looking at purchasing a 1998 coup and when you start the car and put the car in drive it only goes about 10' and shuts down. The dealership said that there is a problem with the security chip in the key. We tried another key and had no problems. Is this a legitimate problem with the chip in the keys and if so can you re-program key.

 

Getting a new key is no prob, All you need to know is the resistance of the key, If you are going to buy this car I would have the dealer get a new key.

 

thanks

 

Yes, this is a problem. When the car stalls, it should say "PULL KEY, WAIT 10 SECONDS" on the DIC.

The resistor chip in the key doesn't read correctly. Sometimes you can fix the key by using alcohol to clean the chip. Otherwise, you need a new key. If a new key doesn't fix it, you may need a new ignition switch resistor reader (not sure what they call it, PASS KEY READER?).

 

Get the dealer to run a diagnostic on the car to see what codes are showing, this should hopefully tell you if there are any other electrical/computer issues with the car.
Or you can do it yourself by doing the following:

The "diagnostic display" mode is entered with the following Procedure: Page 8-500

1) Turn on the ignition but don't start the engine.
2) Press the "reset" button to turn off any warning messages
3) Press and hold "options" and
4) While holding "options", press "fuel" four times within a 10-Second period.Initially, the on-board diagnostics go into the "automatic" mode, which shows each module's DTCs in a
pre-set sequence: (Page No. are for the GM Service Manual)
10 PCNI Powertrain Control Module page 6-357 - 6-361
28 TCS Traction Control system ABS on page 5-86
?? RTD Real Time damping page 3-136
40 BCM Body Control Module page 8-405 LTD Page 8-727
60 [PC instrument Pane! Cluster page 8-508
80 radio page 8-213
99 FIVAC Heater Vent-Air Conditioning page 1-118
A0 LDCM Left Door Control module page 8-904 to 8-951
Al RDCM Right Door Control Module page 8-904 to 8-951
AC SCM Seat Control module page 8-1064-8-1082
B0 RFA Remote Function Actuation page 8-676

For each module, all DTCs will be displayed. If none are present in a module, you will see "no more codes" on the ICP display.
There are two kinds of DTCs, "Current" and "History," designated with a letter suffix, "C" or "H". A current code indicates that the malfunction is present in the system whose module is displaying data. A history code indicates a problem existed in that module sometime in the last 40 or 50 ignition cycles. When not accompanied by a current code of the same number, it is possible it's evidence of a previous problem. Now solved, that was not removed by clearing codes. More likely is that a history code indicates an intermittent malfunction.

I recently had to replace the key cylinder on my 98 after having starting issues and getting code DTC B2721 PASS-Key Detection Circuit.

 

It sounds a lot like a column lock issue to me. If the correct pass key resistance was not sensed, the car should not start at all. Possible it was just coincidence that it started working correctly with the second key.

 

This is a problem when the chip goes bad or someone tried to make a key and knew nothing about the proper resitance -

"IF" the other key truly works then take that key (or have the dealer do it) and the VIN number and go to a GM dealer and get you another one made and make sure it works.

Thanks,Matt

 

If you would like to boggle your mind, here are all of the codes
http://www.stengel.net/diccodes.htm

 

thanks guys, I will have the dealer run a diagnostics test to see what the codes say.