jason g

This weekend, while in the middle of replacing my water pump, my ignition lock cylinder decided it would be a good time to mess with me. The key went into the ignition with a lot of resistance. I should have stopped right there, but didn’t. Because I didn’t, I badly damaged the left sensor that reads the resistor in the key. The result was that I was unable to start the car. When I tried to bring the sensor back into its correct position, it instead broke right off.

This is not the first time I have experienced this. I had a 1999 C5 that I drove for 5 years without any such problem. In 2003, I bought a 2004 C5 and within the first 3 months had a problem with this same system. I was stranded at work because the car would not start. I think I went back into my workplace and looked on this forum for help. I learned about the VATS system and the existence of the sensors that read the resistor in the key. My solution that day was to place some rolled up aluminum foil from a gum wrapper around the area of the resistor on the key. When I inserted my modified key into the cylinder, the foil made contact with the sensors and the car started.

When I took it into Criswell Corvette I explained that there was a very sharp shoulder on my keys (the area behind the actual cuts into the key, where it becomes rectangular) that I thought was responsible for damaging the sensor as I inserted the key. It was sharp enough to cut your skin; it seemed like it could do a number on a sensor. They replaced the cylinder and the service manager had the (insert word of your choice here) to actually start to tell me how to insert the key into the ignition. I had been driving for 25 years at that point and had driven another C5 for 5 years without any problem, but I suddenly needed a lecture on key insertions?? I told him to fix the keys and keep his HOW TO advice to himself. They fixed the keys and I was able to drive the car without incident for another 8.5 years before I had the problem this weekend.

I have no idea why this problem occured this weekend. I inserted the key as I always do. In thinking about it, it occurred to me that there could have been a piece of lint or something else on the key that dragged the sensor. I can imagine that anything extra attached to the key could cause a problem.

I looked on this forum and elsewhere for advice and found much about bypassing the VATS with an inline resistor. I'm not sure that I want to do that. I was hoping to find someone that took the cylinder apart and soldered the sensor back on, but only found one thread in which someone mentioned a locksmith doing that for them. I will likely order another cylinder and do what I have to to make it work.

In the meantime, I needed to start and drive my car to finish what I was doing and to get to work, etc. Because I could see the remains of the sensor I decided to wad up some aluminum foil and press it onto the the remnants of the sensor. The foil would then make contact with the resistor in the key. When I stuck the key in, it worked perfectly, and the car started.

In case anyone is ever in a similar jam, I decided to post this, along with some photos. I have two each of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The Good photos (1st two) show the sensor that is on the right side of the cylinder. I don’t think it is perfectly positioned, but I am not going to touch it. The Bad photos (2nd set of two) show what remains of the left sensor. I removed the rest of it with tweezers from the floor of the cylinder. The Ugly photos (last two photos) are of the aluminum foil wad attached to the remnants of the left sensor. Not pretty, but it works!

If anyone has any experience taking the cylinder part, I’d appreciate hearing about how to do it. Thanks.

alankb

The thing in the key is only a resistor. If you can measure the ohms through it you can get a resistor from radio shack and put it in the wires behind the key switch. Most GM cars it's a couple of small yellow wires. Very small compared to the rest. I've done this on a Caddy and a Camero with no problems.

Good luck!

Quicksilver Vert 01

I like your ingenuity in finding a way to get the car started in a pinch!

I'm unable to open and view the pics that you posted. What format did you use?

SteveDoten

I keep a few cylinders on hand; these often create a myriad of electrical problems when worn

I'll try to post up some pics if these are not working

jason g

The images are all jpg's. I just tried attaching them as well - maybe that will make a difference?

K-Spaz

If it were me, I'd be cutting the yellow wires and sticking in the resistor.

Quicksilver Vert 01

That's better.