QuestionSir i have a strange problem in my caddy, few weeks ago i replaced my car old battery with a new one. Every thing went fine but suddenly after 2 days my car car wont start, i though it might be battery fault, i did check for the battery and charging system. All was good. so i decided to visit local workshop. after checking the mechanic said thee is a problem with the car key and i have must replace it with new one from a Dealer Or locksmith.
The key I have is the VALET key since the seller provided me only pk3 Key. Now if i insert this key ON only the dashboard lights turn on with the security indicator blinking continuously.
In the mean while the mechanic made the car start by attaching a wire one side of wire with starting relay inside the MainFuse box which is located under the hood and the other side of wire with any Ground. Now I start my car with the key in "ON" position and open the hood and attached the wire with any ground so the car is started.
please help me to diagnose the main problem.
AnswerHello,
Your car came new with three keys. 2 masters an one valet. The valet is stupid because it is designed only to operate the driver's door and the ignition, however, once you can put the ignition in the ON position, you can press the trunk release button and open the trunk.
With all that said, there are three working keys when purchased.
However to do owner programming, the 2 master keys are required. The process requires to insert the first master key and turn ignition to on, Turn off, insert the other master ignition key, turn to on, turn off, then insert he new key and turn on. The new key is programmed.
The two masters have to be used for this programming to work and the use of one key or the valet key will not allow owner programming.
Since you only have the valet key, the only way keys can be programmed are by use of an electronic programming machine plugged into the on boar diagnostic port under the driver'side dash. The factory programmer is known as a Tech II that dealers use and there are after market versions such as the T code as well as the T code knock offs that run as little as $350.00 available to anyone on the internet that has the cash to buy them. The T code is thousands of dollars and can only program keys for GMs, and the T code is thousands, but can program many makes an models. The knock off T code as state is $350.00 and like the T code will program keys for GM, Fords, Toyotas, Hondas, Nissans and many other makes, models and years of vehicles. The ideal tool for a thief that wants to make their own keys for vehicles on these so called anti theft systems that don't stop theft as their inferrence implies.
Insurance companies these days when dealing with a reported theft claim will use this fact to spur an investigation on an insured prompting the eventual denial of the theft claim, every day in every city by almost every insurance company in the US and Canada. This also occurs in the UK, Europe and Australia. Because of this situation, it is literally a pandemic!
These systems were never designe to be anti theft or to immobilize the vehicle. Even your mechanic was are of a way to go aound the GM PKIII transponder system, although primitive, the process did what neeed to be one. I defeated the "Impossible-unstealable" Ford Securilock-A/K/A PATS (Passive Anti Theft System) with the use of one strategically placed wire. Everyone including dealers and locksmiths concluded impossible, but I did it just by reviewing the For wiring schematics in a service manual.
Let's start with the fraud factor, which has many different legs and its so deep I can only beginning to touch the tip of the iceberg. In fact, I am only putting a scratch to this iceberg. All to deceive the consumer either because of blatant dishonesty, or just blatant incompetence on those representing the insurance industry. At any rate, it's the consumer that looses.
In your case, if in fact the problem is the key, you have only 2 places you can go to fix your car. The locksmith or the dealer, the locksmith being the cheapest. GM, Ford, Chrysler o not make locks and keys and the dealer serves as a middleman. The factory gets the locks and keys from the same place the locksmith does and that is Strattec of Milwaukee.
In the event this is a PK III transponder anti theft system, the consumer is left to the mercy of the dealer to get the system repaired.
I wonder why it is assumed the key is your problem. There are many things in the transponder system that can be at issue. Factory keys rarely fail.
Now, I will address the story about these `anti theft systems:
The insurance industry yields a tremendous amount of power. In the 80's there was`a new standardization of security. Thatchem of Thatchem, England began setting the security standards for vehicles in the UK an Europe. The new standard was 300 seconds to beat the factory security, or the vehicle could not be insured. This standard did not reach the US and Canada had their own company setting security standards if the vehicle was capable of being insured. Such was the beginning of these so-called anti theft systems.
All of this testing was subjected and went by everything these standard setting organizations could think of.
The very first very low tech electric/electronic system introduced was by GM for the Corvette in 1986. Some called the visible chip in the ignition key a computer chip, but the truth was that it was merely a resistor. The system was known as VATS (Vehicle Anti Theft System). The reason for it's usage was because the GM locking Saginaw steering column was a joke for security. This steering column was virtually the same design from 1969 to 1999 on many makes and models. The locking mechanisms could be defeated breaking the left side of the steering column (completely opposite side of ignition lock, doing no damage to the ignition lock)in 30 seconds by a teenager with a screwdriver.
At the time, replacement components could only be purchased by GM until the Chicomms stared manufacturing them in the nineties.
VATS prevented starting of the engine for about a year or two and after that thieves had gotten past it.
There was also a demand for after market options like remote start. The after market companies made a package called "VATS Bypass."
BMW came out with the first "immobilizer" anti theft system around 1994. While GM was using VATS, they had two other anti theft systems going in the 90's depending on the model and they were PASS LOCK (Junk) relying on no special ignition key, and the only parameter was the rotation of the ineffective ignition lock. The third was the PK III transponder system. Ford started using the Securilock (PATS) transponder system in 1996 on the Cobra and in 1997 on many more makes and models. Chrysler went transponder in 1999- SKIM (Sentry Key immobilizer module) and Hondas, Nissans etc followed suit.
Not one of these systems was ever designed to prevent theft! Even though they were referred to as Anti Theft. The big lie from the manufacturers! These systems were used as the Holy Grail to deny insurance claims however as they are today!
At best, these systems were anti owner, if the owner lost the key or if there was a problem with the system, stranding the owner!
The next issue----The insurance companies and their auto theft investigation playbook as it relates to a theft claim--
The deliberate misguided ruse is that to start the engine, the downer inserts a key into the ignition lock and starts the engine. Since this is the assumed method and since their is an ignition key electronically programmed for the engine to start, the experts would be locksmiths that make keys and service locks as the experts on theft.
The insurance company will use this theme-They will defend the insureds to the limits because hat is their fiduciary responsibility. However they want to get what they refer to as an independent evaluation on the vehicle to determine if the ignition lock was tampered with. Using this vendor, they will find that everyt time that there was no damage to the ignition and that the ignition was last operated with a key of the proper type inferring the insureds key. Not until recently, did the insured have the opportunity to get a second opinion during the investigation, not just on the internal condition of the ignition lock, but to determine how the vehicle was last operated. We are throwing a big monkey wrench into the insurance company's predetermined investigations, before it turns into a legal case. They are not liking it either! We are empowering the insured!!!
See, with the forensic locksmith report accusing the insured, the insurance company will say: "We wanted to pay the claim, but can't because our independent expert has found some discrepancies. Since that happened, we were forced to look deeper into your financial situation, and see other problems as well as some of the statements you made.
Now, this could be a legitimate theft claim, but all the insurance company needs to do in the investigation is use innuendo, assumption, speculation as fact, making it appear as though the insured misrepresented the claim. All this because you have a factory anti theft system (fraud), that is determined not defeated by the forensic locksmith not to have been defeated, not by fact, but by assumption (fraud) in an insurance fraud investigation, which makes the investigation fraudulent, just so the insurance company does not have to honor the theft claim.
I will state that MSNBC in their series "Crime Inc." in August of 2012, will demonstrate just how easy it is to steal vehicles with anti theft systems, revealing that these independent forensic locksmith opinions inferring the insured's key being the last used to be deceptive and fraudulent.
Currently, if your car has been stolen and the insurance company is doing an investigation, don't be foolish and seal your fate for years hiring an attorney that knows nothing about the SIU.
You need a consultant an a second opinion on the vehicle. They will keep your keys, ignition and vehicle. If you are current on your payments, this is your property. Demand it and have us do a second opinion before you are scheduled for an examination under oath!
People under these investigations think they are the only ones going through this. To give you an idea of what a pandemic this is-we average 5-10 inquiries from insureds all across the US and Canada a day! This does not count the cases that are going before a court.
If you have a stolen vehicle with an anti theft system under an insurance investigation and you had nothing to do with the theft, you are being set up for denial, and you need to contact A&R Forensic Auto Lab LLC at 903-662-7920 immediately! We have 20 years in the insurance investigation process and we are successful in refuting these forensic locksmiths. You are not alone!
