Hey all,
I've got a 99 Monte Carlo w/ almost 150k on her, been with me for the last 4.5 years now with no major problems outside of rebuilding the trans about 20k ago. So I get in my car during my lunch to run home and grab my laundry after two trips this morning (once to work and a trip into town to drop off paperwork at another office) and nothing happened. I was getting good power everywhere else so I checked the fuses for the starter and ignition, all good, so I figured it was time to crawl under and go to town on the starter. No joy there. When I turn on the electrical systems, my "Security" light keeps flashing. I'm going to try leaving the key in for a bit (I never bothered to get a second key made and the dealer only had one... stupid I know but it has that PASS II chip so it ain't cheap) to see if it registers, but I have a bad feeling that I'm going to have to invest some not present money into it.

Am I going to have to take this to a dealer though to have it looked at? I've only been living out here for a short while so I don't know any of the garages to begin with but I can't afford to pay through the nose on this one. That and how much should I expect to sink into this, worst case scenario?

 

Starting & Charging

An occasional problem with this vehicle is failure of the Ignition Lock Cylinder. Failure of the Ignition Lock Cylinder may prevent the vehicle from starting. The cost to repair the Ignition Lock Cylinder is estimated at $105.00 for parts and $52.00 for labor. All prices are estimates based on $65 per flat rate hour and do not include diagnostic time or any applicable sales tax.

 

not an answer to your cost question, but this might help you the next couple of days. i know this works on our 01 alero.

if the security chip in your key gets messed up and your car will not start:
turn the key to the on position but dont try to turn over the engine.
wait exactly 10 minutes.
the security light will turn off.
start your engine

 

Trying that at the moment actually. If I can at least get it home I can figure out where to go from there, plus I took a 4 day weekend already so I have time to figure it out.

BTW: When it worked on your Alero was it flashing or just on? I've been seeing alot about the light on but not flashing (which mine is doing).

UPDATE: I gave the 10 minute wait a try. I gave the turn the headlights on and off 3 times a try. Everything I'm seeing is about the security light makes me think it should be solid on, not flashing, if there's a problem. it always flashes when I start the car, then goes out, so I'm thinking either my starter is REALLY far gone or it's the ignition cylinder. I'm probably going to whail on the starter some more after we close, but I've got a feeling I'm going to pump some $$$ into her. Fortunately one of my coworkers gave me the number of a garage that tows that has a decent rep out here.

Maybe a better question would be if a flashing "Security" light prior to ignition is a problem or not.

 

The security reset doesn't work on vehicles with the PASSKEY II chip. Try brake clean and clean the key off and if that doesn't work, a key is actually $15 and then the programming fee. According to my dad who works at a Chevy dealership. Good luck and keep us updated.

 

That's all? I heard it was somewhere north of $120. I might get that done next week.

At this point though, I'm feeling fairly certain that it's not a security issue being that the light is flashing as normal, I just never noticed it didn't stop flashing. I tried to trouble shoot a much as possible... all the fuses in the various boxes are good, dash lights appear to be responding correctly when trying to start it, power seems to be flowing well, and the alternator isn't seized. I'm pretty much feeling that the starter is gone, despite the fact that I've banged on it to the point of chipping the housing. I'm just debating whether or not to change it out myself (I really hate working on newer cars... why won't things like this happen to my 76 Camaro... wait a minute, scratch that...).

 

im sorry i dont remember now if the alero light was flashing or solid on.

funny i hadnt noticed, but i just checked my 07 monte and there seems to be no security light at all.

rysZ34, can you explain the difference in the normal keys with chips and the PASSKEY II? i know my new monte key looks different than my 97 camaro and 97 cutlass keys that had chips but thats about all i can tell

also funny you mention your camaro. i had a 97 RS with a chip in the key. mine went bad at a bad time - try and check the cost of having one cut at 7am on easter sunday. although if i remember correctly, in that car i was able to get a chipless key in a hurry for fairly cheap and that actually started and ran it for the morning.

 

My '02 did that once, everything worked except start, it said nothing, nada, zippo, but my security light was solid. According to the book it's supposed to come on - not flash, then go out with the rest of the light checks. MOST of the time it does not come on. I tried it again about 20 minutes later and it started right up.
Hubby drove it one day, went to fill it up, I know it was running on fumes by the time he got there. Filled it up, it started then died. But this time it would try to start and the security light was on solid. He tried my key, but that was after about a 30 minute wait for my MIL to bring it to him (I was out of town and we took my friends truck). It started right up.
BTW, my key does NOT have the chip but it does have the PassLock Security system.

 

PASSKEY II keys have the chip in the key and were used from the early 90's to I believe as late as '01 or '02 in SOME vehicles. The 6th gen Monte Carlo as well as the Alero, '97-'03 Malibu and '04-'05 Malibu Classic, and '00-'05 Impalas have PASSLOCK instead of PASSKEY. Where the passlock sensor is a casing around the ingition lock cylinder and there is a chip at the back of the lock cylinder that ensures the correct key is being used. So there is no chip in the newer cars like there was in the older ones. They did this for multiple reasons, but one reason is that the ignition key on the newer cars is also the door lock key so they got rid of the chip. Both systems work effectively, and the technology is always progressing. Double check on the price of the key and programming, but I don't think it will exceed $50.

 

$50, although steep in my book, is certainly more reasonable.

I ended up getting it towed to a shop. I was going to pull the starter tomorrow but when I pulled out my trolley jack to the door of my trunk to get at it easier, I noticed that it was leaking fluid pretty bad so not only am I sinking money with a mechanic but I'm out a jack! I could probably use a scissor jack but I was brought up to not trust them too much more than changing tires so I nixed that idea. Thing is I was talking to the guy and he thinks it might be the passkey after all. Let's just say I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this job in Vermont I have a phone interview for on tuesday that pays substantially better than my current job.

As the passkey/passlocks go... as I understand the difference it is that the 90s era Passkey 2s were using the resistors in the keys (the chips), where as later designs (I forget what version they are on uses a RF-ID system instead of measuring electrical currents, which in my ignorant opinion I would thing would be more accurate over time.