Hey everyone! Greetings from Myrtle Beach! have an 05 SS that left me stranded at the golf course. After my round, I was ready to leave and the key would not turn in the ignition cylinder. I wiggled, jiggled, removed, reinserted, turned the key both ways, made sure steering wheel wasn’t locked, and that it was fully in park. Nothing worked. I’m fairly certain that the ignition cylinder is original to the car, so not too surprised that it wore out. I have a parts car from which I removed the ignition switch. Is it possible to replace my current switch with the replacement switch without too much programming hassle? Or is it better to just exchange cylinders? FYI. My original cylinder won’t rotate with the key, so not sure how to remove it without damaging the switch. Any help/advice greatly appreciated.

 

I am aware sometimes with the shifter in park, it does not fully engage things to release the lock cylinder. Some have had luck moving the shift down and back up to park. Could also see if it changes with the shifter in neutral.

For a lock cylinder stuck in the ignition switch housing, there is a trick to remove it. I recall seeing a YouTube video where you drill a small hole in part of the housing and then you can push the release tab. THis is the same setup in the Monte, Impala, Grand Am and a few other GM cars.

As for programming the chip on a new lock cylinder, just look up the "PCM Relearn" procedure. Easy peasy!

 

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, you can’t move the shifter if the key won’t turn.

im considering just replacing the entire assembly with the one from my donor car. Will the relearn procedure be the same as when just replacing the cylinder?

 

Do you need the shift to move to take the dash apart? If so, you might get some clearance removing the shift ****. Just pull the shift boot down (all that keeps it in place is elastic). In the front of the shift **** is a U shaped clip, use a screw driver to pop it out and then wiggle/pull the shifter straight up.

You only have to do a relearn if you change the lock cylinder ( the ignition switch has no "intelligence" to the Passkey anti-theft system). It has been a while since I pulled the lock cylinder from an ignition switch housing. If I recall there is a wiring harness and cable release that you still have to tend to. Keep in mind, the "relearn" is NOT re-keying. It is just to get the BCM and the PCM to relearn the new security chip of the new lock cylinder.

This video shows changing the ignition switch (when the lock cylinder moves):

This was neat, as the guy takes apart the lock assembly:

I still cannot find the video I saw years ago showing where to drill the ignition switch housing. THis is the closest I can find (and the video does not show anything very well):

 

Looking for something unrelated and I stumbled upon the video I was looking for to share! I admit, it is not showing what I thought to remove the lock cylinder. It was in this thread:
https://montecarloforum.com/forum/fw...out-key-58317/

 

Had the same problem with my 2002 Monte Carlo three months ago. I tried Maniac's third youtube video, it worked. Replaced switch and lock cylinder. Manual programing didn't work. Performance shop reprogramed using diagnostic tool. Chevy codes didn't work but GM codes did, strange.

 

Thanks for the input. I ended up having to destroy the electrical part of the ignition switch in order to remove the cylinder.

I then replaced the entire assembly with the one from my parts car using the key for that assembly, I went thru the relearn process. So far, it has not worked. At this point I’m afraid I’ll have to get it towed to the dealer for programming. Or is it feasible to take the cylinder out and have it rekeyed for my original key? Thoughts???

Thanks

 

I'd rather gnaw off my right arm than pay a stealership! Just find a good speedshop or good mobile locksmith to reprogram the key cylinder to the computer. Since there is no chip in the key, it's the cylinder that the computer has to recognize. You're only other option is to bypass the security system. There are youtube videos on this. Good luck.

 

Assuming you have everything physically correct (all the wiring is connected and making contact and the lock cylinder is properly inside the ignition switch housing), this is literally performing the relearn process. A common mistake people tend to make is pulling the key out between cycles. You do NOT remove the key until you complete the process. And you don't cycle the key or try to start it until the message center stops showing the "security" message.

Even if you take it to the dealer, I believe they will run the same procedure (as I don't believe the TechII tool or shop book provides any different procedure).

 

Thanks. I have done the relearn process several times. Everything is connected properly. I took the entire assembly from my 2003 parts car using the key from this vehicle. Pretty much plug and play. Would I matter that the assembly is from a 2003 installed into a 2005?