security theft system light

[2000bonnieSSEi]

I start my car and twice now the security light stays on on my gauges and the security theft system alarm shows up on my display. it doesn't effect my driving or anything but I just don't understand why it would be happening. is this a serious problem? can it be fixed? im just looking for suggestions here.

[MrJiggy716]

Hows your battery and or the connections to your battery. Before I replaced my battery it was old weak on its way out and sometimes the same thing would happen. Id check the connections to make sure they are tight and the battery is working properly. Not saying that's whats causing your problem but worth a quick look....

[Archon]

It's also one of those things that starts to appear occasionally as the weather gets colder. If it only happens rarely, I wouldn't worry about it.

[spoiledred94]

My "security" light comes on at odd times too. Not very often though and the car alarm has worked every time I've checked it.

[2000bonnieSSEi]

thanks! also why does my radio screen say calibrate when I start my car? and it doesn't stay on when I shut it off as well and it should

[MurderMitten]

Bump, not stealing this old thread but I have the same problem. Light is on sometimes. Sometimes i can turn it off and restart the car and itll be off. Sometimes when I open the door the radio stays on and i turn the key to ACC then to off and it shuts off. Maybe a connetion in the door? Sort of bothers me driving with bright yellow lights on!!

[2000Buick]

I have the same problem with my 2000 Buick Le Sabre here in Colorado. When car interior is cold light stays on, after the car interior warms up the light will go out the next time it is started. This worries my wife as she is afraid of being stranded when it is cold out because the car may not start. Searched the forums for a solution but only found that it is temp related which I already knew. Any chance this problem would cause the car to not start on a cold day? This has been occurring for about a year now, I replaced the cars battery last July.

[Archon]

It has not been reported that this particular problem has caused a no start condition. It's just one of the gremlins that comes out to play when the weather gets colder.

[2000Buick]

Thanks Archon for the info, I'll tell the wife. Hope this helps her relax.

[xcbullet]

If it doesn't start usely waiting 15 minutes then it will. Could be along time before it gets this bad, but just to let her know that this is what usely can be done. 99 grand am did this for a while before I did a disable to it. Pretty sure it's the same TDS.

[flatlander745]

Yep, my 2000 does it on first morning start when it is <30 F outside. Weird.

[spoiledred94]

can the heated seat filament be causing a drain or shorting? The filaments in these cars are supposed to have problems.

Batteries dont hold a charge as well when they are cold, ok. So it is tough on the batt and you get no start. The filament warms up and shuts off. the now heated battery is flowing and you get a start?

[2000bonnieSSEi]

My heated seats don't work anymore

[Ramcharger310]

I don't have heated seats and I get it every now and then recently. Of course it is winter.

[Archon]

The heated seats have nothing to do with it. Cars with and without heated seats will have the problem when the weather gets colder.

[jtcahill]

I have a 2000 SE Bonneville and I have a similar issue. Last evening the "Security" light was on solid. Later in the evening I attempted to start the car and all the lights would come on but the engine would not crank. I made several attempts and after shifting the car to some other setting and back into Park the car started right up and the "Security" light went off. We have had this happen several times an its concerning. The ignition key and switch seems to be fine. Does anyone know if the Security system can be de-energized/bypassed or deactivated. I have no concern about anyone stealing this car. My only concern is being stranded.

[Archon]

The problems mentioned in this thread deals with intermittent problems with the content theft system. Yours is with the vehicle theft system. There were several hits that came back on a Google search on bypassing the passkey 3 system. I can't vouch for any, as I haven't used any of them. Nor, do I recall anyone on the forum reporting that they have done it. Some have "bypassed" the system for a remote start, but that often still uses most of the system, just hiding a transponder somewhere under the dash. Perhaps, something like that might fix your problem, depending on where the problem is in your system.

[phil0054]

I see it's been a year since the last post, and I've read every post I could find with relevant symptoms and car year. But I've noticed some minor differences. I will look more closely for the indicator lamp, but I'm pretty sure all I get for a warning is the 'service theft system' on the DIC. Several times this week, whether it was below zero or like today, about 30F, I put in the key, turned it to run, all systems go, then turn to run and everything shuts off except the lights. The battery is 2 months old, connections are like new. At first I was not seeing the DIC warning so I thought it might be a starter relay. I'm pretty sure it was coincidence that the car started on the first attempt after I pulled the start circuit breaker and replaced it. After that, I had several more attempts at various parking lots where the car wouldn't crank (but it did sound like the fuel pump was engaging, which is different from the air pump in the trunk). I will have to figure out if I have more than one problem. It seems logical that if the start relay is out, that the fuel will still prime. And it seems that if it's a fail enable for the ign switch, then it should still crank and the fuel will prime. Hmm, not the best timing for sure...

Thank you for your thoughts. I want to keep this car going for a lot more years. Odd thing is, I make my last payment for the car loan in two weeks....

Still dreaming of the Whipple SC kit....long discontinued, but I bet there's one out there somewhere.

On the 10 minute re-learn cycle, rather than being stuck in the car for half an hour, leave the DS window down and go through the cycles?

[Archon]

You're likely going to need to have the car scanned in order to see what code is being set when you get the warning. I think that it will be a body (B code), which most standard code readers won't see. If you feel that it may be a relay, trying swapping one if from another spot, with a relay that has the same part number.

You can do the relearn from outside of the car, through the window. I'd suggest to put a charger on the battery while you are doing the relearn.

[phil0054]

Thank you Archon

I'll have to do that next. I've since found that if I quickly cycle from off to start it will respond, if not on the first cycle then by the third or fourth cycle. I know this is only a temporary situation, so the scanner is next before I really wear out the ignition switch or cause damage to other electronic components. I can try the relay swap, but after thinking about it, I don't have a reliable no start situation, so I'd have to swap relays and leave them swapped to see if anything else fails or if the no start happens again. Otherwise it could be the nefarious 'plastic particles' in the switch itself that is causing the no start even when the fuel pump primes.