Ok I have my 1990 Camaro RS 3.1L V6. I dont know if anyone has ever had the problem but I have heard its quite common with Chevy's, The VATS system (Vehicle Anti-Theft System) Resistor on the key, relays to code box - code box sends to ECM if correct - ECM allows injectors to fire- Start the car! ....so one day I was driving stopped for gas, go to fire up... nothing...SECURITY light pops up on my HUD ( Heads-Up Display).. wait for a few minutes starts up all good ...now this kept happening more. And more and more and every time it happened time varied before it started up again until I finally got sick of waiting and feeling like a fool in parking lots ect, and took it to my mechanic, tells me he’s dealt with this on Camaro’s before and simply finds that a ground/replay wasn’t responding to the box so he re-wired something’s and Problem solved ...or until a few months and it happens again.. called my mechanic to give him a heads up said it would happen every now and then and was true until my water pump blew, replaced it. Now I knew my battery was going bad and wanted to check it and my alt. to make sure it was still good so after replacing my water pump and having to jump my battery I headed to AdvanceAP. Well as the guy went to check it doesn’t start and the infamous SECURITY light pops up again and I wait.. and wait. And wait until 2 hours pass and im like WTF! So I tow it out to the mechanic and he has had it ever since... going on about a month or 2 now.... turns out it was the pass key code box...found what he thought it was PER-Chevy dealership helping him and it was the wrong box....well come to find out with dash console ripped out and disassembled THERE IS NO PASS KEY CODE BOX INSIDE THE CAR!!!!!! When the Chevy dealership pulled the specific model from my VIN # and said there should be one and there is not! Now my question is has this ever happened to anyone else and your thoughts on this? As well as how in the world could the VATS system been working without a box until now?? We found the wire were it was suppose to be hooked up but no box! This has been my utmost frustrating situation EVER! I want my Camaro Back Already lol!

 

really no ones ever had this problem! lucky! lol

 

Funky, if you do not have a pass key box in there, something has been sending the proper signal to the ECM. In many cases, this can be the VATS bypass box (70 bucks or so on ebay).

I recently had to get one installed on my IROC and while I still get a security light here and there since the chip in the key is getting worn, it starts and works fine just the light sometimes comes on.

My suggestion would be to check for one of those. An alternative option is if you have the time or the ability to reprogram your PROM you can disable VATS. It's a simple change within it. They also sell adapters for your PROM that are annoyingly expensive to do the same. (price is around the same as all the equipment to burn proms, so no point in my opinion of buying them vs making your own PROM.)

-bez

 

Thanks for the info! and what exactly is a PROM,Stand for, and do ? Also where can i get the info on how to reprogram/ repair it -Thanks Again -Aaron

 

The PROM is the chip that plugs into the ECM. It's the actual part that contains all the data for your car. Also, does it crank at all? Because there's two parts to VATS. One is the ECM controlling the injectors, the other is the starter. If they bypassed the VATS on the ECM but left the starter hooked up it will still fail to crank (I believe at least. Not 100% sure on this.)

More details can be found at http://www.thirdgen.org/vats_passkey_system

 

yeah still cranks but wont fire