Pontiac Grand Am Security Passlock Problems

1226 messages,  Last post on May 13, 2013 at 1:41 PM

You are in the Pontiac Grand Am Forum.

What is this discussion about? Pontiac Grand Am, Security System, Sedan

    
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    For those experiencing the security passlock problem, please see long-time member lovemygrandam's GM Security Passlock Fix tutorial.

#1171 of 1226 Re: 03 Grand AM not able to reset code [loungelight] by jlsumme

Dec 11, 2012 (9:29 pm)

Replying to: loungelight (Dec 11, 2012 12:37 pm)
I have a 2003 Alero and have suffered for the last year with the same problem, having to be towed twice. I tried the resistor bypass and got the light to go off but it would still not start. I found an electronic guy to fix it for $100, he said the BCM was bad and the key cylinder was also. So he put in a used BCM and "repaired" the ignition switch along with running a wire from the fuel injector relay to an unknown place. This worked for one day. So long story short I called the used car guy I bought it from and he had the ignition switch replaced with a brand new one from a Chevy along with new keys. You can tell that the key /switch is alot tighter than the old one. I have now had the car back for 2 weeks and it starts right away. With the old key/switch you could pull the key out even in the start or run position! Oh, I owe him $400 now but alot cheaper than getting another car.

#1172 of 1226 2000 grand am driving just dies by firstwatchman

Dec 22, 2012 (1:04 am)

ive owned the car for 2 yrs now. never had a single problem except for the usual maintance oil change ect. 3 days ago driving down the road the car just died. i tried to start it repeditly and gave up finaly it would start for about 5 secs and shut off so i had a friend tow me to a shop. next day the car was looked at with no problem found so i went and picked it up. we got about 5 miles down the road and it died again but this time i was on an interstate and almost struck by a semi pulling of the road so i called our macanic and he came to where we were at, first thing he checked was the rail for fuel that was fine ,the car would turn over start and run for about 5 secs. so we had it towed back to the shop they had it a couple days and said it was fixed so we went to pick it up when we got their he said he couldnt really find anything wrong with it except that he had changed a couple fuses, one for the lighter, and one for the cooling system witch he said would probly go out again he also said that if we did the reset wait for 10 mins or so we would never get stuck again but that it was probly going to die again on the road somewhere and that it probly needed a new fuel filter and a fuel pump which is 767.00 so we paid them the 35.00 we owed them and left to drop off the car we had loaned to us from some from friends of ours,we dropped it off and headed home we got about a mile or so from the home and it died again but by this time it was dark and i remarked to my wife that we couldt do the 10 min wait because the battery would go dead from the head lights as i had remarked to her at the shop before we left if it had gotten dark which it had.but we tried it any ways and the sensor light didnt even come on blinking at all that was to go to solid after 10 min or so , so we walk the mile or so home and i went back alittle while later and towed it home with my friend again and now it sets its the only car we have so were really stranded at home except we have to take dial a ride to work till this gets fixed and any where elese we go i should also add the sensor light has always been on including the check engine light i understand the bypass by cutting the yellow wire and checking the corrosion what would someone elese do

#1173 of 1226 Re: 2000 grand am driving just dies [firstwatchman] by jlsumme

Dec 22, 2012 (4:26 pm)

Replying to: firstwatchman (Dec 22, 2012 1:04 am)
I was at my wits end with my sons 2003 alero which is basically like your grand am.This all started like yours with the car dying on me. After it died the 3rd time nothing would re-start it. It spent at least a month parked in various places miles from home. I spent many hours trying the DIY thing to no avail. It could be the ignition switch in combination with the bcm which is a plastic box under the glovebox that has 3 connectors attached. Here's what I would do. Get a new ignition switch and find someone who could install it cheap. They put a Chevy switch on mine ,maybe a better switch than the oldsmobile type. You can tell the key is alot tighter in the switch than the old one. Hang in there, it's crazy that this happens as much as cars cost.

#1174 of 1226 pontiac grand am will not relearn security by orogle

Dec 24, 2012 (9:59 am)

followed the instructions on http://www.bergerweb.net/PasslockFix/index.shtml and my security light will not go out at all period regardless of what I do.
 
pulled negative battery cable first:
removed radio
cut wires
 
use 2200 resistors and mini terminal block as show in the pic there
 
cut yellow and black wires and made sure insulation was not inside block.
installed resistor as shown. I pulled the radio for access to the two wires.
 
the car starts and stalls. with the switch left to on the security light flashes. If I turn the switch off and back on the security light stays solid.
 
car will not relearn regardless of procedure learned. 10 min or 30 min makes no diff at all the light will not go out.
 
car was running fine when i pulled it into garage.
 
I read a post that suggested the bcm could be bad.
 
will a car dealer work on a car with the security bypassed?
it will be hard to get to the wire coming out of the ignition. Might have to pull that.
 
basically I tried the http://www.bergerweb.net/PasslockFix/index.shtml bypass and my light won't go out at all period.
 
all help appreciated

#1175 of 1226 Re: pontiac grand am will not relearn security [orogle] by lovemygrandam

Dec 24, 2012 (9:44 pm)

Replying to: orogle (Dec 24, 2012 9:59 am)
I would guess that the problem you have is that one of the two wires (black or yellow) is either broken between the radio area and the Body Control Module, or has become shorted to another wire in the bundle. This is not an easy thing to troubleshoot, but a first step is to disconnect the center connector of the Body Control Module, and using an Ohmmeter, check the resistance between pins A6 and B6 of the wiring harness connector. It should read 2200 ohms (or whatever resistance you used), +/- 10%. If it doesn't, you might want to try placing the resistor into the circuit right at the center connector of the BCM, thus eliminating any shorts or opens that are present in the wiring. Once that's done, try the reset again... Generally, the light on solid indicates a short, or an open in the circuitry, rather than a faulty passlock module.
 
R Berger
Instrumentation Engineering (retired)
GM Proving Ground
Milford, MI

#1176 of 1226 Re: pontiac grand am will not relearn security [lovemygrandam] by orogle

Dec 25, 2012 (1:05 pm)

Replying to: lovemygrandam (Dec 24, 2012 9:44 pm)
the ohm reading set at 20k on multimeter is: 21.7
the ohm reading set st 200k ..................... 22
 
settings taken at center plug wire harness of bcm
 
orogle

#1178 of 1226 Re: pontiac grand am will not relearn security [orogle] by orogle

Dec 25, 2012 (6:05 pm)

Replying to: orogle (Dec 25, 2012 1:05 pm)
the car was running fine and having no troubles when I decided to bypass future problelms. Oh, on the 2001 grand am there is one screw that is recessed and hard to find that has to be taken out also.
 
I was pretty sure the wiring job was done right. You cut and strip a piece of wire and stick it in the terminal block. Not too complicated. But now I am sure since I checked with a multimeter in the center connector of the wiring harness.
 
Hope there is an answer to why my security light stays on.
like I said before:
if you leave the key in the "on" position it blinks.......but won't reset ......ever
if you turn it off and back on then it is solid and will not reset.................ever
 
orogle

#1179 of 1226 Re: pontiac grand am will not relearn security [orogle] by lovemygrandam

Dec 25, 2012 (6:28 pm)

Replying to: orogle (Dec 25, 2012 1:05 pm)
Your resistance reading is 10 times what it should be. Check the color codes on your resistor body. The correct resistor should have three red bands. From the readings you are getting, I think you have a resistor color code of red, red, orange.
Here is a handy reference for reading resistor color codes...
http://www.bcdxc.org/resistor_color_codes.htm
Dick
 
PS... Are you referring to an additional screw to dismount the radio, or to get to the BCM?
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