Pontiac Repair: ignition/security light, pontiac grand prix, pontiac grand prix gt

Question
QUESTION: hi i recently got my ignition tumbler changed.  now the security light flashes/stays on.  the car does start but i am worried that i may get stuck somewhere if the security was to turn my gas off.  thankyou.

ANSWER: Hi Cheryl:

what model car is this? It sounds like the ignition lock housing which is the part that the lock cylinder "part that the tumblers are in" is bad on this car. There is a sensor in that housing and it goes bad and the secuirty system will start flashing like you said. One of these times it WILL strand you. get it looked at. It could be other things but the weak link in that system is the lock cylinder housing. Depending on the year and model of the car there could be other issues. good luck :)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi i sorry if forgot to tell u it is a 2003 pontiac grand prix gt 3.8L.  the garage changed the tumbler and then found out it was a loose wire on the gear shift that prevent the key for going to the off position, so they just left the old tumbler in.  i took it in because i could not turn the ignition all the way off and i ended up pulling the key out and also the electrical would stay on.  the securtiy light stays on but it does not flash now.  do u think i should get them to put the old tumbler back in or is there a code to put in to stop it.  i live in a very small town and they were not sure about the securtiy light!!!  thanks again.

Answer
This is not an issue with the tumblers. Now that I know what type of car it is Sort of disreguard what I metioned before This car has a slightly different security system. The has an imobiler system in it maning that there is a chip in the head of the key and there is a sensor that goes around the key cylinder. That sensor reads the chip in the key and then the car will start. More than likley the sensor that is in the steering column is bad and it's not reading the key correctly. Does the secuirty lamp come on if you use your other key? If so That sensor and or module is more than likely bad. If it only does it with the 1 key then the key is bad. No did that sensor go bad because they aere in there playing awound with the key cylinder and tumblers????? Your guess is as good as mine. The system in this car is more complex they what I was mentioning in the first reply but it has less pieces to go bad in the system. Good luck :)