1993 Pontiac Bonneville security lite on dash lites and sta

NANCYANN

MEMBER
1993 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE
6 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
164,116 MILES

Car runs fine and starts fine usually but when you stop and turn it off sometimes it won't start and the dash has a lit security sign which stays on. Dash lites come on but nothing else does. The ignition key has a chip on it which I have been told is for theft prevention I have had to replace this key and have had two made. Both at the same locksmiths. The car will usually start in 10-15 minutes I have tried getting out of the seat, opening door with car key running gear shift thru all gears, turning ignition key on off in out putting my seat belt on off, finally it will start, like I said it acts as though it doesnt recognize the key chip for a little while. Or as though some security feature thinks I am stealing the car. I have been told I might need to get a factory key for ignition This is driving me nuts. Please help.

1 Reply

WRENCHTECH

MECHANIC
20,757 POSTS

The most common failure in these is the sensor in the ignition lock that reads the key pellet. That would mean replacing the ignition lock with a sensor included.

That sensor can be bypassed. You would need a digital ohmeter to measure the resistence of the pellet in the key. Now go to Radio Shack and buy a resister of the exact same value as the key pellet. Go to the base of the steering column and locate the two thin white wires that go up to the sensor. Cut the two wires and solder the resister between the two ends coming from the harness. This will permanently bypass the sensor but not the rest of the system so if the problem is elsewhere, this won't cure it.