98 buick lesabre not starting


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Old 02-26-07, 03:30 PM
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Unhappy 98 buick lesabre not starting

Hey guys, need some help this Buick has me stumped. When you turn the key nothing happens. The headlights don't dim but the instrument panel light go out until you let off the key. I'm getting 12V at the starter solenoid from the battery but none from the ignition on the S terminal. When the key is turned to the run position you can hear the fuel pump come on but when I ran a jumper from the battery to the S terminal on the starter and the car cranked it will only run for about 5 seconds and it runs out of fuel. I pulled it apart today and one of the two wires in the ignition lock switch was broken so I replaced the switch only to get the same results. I have a Haynes manual but the wiring schematics don't seem to match the wiring on the car. The original key looks like it has a chip on it but the one I got from Advance doesn't but the wiring was the same. Should this matter? Also when I unplug the neutral safety switch and ground the yellow wire the ignition will start the car but it runs out of fuel again. Could it be the ignition starter switch? I will apreciate any help on this, Thanks
 
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Old 02-26-07, 04:28 PM
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The ignition itself or the key is the issue. If the factory key had the chip on there, the new one would need it also. This chip is a resistor. The ignition senses the resistor and allows you to start the motor.
 
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Old 02-26-07, 07:35 PM
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Thanks HotinOKC

You were right on the money about the key. This is my first time dealing with a key like that and to tell you the truth I never really thought about it until I replaced the ignition switch and it didn't work. Bought a resistor from Radio Shack and spliced it in, works like a charm. Next time I think I'll do a little more research before I open the tool box. Thanks for your help.
 
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Old 02-27-07, 12:53 PM
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Ok, after driving the car home I go out to start it today and I have the same problem. It won't turnover. Every time I try the security light starts flashing. The resistor in the original key read 1870 ohms. The jumper I made with resistors reads 1870 ohms but the car is not recognizing the reading. Does anyone know how to disable the VATS on this car or even know where it is or looks like? The reason I'm not just taking this car to the dealer to have the key taken care of is because the car belongs to my father-n-law who is on a fixed income and can't afford it, besides doing that would be like giving up. Thanks in advance for your input.
 
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Old 02-27-07, 11:30 PM
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Originally Posted by I'mcold
Ok, after driving the car home I go out to start it today and I have the same problem. It won't turnover. Every time I try the security light starts flashing. The resistor in the original key read 1870 ohms. The jumper I made with resistors reads 1870 ohms but the car is not recognizing the reading. Does anyone know how to disable the VATS on this car or even know where it is or looks like? The reason I'm not just taking this car to the dealer to have the key taken care of is because the car belongs to my father-n-law who is on a fixed income and can't afford it, besides doing that would be like giving up. Thanks in advance for your input.
you might need to get a compete key and ign.
i have heard of the E.C.U having the same problems but try the ign first.
 
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Old 02-28-07, 04:49 PM
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Vats system is working if car is shutting off. This vehicle anti-theft was installed that without the right resistance chip in the key the fuel pump would disable within 30 seconds.

If you have the original switch yet I would reinstall that one. The two wires from switch can be reattached to the wiring harness by using shrink wrap tubes. If the wires on the ignition switch themselves are cut too short you can remove just the black cap from the ignition switch and resoldier new wires.

Hope it helps
 
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Old 03-04-07, 05:51 PM
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Thumbs up

Finally had a chance to work on the car today and found the problem. It was the ignition starter switch. Aparently the resistance wire going to the key lock cylinder had broken earlier and had nothing to do with the starting problem. When I pulled the steering wheel to check things out the first time and saw the broken wire I just assumed that was the problem. After doing some research on the VATS system I found out that if the car is running when the VATS module gets a wrong resistance reading from the key ( such as if a wire breaks ) it will disable itself. The real problem I had was that some of the peices inside the ignition starter switch, the box that is bolted to the top of the steering column, were loose and moving freely inside the box causing an intermitent starting problem, which until now I didn't realize was intermitent. I thought that by bypassing the VATS I had fixed the problem but I was wrong. By the way anyone who has a problem with the VATS and don't want to pay a ton of money at the dealership getting it fixed the bypass does work. The resistor cost me 99 cents at Radio Shack.
 
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Old 03-05-07, 05:05 AM
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Glad you found the problem!

Just an FYI for your father-in-law. Now that you have the resistance chip wired in if he ever needs duplicate keys for the ignition he can get a standard key made without the chip. Saves $20 for his pocket.
 
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Old 03-05-07, 05:31 AM
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Smile

Thanks for the help im3rd001.
 
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Old 12-26-11, 07:04 PM
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Vehicle is starting without installing a secondary resistor...

My 98 LeSabre had, what appears to be, the same problem. I peeled back the cover from the orange wire which comes out of the steering rack. The orange wire contains the two white wires that run to either side of the ignition key cylinder. I cut one of the white wires(only one of them). I shaved back the cover from both white wires to expose the copper wires. Then I used a second ignition key with the factory diode in it and placed it between the two wires prior to the spot where I cut one of those white wires. I used my fingers to press the exposed copper wire to either side of the diode in the key and at the same time used the other ignition key in the ignition switch. I turned the ignition and the engine started. The engine continued to run after removing the key I was using as the alternative resistor. Here is my question: I have driven the car. Shut it off and turned it back on many times and I have not had any issues. It is starting every time without installing a permanent resistor. I did not reconnect the one white wire which I had cut. The only thing that is noticeable is that the security light now stays on all the time when the engine is running. But I would have anticipated that anyway. Have I somehow bypassed the PASS Key completely so that the security module is no longer even attempting to complete a key/diode resistance check?
 
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Old 01-03-12, 04:34 AM
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My buick did this just after I changed the oil. The security light was on. I washed the key (with a chip) with a tooth brush and dish soap and problem solved.
 
 

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