Security is killing me. No start
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Security is killing me. No start
My 04 had been having its moments of showing the security light but would eventually start. Now it's been stranded a week at my girlfriends house. The car won't crank and the security light is on. I took hptuners and disabled the cats and the car still won't start and I have the light still. I don't understand. I've tried charging the battery more and even disconnecting the battery a few hours.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,922
Likes: 219
From: West Branch, MI
Need a bit more info please. "Won't start" is a system of something wrong obviously. Can you give some more specifics? Does the starter engage and turn the engine over? Do you get nothing at all when you turn the key? Can you hear the fuel pump for 2 seconds when you turn the key to the ON position? Failing battery, low battery, dirty key pellet, and bad ignition switch are the most common causes of your no-start issue. Work with the guys here and we'll get to the end of it pretty quickly. But just need a little bit more info. Security light is normally a VATS issue but a low or bad battery can cause the same issue.
Last edited by CactusCat; Aug 4, 2016 at 02:43 PM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
You need to read the DTCs that are stored in the computer using the car INTERNAL DTCs reader!
IF,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, You have a VATS Issue, the car is nothing more than a lawn ornament until you get it fixed!
You MUST solve the issue. Normally, its caused by the ignition switch VATs Sensor on the end of the ignition switch key cylinder not reading the small resistor chip embedded in your key.
Either clean the chip or use the spare key and see if it will resolve the security issue.
The VATS Sensor its self can also be bad. There are TWO wires that go to the sensor. One is a 5VDC reff voltage and the other is the signal wire that supplies the signal to the BCM. The BCM MUST receive that signal to allow the engine to start. If you continuously try to start the engine and don't have the proper VATs signal, the BCM will completely lock you out for a 15 min period. (It think its 15 min.. It might even be 30 min)
Reading the DTCs will tell us where you need to go next to resolve the issue!
Please post them
IF,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, You have a VATS Issue, the car is nothing more than a lawn ornament until you get it fixed!
You MUST solve the issue. Normally, its caused by the ignition switch VATs Sensor on the end of the ignition switch key cylinder not reading the small resistor chip embedded in your key.
Either clean the chip or use the spare key and see if it will resolve the security issue.
The VATS Sensor its self can also be bad. There are TWO wires that go to the sensor. One is a 5VDC reff voltage and the other is the signal wire that supplies the signal to the BCM. The BCM MUST receive that signal to allow the engine to start. If you continuously try to start the engine and don't have the proper VATs signal, the BCM will completely lock you out for a 15 min period. (It think its 15 min.. It might even be 30 min)
Reading the DTCs will tell us where you need to go next to resolve the issue!
Please post them
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Aug 4, 2016 at 04:41 PM.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
The cats was my stupid phone. I set the security to none and uploaded the tune. The security light stays on in the car. The fuel pump primes when i flash the car with hptuners not sure about the key. But its a no crank issue. The starter doesn't even engage. I tried sanding the chip in the key (resistor) I haven't tried the other key but I thought when I disabled it with hptuners it would fire right up. And I did definatily flash the tune without vats into the car. Still no crank. All the starter wires seemed fine feeling around with my hand. The car just won't crank and the security light stays on.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
The cats was my stupid phone. I set the security to none and uploaded the tune. The security light stays on in the car. The fuel pump primes when i flash the car with hptuners not sure about the key. But its a no crank issue. The starter doesn't even engage. I tried sanding the chip in the key (resistor) I haven't tried the other key but I thought when I disabled it with hptuners it would fire right up. And I did definatily flash the tune without vats into the car. Still no crank. All the starter wires seemed fine feeling around with my hand. The car just won't crank and the security light stays on.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 66
From: Middletown CT
I've also used a battery charger on it to build it up and nothing. Not even a click from the starter. Shouldn't turning the vats off with hptuners correct it. It has to be the security. What if I leave the key on 10 minutes and see if it'll disable it. I know the older buicks would kick the light after 10 min with the key on.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, If the fuel pump primes, try this:
Put car out of gear! Chock front wheels! NOTE/WARNING! If the transmission is NOT out of gear, your car will start and drive off by its self!!!! Ignition switch in the RUN position.
Passengers foot well, above the BCM there will be two relays. One has FOUR WIRES (RED, PURPLE, Yellow & Yellow/black stripe ) Use a wire or paperclip and jumper the RED & Purple wire.
The STARTER should immediately crank the engine. If not, see if you have constant battery voltage on the RED WIRE to ground.
If you have battery voltage on the RED WIRE, the starter/solenoid/wiring at solenoid is not working.
BC
Put car out of gear! Chock front wheels! NOTE/WARNING! If the transmission is NOT out of gear, your car will start and drive off by its self!!!! Ignition switch in the RUN position.
Passengers foot well, above the BCM there will be two relays. One has FOUR WIRES (RED, PURPLE, Yellow & Yellow/black stripe ) Use a wire or paperclip and jumper the RED & Purple wire.
The STARTER should immediately crank the engine. If not, see if you have constant battery voltage on the RED WIRE to ground.
If you have battery voltage on the RED WIRE, the starter/solenoid/wiring at solenoid is not working.
BC
Last edited by Bill Curlee; Aug 6, 2016 at 10:05 AM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
I got it running. I just tried the other key and it fired right up. Still the other key won't start the car and thats with VATS turned off in the tune. How is that logical? I'm trading the car in this week.
