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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

    
Go to NHTSA to file a safety complaint.
Or call Monday-Friday (8 am to 8 pm ET) (888) 327-4236 TTY: (800)424-9153
 
    For those experiencing the security passlock problem, please see long-time member lovemygrandam's GM Security Passlock Fix tutorial.

Messages Page 14 of 123

#130 of 1226 Key won't turn by kimba834

Jul 05, 2007 (7:51 pm)

My 1999 Pontiac Grand Am is sitting in a NYC Garage, stuck because the key won't turn in the ignition. Will not budge at all. We cut the wheels back and forth. Nothing. Jiggled. Spoke gently. Spoke firmly. The meter is running and I will probably have to resort to extraordinary towing measures since we can't get the thing out of park. Does anyone have any advice. I am positive that the keys are mine. Any takers? I am fairly desperate. thanks all.

#131 of 1226 frozen ignition by nobullchitbids

Jul 05, 2007 (8:11 pm)

Why not simply replace the ignition? Then drive it to wherever?
 
I mean: Some of this is so obvious.
 
Your problem is not Passlock, perhaps can be rectified with a little silicone spray into the key hole. If you do have to replace the ignition, THEN you will need a locksmith who knows how to align and activate the new Passlock feature to your existing key.

#132 of 1226 Re: Disable your Passlock! [raycorri] by mikemont

Jul 06, 2007 (10:42 am)

Replying to: raycorri (Mar 16, 2007 10:51 am)
Ray,
I disabled my passlock by "cut the wire" method. It has worked fine, although (about once per month) the truck (99 Tahoe) will not start. It has the same characteristics (cranks, starts, you relase the key, then it dies right away).
Could the problem be an intermittent connection between the BCM and the PCM? I assume that even though the BCM is in a fault mode with the wire cut, it still sends the code to the PCM to allow the injectors to function. If thats the case I can look for the bad connection between the BCM and PCM.
Thanks for shedding light on this issue.

#133 of 1226 Re: I've just been stranded for the 2nd time in my '05 [selena] by selena

Jul 11, 2007 (10:11 am)

Replying to: selena (Jul 05, 2007 10:14 am)
Took it in to the dealer this morning. I explained the problem to the guy at the counter and the guy who was going to do the actual work. They both agreed that it indeed sounded like a passlock issue.
 
I waited about an hour, and the counter guy came out. He said...and I hope I understood him right, because I am car stupid...that there is a passlock sensor inside of the ignition. He said they had one in stock, and had replaced mine. In retrospect, I don't know if that means that they replaced the entire ingition, or just the sensor.
 
There was no charge, and hopefully this has taken care of it. I run my business out of my house, and don't drive too much. My hopes are that if there are going to be any more issues of related to the security system that they happen before the warranty expires.

#134 of 1226 Re: I've just been stranded for the 2nd time in my '05 [selena] by mikemont

Jul 11, 2007 (3:49 pm)

Replying to: selena (Jul 11, 2007 10:11 am)
Dont worry Selena, you will be stranded again!
I've spent $1500 at the dealer, each time they replace something. It works for a while and the problem comes back. The real problem is an intermittent connection somewhere, my intermittent connection always occurs on hot humid days. The dealer take the car into their shop and by the time they replace a component, the intermittent connection goes away. The problem goes away and the dealer thinks they fixed the problem.
I'm stuck with mine, but if I had a new car under warrenty, I'd sell it back to the dealer and let them deal with it.

#135 of 1226 Humidity problems by nobullchitbids

Jul 12, 2007 (3:58 pm)

Thanks Selena for the update. And you got it right. The "book" way to fix it is to pull the entire ignition switch and replace it with one having a good Hall sensor. The entire switch is replaced, not just the sensor.
 
I hope that you won't have the problem again for some time.
 
But, I will have to second Mike's observation about humidity exacerbating the problem. My system tends to stick in the "off" position (as if I'd plugged in the toggle, but I haven't yet). At those times in the year when the weather shifts from dry to humid, the system can become reactivated intermittently, and that is when I have problems.
 
One of the worst times occurred when I accidentally left a window down a little and it rained. Both front seats got soaked, and while they dried out in a locked up car, the humidity activated the system and shut down the vehicle. But, as soon as all the water was forced out and dissipated, the car went back to behaving fine.
 
Electrical phenomenon!

#136 of 1226 grand am passlock trouble by chris2k

Jul 12, 2007 (5:30 pm)

i just replaced my ignition cyl.in my 96 grand am now i did the 10 min. thing 3 times to reset the system .start the car passlock shuts the car down .i disconnected the battery let it sit ,tried again let it sit 3 times with ignition on for 15 min's .still shuts off car ????
any help please ??? i just dropped 300 down for the ignition and i am kind of stuck right now .????

#137 of 1226 Re: Humidity problems [nobullchitbids] by burdawg

Jul 12, 2007 (8:43 pm)

Replying to: nobullchitbids (Jul 12, 2007 3:58 pm)
I guess that explains why those of us in the Southwest don't have much trouble with it. Hot and dry most of the year.

#138 of 1226 Re: grand am passlock trouble [chris2k] by burdawg

Jul 12, 2007 (8:47 pm)

Replying to: chris2k (Jul 12, 2007 5:30 pm)
What exactly do you mean when you say the car starts but passlock shuts it down? If the passlock is tripped it won't start at all. Are you sure your not having a fuel pump problem? That sounds more like the symptoms of a weak and failing pump to me.

#139 of 1226 Re: grand am passlock trouble [burdawg] by chris2k

Jul 14, 2007 (6:10 pm)

Replying to: burdawg (Jul 12, 2007 8:47 pm)
the theft system shuts the car off .car finally started yesterday only because the theft system stopped working ,but for how long ?after reading how many other people have the same trouble ...............
i just got a price of 100-150 bucks from a shop that will disconect the theft system altogether .frankly i have had it with Gm for a while .i got nothing but bs and lies from the dealers gmcanada was no help at all .

Messages Page 14 of 123

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