened after this it would not be VATS. The problem with intermittent issues is recreating them for diagnosis. Just don't be blinded by the infamous VATS issues and be open to other causes.

 

The vats issue is way over rated. It gets a lot of blame but seldom is the root to the problem. Esp after 87 with the new switch GM installed and if the previous yrs had the switch recall done. (may have just been a TSB cannot remember) but for the most part the problem was solved

 

..Could be a solenoid on the starter,, "ask me how I know" , and any of the other things mentioned above... I don't know if the security light is tied to the vats directly , but when my vats was having problems from a failed GM dealership ignition cylinder replacement, my security light would come on and stay on until I turned the key to start. After I installed the vats bypass module, the security light would come on for 2 seconds , then go off like it's suppose to do when I turned the key to the "ON" position......WW

 

Yes I have a second spare key that I had made last year, I was using one of the original keys today, the other original key I unfortunately lost.

I would say the condition of the key I was using today is good, the contact points of the pellet look well defined and barely worn, not rounded and polished like some 'high mileage' keys I've seen.
The car has only done 45k miles, so the key and ignition barrel haven't seen a lot of action.
I have a FSM, if I recall correctly there's a trouble shooting procedure in there for VATS, but I'm not even sure if I have a VATS issue?...I'd hate to waste time chasing the wrong problem.

I think I know where you're going with the second key question, I was also wondering (whilst I was stranded) if the new spare key with a clean sharp pellet would make any difference, again assuming this was the problem.

As it stands at the moment I don't have any confidence in the car that this problem won't happen again and I hate that, there's nothing worse than wondering if the car's going to randomly strand me whenever this problem reoccurs.

 

There was NO recall and the OP's '88 *** could actually have the early cylinder and it's failure has finally just surfaced. That's one of the reasons I asked "key condition". Your ask regarding the keys left in the car is interesting and something to be considered.

OP - What is the production date of your car? Do you know if your key or any of your keys are original?

Is the key you had made last year the same length as the older key that you used yesterday? If it were an older original it would be shorter and a different thickness. The newer keys would work in the older cylinders.

**** The change occurred by TSB notes in '87 later than H5120579 build.

 

No, the key was removed from the ignition switch, even though it was a decent neighbor hood (made even better by the inclusion of my Vette), I never leave the key in the ignition, even if I'm within eyesight of the car.

 

WVZR-1,
The production date is 11/87, I guess that makes it an early build 88 model?
Compared the original older key to the new spare, both are same length, even the condition of the pellets is practically identical with only the slightest wear noticeable on the old key compared to the new one.

 

The change to the newer cylinder happened in production in '87 and it's published that anything later than H5120579 should be newer so your '88 is good there. No reason for considering that. I had that VIN break in some notes but the bulletins always mentioned cars through '88.

There's lots to check and intermittent isn't going to make any of it easier.

 

MrWillys, I'm trying not to be blind sided by the infamous VATS issues, but its hard not to automatically assume it could be VATS when that's what seems to come up so often on this and other forums...and now I've just added to it
Being a newbie C4 owner it was the one issue I was hoping I wouldn't have to deal with.
You raised some good points there to check, I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a VATS bypass fitted, I know the previous owner and any work done on the car was done by the dealer, I doubt the dealer would fit a VATS bypass?
At the time it happened, I moved the gear selector thru the range and back into park, also thinking that maybe it was a neutral safety switch, it didn't make any difference.
The question is, how do I get it to recreate the problem?

 

In the nearly eight years of owning my '96, I've had the VATS act up on me twice. I know it was the vats because when I turned the key to start my security light was solid on. When the vats is not activited, the light goes off once the key is turned.

In both cases, it was a matter of letting it reset. I cleaned the key with denatured alcohol and all was good.

 

Being a newer C4 owner myself, my experience does not run deep. When I was having VATS issues, I couldn't hear the fuel pump prime. My understanding is that the fuel pump is part of the system. When I got a no start, I let it sit 5 minutes and it started with no issues.

 

If you want to bypass the VATs look at the key, if you find out the value of the resistor on the key (GM dealer can read that) and get the corresponding bypass pigtail, you can unplug the wire from the steering column and plug this in instead: http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/catal...result/?q=vats
If the car now works, you likely have something wrong with the resistor on the key being read and passed along to the VATs sysem.
If it does not correct your issue, then you have something else going on.
If nothing else, it's a good diagnostic tool and being it's fully wired you just unplug the existing connector and plug this one in without any wiring cutting.

 

I said I could not recall if it was a tsb or a recall.

 

a 96 is a whole different beast then a 88. By 96 the securty light was tied into the vats system

 

The so called by pass only effects a small part of the vats system. You can install the so called by pass and still have vat problems

 

WVZR1 I do totaly agree with what you possted. I was not trying to say in any form you were wrong

 

I do wish the Op would tell me if he had the keys in the ign when he looked at the house