Mod Guide: How To: Bypass Passlock Security
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 154
Hmm. I tried this since i had the front dash apart and wanted to have a backup in case my cylinder dies again.
Cut the yellow, notched the black. Measured 5.1k ohm from cylinder side wire to black ground. Made resistors to ~5.05k ohm, attached it to yellow from the non cylinder side to ground but it dind't start instead I received I received a low fuel, security, service soon combination.
Not so good. tried dropping it to 2.7l ohm, maybe it will try to relearn. No luck, same combination of warning lights. Anybody else have this issue?
I put the yellow wires back together and the security system want to relearn itself. So I'm not boned but am wondering where i went wrong. I'd like to have a backup plan for the next time passlock acts up.
Cut the yellow, notched the black. Measured 5.1k ohm from cylinder side wire to black ground. Made resistors to ~5.05k ohm, attached it to yellow from the non cylinder side to ground but it dind't start instead I received I received a low fuel, security, service soon combination.
Not so good. tried dropping it to 2.7l ohm, maybe it will try to relearn. No luck, same combination of warning lights. Anybody else have this issue?
I put the yellow wires back together and the security system want to relearn itself. So I'm not boned but am wondering where i went wrong. I'd like to have a backup plan for the next time passlock acts up.
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 2
You changed the resistance in both instances, did you perorm a relearn after? If so you could also make sure the contacts on the BCM connections are clean (might have been a bulletin about BCM corrosion) otherwise they could be causing intetmittent resistance spikes.
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 154
Thanks for the reply. I just went through the relearn procedure 4 days ago as I had a no start issue, and changed cylinder then relearned, it didn't fix the issue so i went back to the old one. Issue was a bad ICM.
So since I had the dash apart I figured I would test the resistance in case I get the security issue again, I'll have a resistor already made. For my first attempt I measured 5.1k ohm and my resistor was measured to be within 2% of the original value (assuming it was correct to be 5.1k ohm). I didn't attempt the relearn procedure due to all the other warning lights flashing, even after turning it off and on. I was thinking the BCM really didn't like what was going on. I tried a lower resistance as perhaps I was too high and the relearn would work but I had the same issue. It persisted after turning the car off and attempting to start then leaving it on, so I think something is definitely off.
Good news is reconnecting the wire fixed everything so I'm not exactly sure what was going on. I'll have to look into the BCM connections.
So since I had the dash apart I figured I would test the resistance in case I get the security issue again, I'll have a resistor already made. For my first attempt I measured 5.1k ohm and my resistor was measured to be within 2% of the original value (assuming it was correct to be 5.1k ohm). I didn't attempt the relearn procedure due to all the other warning lights flashing, even after turning it off and on. I was thinking the BCM really didn't like what was going on. I tried a lower resistance as perhaps I was too high and the relearn would work but I had the same issue. It persisted after turning the car off and attempting to start then leaving it on, so I think something is definitely off.
Good news is reconnecting the wire fixed everything so I'm not exactly sure what was going on. I'll have to look into the BCM connections.
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 1
20002 impala
First a couple nods, thanks to Mickey for his dashboard removal how to, I just sobered it up 
and thanks to Justin over on the grandamgt boards that gave me his insight.
Remove the Dash
1. Take the side panel off the dash (one by the door on the end of the dash)
remove the screw.
2. Remove the lower most panel on the drivers side foot well.
watch the wires for the trunk release.
3. When you get that one, the next one just snaps out, pull up on it.
4. There is a screw in the end cap, the one in the glove compartment
and one in the lower part of the dash by the gauge cluster you need to remove.
5. Now take your key off the key ring. (This is so it can go threw the dash with out breaking anything and also with out hurting the ingnition switch) Take the ignition switch ring off. It just clips in, use a small screwdriver to remove it.
6. Put your key in and set the parking brake.
7. Tilt the wheel all the way down.
8. Put the car in to low 1 gear with the car still off. Now grab the lower part of the dash on the passenger side with the glove box open and pull hard on the lower part of the dash but don’t let it go too far out .
9. Disconnect the hazard switch wires so that you can get the dash apart.
(it should pop lose for you. Now it is just a matter of spinning it in the right direction to get it over the steering wheel etc... )
10. Put the car in gear and turn off the switch.
Bypass the Passlock
1. Disconnect the Car Battery!
2. Remove the ignition keyswitch. Unscrew the two screws holding in the ignition. Wiggle the ignition out of its place and down toward the drivers side as best as you can (This will really take some effort to get it out so that you can access the wires behind it). I initially tried removing the radio to get behind the ignition switch but it is not possible due to a metal plate separating them.
3. (See Picture Below) There will be 3 wires in a black sheath coming out of the ignition. The wires are Black, Yellow, and White. You will need to cut back the black sheath to get to them. We will only be working with the Black and Yellow wires.
4. Cut the yellow wire. Leave enough coming out of the ignition that you can get to it later or reattach it if you ever want to. Leave enough coming from the car that you can solder to it. Strip back both ends of the yellow wire about 1/4".
5. DON'T CUT THE BLACK WIRE. Strip about 1/4" of the insulation off of the middle of the black wire. Do this in a place where you will be able to solder to it later. Again, use the razor.
6. Make sure that none of the bare wires are touching each other or bare metal and RECONNECT THE BATTERY.
7. Following the multimeter's instructions, connect one lead to the black wire. Connect the other lead to the half of the yellow wire that is attached to the ignition (not the half going to the car). It will be much easier if you have alligator clip leads for your meter. Insert your key and turn it to RUN but do not start the car. I did not get any reading at this point. Try to start the car. It should turn over and run for a second but then die. Read the value on the meter. I believe I was getting around 1.8k ohms. Your car will likely have a different value, so you have to measure it.
8. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the meter. Make sure the wires are not touching.
9. Use a combination of resistors to come up with a value as close to the value you read as possible. If you put the resistors in series just add the values for the total resistance. If you put them in parallel you will need to calculate it, if your using 2 resistors with the same value you can just divide that value by 2 for the total resistance. I believe I used two 3.6k ohm resistors in parallel (twist the ends together) to equal 1.8k ohms. Found this good online calculator for calculating resistors in parallel, PARALLEL RESISTOR CALCULATOR
10. Use test leads (wires with alligator clamps on each end) to connect one end of the resistors to the black wire and the other end to the yellow wire that goes to the car (not the yellow wire to the ignition keyswitch). Make sure that none of the wires is touching another wire or bare metal.
11. Reconnect the battery and attempt to start the car. It should start normally. If it doesn't, I would guess that your resistors are not of the proper values. Mine started, so I didn't get into troubleshooting.
12. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the test leads.
13. Solder 2" or so of 20-22 gauge wire onto either end of your resistors. Make sure the joints are very secure. If a resistor or wire becomes disconnected YOUR CAR WILL NOT START.
14. Tape off the yellow wire coming from the ignition switch. This wire is no longer used.
15. (See Picture Below) Slide shrink tubing over the yellow wire coming from the car. Solder one of the wires attached to the resistors to the yellow wire coming from the car. Slide the shrink tube over the joint and shrink it. I used shrink tube but I know not everyone may have easy access to shrink tube and a heat gun, wrapping it up in electrical tape also works.
16. Solder the other wire that is attached to the resistors to the stripped area of the black wire. Using good quality electrical tape (3M), tape this joint so that it is insulated and so that the tape supports the solder joint.
17. Reconnect the battery and try to start the car. It should start.
18. Slide the anti friction sheath back down over the wires if possible. Otherwise you can use electrical tape to stand in for the sheath. Move the ignition switch back into place, positioning the new wires so that they don't touch anything that will cut them. Be careful you don’t accidently tug any of the wires you just soldered.
19. Screw the ignition switch back into place, put the dash back in, and you are finished!
and thanks to Justin over on the grandamgt boards that gave me his insight.Remove the Dash
1. Take the side panel off the dash (one by the door on the end of the dash)
remove the screw.
2. Remove the lower most panel on the drivers side foot well.
watch the wires for the trunk release.
3. When you get that one, the next one just snaps out, pull up on it.
4. There is a screw in the end cap, the one in the glove compartment
and one in the lower part of the dash by the gauge cluster you need to remove.
5. Now take your key off the key ring. (This is so it can go threw the dash with out breaking anything and also with out hurting the ingnition switch) Take the ignition switch ring off. It just clips in, use a small screwdriver to remove it.
6. Put your key in and set the parking brake.
7. Tilt the wheel all the way down.
8. Put the car in to low 1 gear with the car still off. Now grab the lower part of the dash on the passenger side with the glove box open and pull hard on the lower part of the dash but don’t let it go too far out .
9. Disconnect the hazard switch wires so that you can get the dash apart.
(it should pop lose for you. Now it is just a matter of spinning it in the right direction to get it over the steering wheel etc... )
10. Put the car in gear and turn off the switch.
Bypass the Passlock
1. Disconnect the Car Battery!
2. Remove the ignition keyswitch. Unscrew the two screws holding in the ignition. Wiggle the ignition out of its place and down toward the drivers side as best as you can (This will really take some effort to get it out so that you can access the wires behind it). I initially tried removing the radio to get behind the ignition switch but it is not possible due to a metal plate separating them.
3. (See Picture Below) There will be 3 wires in a black sheath coming out of the ignition. The wires are Black, Yellow, and White. You will need to cut back the black sheath to get to them. We will only be working with the Black and Yellow wires.
4. Cut the yellow wire. Leave enough coming out of the ignition that you can get to it later or reattach it if you ever want to. Leave enough coming from the car that you can solder to it. Strip back both ends of the yellow wire about 1/4".
5. DON'T CUT THE BLACK WIRE. Strip about 1/4" of the insulation off of the middle of the black wire. Do this in a place where you will be able to solder to it later. Again, use the razor.
6. Make sure that none of the bare wires are touching each other or bare metal and RECONNECT THE BATTERY.
7. Following the multimeter's instructions, connect one lead to the black wire. Connect the other lead to the half of the yellow wire that is attached to the ignition (not the half going to the car). It will be much easier if you have alligator clip leads for your meter. Insert your key and turn it to RUN but do not start the car. I did not get any reading at this point. Try to start the car. It should turn over and run for a second but then die. Read the value on the meter. I believe I was getting around 1.8k ohms. Your car will likely have a different value, so you have to measure it.
8. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the meter. Make sure the wires are not touching.
9. Use a combination of resistors to come up with a value as close to the value you read as possible. If you put the resistors in series just add the values for the total resistance. If you put them in parallel you will need to calculate it, if your using 2 resistors with the same value you can just divide that value by 2 for the total resistance. I believe I used two 3.6k ohm resistors in parallel (twist the ends together) to equal 1.8k ohms. Found this good online calculator for calculating resistors in parallel, PARALLEL RESISTOR CALCULATOR
10. Use test leads (wires with alligator clamps on each end) to connect one end of the resistors to the black wire and the other end to the yellow wire that goes to the car (not the yellow wire to the ignition keyswitch). Make sure that none of the wires is touching another wire or bare metal.
11. Reconnect the battery and attempt to start the car. It should start normally. If it doesn't, I would guess that your resistors are not of the proper values. Mine started, so I didn't get into troubleshooting.
12. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the test leads.
13. Solder 2" or so of 20-22 gauge wire onto either end of your resistors. Make sure the joints are very secure. If a resistor or wire becomes disconnected YOUR CAR WILL NOT START.
14. Tape off the yellow wire coming from the ignition switch. This wire is no longer used.
15. (See Picture Below) Slide shrink tubing over the yellow wire coming from the car. Solder one of the wires attached to the resistors to the yellow wire coming from the car. Slide the shrink tube over the joint and shrink it. I used shrink tube but I know not everyone may have easy access to shrink tube and a heat gun, wrapping it up in electrical tape also works.
16. Solder the other wire that is attached to the resistors to the stripped area of the black wire. Using good quality electrical tape (3M), tape this joint so that it is insulated and so that the tape supports the solder joint.
17. Reconnect the battery and try to start the car. It should start.
18. Slide the anti friction sheath back down over the wires if possible. Otherwise you can use electrical tape to stand in for the sheath. Move the ignition switch back into place, positioning the new wires so that they don't touch anything that will cut them. Be careful you don’t accidently tug any of the wires you just soldered.
19. Screw the ignition switch back into place, put the dash back in, and you are finished!
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 1
Pass lock bypass kit install
First a couple nods, thanks to Mickey for his dashboard removal how to, I just sobered it up and thanks to Justin over on the grandamgt boards that gave me his insight.
Remove the Dash
1. Take the side panel off the dash (one by the door on the end of the dash)
remove the screw.
2. Remove the lower most panel on the drivers side foot well.
watch the wires for the trunk release.
3. When you get that one, the next one just snaps out, pull up on it.
4. There is a screw in the end cap, the one in the glove compartment
and one in the lower part of the dash by the gauge cluster you need to remove.
5. Now take your key off the key ring. (This is so it can go threw the dash with out breaking anything and also with out hurting the ingnition switch) Take the ignition switch ring off. It just clips in, use a small screwdriver to remove it.
6. Put your key in and set the parking brake.
7. Tilt the wheel all the way down.
8. Put the car in to low 1 gear with the car still off. Now grab the lower part of the dash on the passenger side with the glove box open and pull hard on the lower part of the dash but don’t let it go too far out .
9. Disconnect the hazard switch wires so that you can get the dash apart.
(it should pop lose for you. Now it is just a matter of spinning it in the right direction to get it over the steering wheel etc... )
10. Put the car in gear and turn off the switch.
Bypass the Passlock
1. Disconnect the Car Battery!
2. Remove the ignition keyswitch. Unscrew the two screws holding in the ignition. Wiggle the ignition out of its place and down toward the drivers side as best as you can (This will really take some effort to get it out so that you can access the wires behind it). I initially tried removing the radio to get behind the ignition switch but it is not possible due to a metal plate separating them.
3. (See Picture Below) There will be 3 wires in a black sheath coming out of the ignition. The wires are Black, Yellow, and White. You will need to cut back the black sheath to get to them. We will only be working with the Black and Yellow wires.
4. Cut the yellow wire. Leave enough coming out of the ignition that you can get to it later or reattach it if you ever want to. Leave enough coming from the car that you can solder to it. Strip back both ends of the yellow wire about 1/4".
5. DON'T CUT THE BLACK WIRE. Strip about 1/4" of the insulation off of the middle of the black wire. Do this in a place where you will be able to solder to it later. Again, use the razor.
6. Make sure that none of the bare wires are touching each other or bare metal and RECONNECT THE BATTERY.
7. Following the multimeter's instructions, connect one lead to the black wire. Connect the other lead to the half of the yellow wire that is attached to the ignition (not the half going to the car). It will be much easier if you have alligator clip leads for your meter. Insert your key and turn it to RUN but do not start the car. I did not get any reading at this point. Try to start the car. It should turn over and run for a second but then die. Read the value on the meter. I believe I was getting around 1.8k ohms. Your car will likely have a different value, so you have to measure it.
8. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the meter. Make sure the wires are not touching.
9. Use a combination of resistors to come up with a value as close to the value you read as possible. If you put the resistors in series just add the values for the total resistance. If you put them in parallel you will need to calculate it, if your using 2 resistors with the same value you can just divide that value by 2 for the total resistance. I believe I used two 3.6k ohm resistors in parallel (twist the ends together) to equal 1.8k ohms. Found this good online calculator for calculating resistors in parallel, PARALLEL RESISTOR CALCULATOR
10. Use test leads (wires with alligator clamps on each end) to connect one end of the resistors to the black wire and the other end to the yellow wire that goes to the car (not the yellow wire to the ignition keyswitch). Make sure that none of the wires is touching another wire or bare metal.
11. Reconnect the battery and attempt to start the car. It should start normally. If it doesn't, I would guess that your resistors are not of the proper values. Mine started, so I didn't get into troubleshooting.
12. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the test leads.
13. Solder 2" or so of 20-22 gauge wire onto either end of your resistors. Make sure the joints are very secure. If a resistor or wire becomes disconnected YOUR CAR WILL NOT START.
14. Tape off the yellow wire coming from the ignition switch. This wire is no longer used.
15. (See Picture Below) Slide shrink tubing over the yellow wire coming from the car. Solder one of the wires attached to the resistors to the yellow wire coming from the car. Slide the shrink tube over the joint and shrink it. I used shrink tube but I know not everyone may have easy access to shrink tube and a heat gun, wrapping it up in electrical tape also works.
16. Solder the other wire that is attached to the resistors to the stripped area of the black wire. Using good quality electrical tape (3M), tape this joint so that it is insulated and so that the tape supports the solder joint.
17. Reconnect the battery and try to start the car. It should start.
18. Slide the anti friction sheath back down over the wires if possible. Otherwise you can use electrical tape to stand in for the sheath. Move the ignition switch back into place, positioning the new wires so that they don't touch anything that will cut them. Be careful you don’t accidently tug any of the wires you just soldered.
19. Screw the ignition switch back into place, put the dash back in, and you are finished!
and thanks to Justin over on the grandamgt boards that gave me his insight.Remove the Dash
1. Take the side panel off the dash (one by the door on the end of the dash)
remove the screw.
2. Remove the lower most panel on the drivers side foot well.
watch the wires for the trunk release.
3. When you get that one, the next one just snaps out, pull up on it.
4. There is a screw in the end cap, the one in the glove compartment
and one in the lower part of the dash by the gauge cluster you need to remove.
5. Now take your key off the key ring. (This is so it can go threw the dash with out breaking anything and also with out hurting the ingnition switch) Take the ignition switch ring off. It just clips in, use a small screwdriver to remove it.
6. Put your key in and set the parking brake.
7. Tilt the wheel all the way down.
8. Put the car in to low 1 gear with the car still off. Now grab the lower part of the dash on the passenger side with the glove box open and pull hard on the lower part of the dash but don’t let it go too far out .
9. Disconnect the hazard switch wires so that you can get the dash apart.
(it should pop lose for you. Now it is just a matter of spinning it in the right direction to get it over the steering wheel etc... )
10. Put the car in gear and turn off the switch.
Bypass the Passlock
1. Disconnect the Car Battery!
2. Remove the ignition keyswitch. Unscrew the two screws holding in the ignition. Wiggle the ignition out of its place and down toward the drivers side as best as you can (This will really take some effort to get it out so that you can access the wires behind it). I initially tried removing the radio to get behind the ignition switch but it is not possible due to a metal plate separating them.
3. (See Picture Below) There will be 3 wires in a black sheath coming out of the ignition. The wires are Black, Yellow, and White. You will need to cut back the black sheath to get to them. We will only be working with the Black and Yellow wires.
4. Cut the yellow wire. Leave enough coming out of the ignition that you can get to it later or reattach it if you ever want to. Leave enough coming from the car that you can solder to it. Strip back both ends of the yellow wire about 1/4".
5. DON'T CUT THE BLACK WIRE. Strip about 1/4" of the insulation off of the middle of the black wire. Do this in a place where you will be able to solder to it later. Again, use the razor.
6. Make sure that none of the bare wires are touching each other or bare metal and RECONNECT THE BATTERY.
7. Following the multimeter's instructions, connect one lead to the black wire. Connect the other lead to the half of the yellow wire that is attached to the ignition (not the half going to the car). It will be much easier if you have alligator clip leads for your meter. Insert your key and turn it to RUN but do not start the car. I did not get any reading at this point. Try to start the car. It should turn over and run for a second but then die. Read the value on the meter. I believe I was getting around 1.8k ohms. Your car will likely have a different value, so you have to measure it.
8. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the meter. Make sure the wires are not touching.
9. Use a combination of resistors to come up with a value as close to the value you read as possible. If you put the resistors in series just add the values for the total resistance. If you put them in parallel you will need to calculate it, if your using 2 resistors with the same value you can just divide that value by 2 for the total resistance. I believe I used two 3.6k ohm resistors in parallel (twist the ends together) to equal 1.8k ohms. Found this good online calculator for calculating resistors in parallel, PARALLEL RESISTOR CALCULATOR
10. Use test leads (wires with alligator clamps on each end) to connect one end of the resistors to the black wire and the other end to the yellow wire that goes to the car (not the yellow wire to the ignition keyswitch). Make sure that none of the wires is touching another wire or bare metal.
11. Reconnect the battery and attempt to start the car. It should start normally. If it doesn't, I would guess that your resistors are not of the proper values. Mine started, so I didn't get into troubleshooting.
12. DISCONNECT THE BATTERY and the test leads.
13. Solder 2" or so of 20-22 gauge wire onto either end of your resistors. Make sure the joints are very secure. If a resistor or wire becomes disconnected YOUR CAR WILL NOT START.
14. Tape off the yellow wire coming from the ignition switch. This wire is no longer used.
15. (See Picture Below) Slide shrink tubing over the yellow wire coming from the car. Solder one of the wires attached to the resistors to the yellow wire coming from the car. Slide the shrink tube over the joint and shrink it. I used shrink tube but I know not everyone may have easy access to shrink tube and a heat gun, wrapping it up in electrical tape also works.
16. Solder the other wire that is attached to the resistors to the stripped area of the black wire. Using good quality electrical tape (3M), tape this joint so that it is insulated and so that the tape supports the solder joint.
17. Reconnect the battery and try to start the car. It should start.
18. Slide the anti friction sheath back down over the wires if possible. Otherwise you can use electrical tape to stand in for the sheath. Move the ignition switch back into place, positioning the new wires so that they don't touch anything that will cut them. Be careful you don’t accidently tug any of the wires you just soldered.
19. Screw the ignition switch back into place, put the dash back in, and you are finished!
Can someone tell me how to wire this into my 2001 Chevy Monte Carlo SS to bypass the pass lock system? I know you cut the yellow and it goes into one side, I'm just not sure how to wire the black in because I read you don't cut that wire?
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