electrical problem
8.0
pretty badTypical Repair Cost:
$285.00
Average Mileage:
89,573 miles
Number of complaints:
15 complaints
Most common solutions:
- not sure (12 reports)
- just bypass the pass lock (3 reports)
Helpful Websites About 2000 Pontiac Grand Am security light blinks and car won't start
2008Sep 05
Grand Am SE 2.4L I4
- Automatic transmission
- 93,000 miles
Well after owning this car for almost 2 years now I was on my way to work, only to find that my car wouldn't start. It turned over as if it wanted to start up, but it never prevailed. At first I really had no idea. After calling my workplace and explaining the problem and why I wasn't there, I figured I'd spend a little time researching any possible solutions I could do on my own before breaking down and bringing to a shop.
After a quick google search, it brought me to this website, with people experiencing the same problems I currently had. The security light was on which I have never seen before and thats what mainly caught my attention. After reading through a bit, I decided I would try, as everyone else has, to but the key into the 'ON' position for roughly 10minutes. After about 10minutes, I heard a few clicking noises coming from within the dash. Wasn't sure if that was my que because the security light was still on, but after that I turned the key back to the initial starting position then went ahead and tried starting it. It started right up, thank goodness.
I fear that after reading all these complaints occurring with GM's Passlock system that this is only going to be a temporary fix to what sounds like a potentially escalating problem that will pop its head up in the future. I'm not about to let myself be screwed over (sorry for the language) for cost and repairs that from what I gather do absolutely nothing to solve the problem. Replacing a defective part for and equally defective part is not a solution.
Bottom Line: Don't buy this car, or makes/models that have the same Passlock system.
2008Jul 22
Grand Am
- Automatic transmission
- 140,000 miles
I read this on another complaint and it works:) I have done 2 impalas and 1 grand am so far. each car had different ohm reading, 558, 1284, and 3250. you can twist resistors in series also to add like 500+100=600 or put them side by side and get 400. good luck :) mt_ousley@hotmail.com
There are 3 wires (black, white and yellow) going to the passlock sensor, I cut the yellow and hook one end of my OHM meter to the yellow end coming from the cylinder and pierce the black wire with the other end for the OHM meter. At this point the car will still start but has the security light on and will not give me a constant reading so I put the car in reverse (won't start in reverse) and turn the key to the start position and hold it there. The meter slowly climbs to a steady .887K of resistance. I mention the slow climb cranked for about the same time it would take for the reading to settle. I do not know that much about resistors, normally if I need a resistor I just go to radio shack and find the one closest to my reading. The problem that I ran into is that they did not have anything that matched what I was looking for. So I buy an assortment of resistors for $12. There are literally hundreds in this bag. I plan on experimenting with resistors in series and twisting two together and such to get the correct resistance. I learn that by twisting two together you get roughly half the advertised resistance reading (some or many probably already know that but I did not). After testing numerous resistors with the meter I find one that reads 1.7??K, I twist two of those together and get a reading of .879K, close enough to the .887K a was looking for. So I strip some of the coating off of the black wire, not breaking it's connection to the cylinder. I hook one end of the resistors to the stripped section of black and the other end to the previously cut yellow wire (end going to the BCM this time, tape off end to cylinder). I solder these connections and tape everything. I did the reset of leaving the key on for ten minutes. Now with new key and cylinder it starts immediately and there are no security lights and I don't think there ever will be on this one anymore.
2008Aug 06
Grand Am SE 2 2.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 129,000 miles
This is not the first time I have a problem with this car, It gave me so many problems before, from the window switch,the AC, the fan relay, the Honk, the Alarm, the window regulator and now the security BS that General Motors come up with.
today, this car left me stranded in the parking lot of walmart, and would not stop, the security light is blinking, and I waited the 20 minutes interval without any luck.
I made my decision folks this is the last US made Car I will ever buy, new or used, I am going to fix this crap and sell it.
Car makers are trying their best to satisfy the customer and General Motors is trying their best to Piss the Customers OFF, with some BS security that the owner can not disable.
Good Luck GM I'm out, will find me a Honda next month and will buy it no matter how expensive it is.
2006May 16
Grand Am GT V6
- Automatic transmission
- 110,365 miles
I bought my Pontiac 3 years ago and had no problems with it, then i took it to a wal-mart to get the oil changed, when i left to start my car the security light went off. I have heard so many people complaining about it and still no answers on how to fix it. As if that wasn't bad enough several months ago i went to try and start it all the gauges went crazy, trunk popped open, and car would not even crank. Since then my car has not started four times and most recently it started going crazy while the car is running i.e. lights flickering, stalling, open moonroof and speakers hum, etc.. If anyone can help me figure out how to fix this please email me Smerritt1@indstate.edu thanx
2008Jun 28
Grand Am GT 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 100,350 miles
i love my Pontiac grand am gt...i call her raven, cuz she's so black and shiny. it's the most fun car for me. good gas mileage, looks good, goes fast. but a month after i bought it, i had to have the radiator replaced. then after spending $1800 to have it replaced, the coolant started coming out of the car like crazy when i was stopped in traffic(especially in the summer)...like when the radiator cracked. well, the fans would start when i started the car then stop after only a few minutes. while sitting in traffic, the temp. gauge went almost to the point of totally over heating. as the traffic moved on, the gauge went down. i try not to be somewhere the traffic will be stopped for any length of time. was the fans not coming on the reason for the radiator to crack??? who else has had this problem?
1999May 07
Grand Am LX 3.2L
- Automatic transmission
- 60,000 miles
2000 Pontiac gran am have to wait 20 minutes to start again
2004Jan 20
(reported on)Grand Am
- 52,000 miles
light comes on when driving, causing problems, car won't start. what is wrong?!
2008Mar 14
Grand Am
- Automatic transmission
- 10,000 miles
Security keeps locking up and car will not start.Security light goes on while driving. Had to put key on ACC position wait 10-15 minutes, turn car off then on again before it would start.If pontiac knows of this problem then there should be a recall on these things. This happened several times - the first two times I had to call AAA and it was a waste of jumps.People are spending hard earned money for these cars and they have headaches because of this??? What happened to consumers rights - you buy a product and it should work fine??? is this a lemon law issue??? I had this car about 1 yr before this happened. The car I bought is used and was 2 years old when I purchased it. Is there a wire that needs to be cut in order to prevent this from happening? What legal action can be taken to resolve this issue?
2007May 06
(reported on)Grand Am LX 3.2
- Automatic transmission
- 100,000 miles
My car won't start and the security light comes on. I have to wait 10 minutes before trying to start it again. Sometimes it happens 3 times in a row and I end up being late for work! I had it inspected and had to pay $400 for different things, but none relating to the security locking problem. As for that, the mechanics said nothing was wrong!!! I'm so frustrated! Please give me advice, info, anything!!! dixiechic1@hotmail.com
2007Nov 09
Grand Am SE V6
- Automatic transmission
- 105,000 miles
I got my son a used 2000 Pontiac Grand AM SE and every once awhile he had trouble to start it. He said that the security light flashes when he can't start his car. I got the manual out and it states that if this happens this means a misfire has occurred and you must turn key off and wait about 10 seconds and turn the key back on and security light should be out and safe to restart the engine. I told my boy when he starts the engine to make sure he keeps turning the engine over and not to let off until engine fires, which you think this would be hard on the starter but he has not had a problem since then. Hope this fixes the problem.
2008Feb 21
Grand Am SE 2.4L
- Automatic transmission
- 144,000 miles
Same problem here with the security light and the car not starting. What a pain in the butt. Dealer tells me I have to have the car "re-initialized" (whatever that means). I am taking in on Monday cause he can't give me a cost until they "look" at the car. He also said I may have to replace the starter solenoid but they won't know until I drop it off. I'll update this complaint on monday!
Also heater blower doesn't work on 1, 2, or 3 (this is the second time it has blown). You have to use 4 or 5 and get blown away!
2008Jan 29
Grand Am GT 3.4L V6
- Automatic transmission
- 83,000 miles
About 2 months ago, my car's Security light would come on about twice a week. This was annoying, but I could deal with it since nothing else seemed to be wrong (it started just fine). The problem started happening less & less until about a week ago, the car wouldn't start. I finally got it started last night for the first time in 4 days! It seems to be running nicely now but I don't want this to happen again as I am a full-time college student & I cannot afford to spend a lot on getting it fixed and/or replacing the vehicle.
2007Aug 26
(reported on)Grand Am GT V^
- Automatic transmission
- 65,000 miles
2000 pontiac grand am security light goes on while driving, and stayes on until car is turned off. security light blinks when trying to start car. car will not start have to wait about ten minutes and try again.
2007Jan 24
(reported on)Grand Am
- Automatic transmission
- 45,000 miles
The Passlock "system" causes the security light to blink intermentally. When this occurs, the PassLock security system shuts off the fuel to the car and the car will not start for about 10 minutes. After about 10 minutes, it starts fine. I have had it in the shop twice and the issue has never been fixed. According to GM, the Passlock system can't be disconnected. A security system to prevent theft is great, but when that same security system prevents the owner of the vehicle from getting to work on time, it's a real pain.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
2008Sep 18
Grand Am SE 3.4L V6
I expereinced this problem for the first time @ 8:30 in the morning when I was leaving for work. Simple fix: Leave the key in the 'on' position for about 10 minutes until the security light stops flashing and turns off. Turn it to the 'off' position and then attempt to start the car.
This has worked both times that the car didn't start. FANTASTIC. This car has been nothing but trouble since I got it and this problem is just plain stupid. Many thousands of people have been affected, yet no recall. My questions are:
1. Who has 10 minutes a day to wait for their POS car to start?
2. Who the **** would want to steal a Grand Am anyways?!?
Anywho, apparently there is a way to disable the security system by getting the car started and then cutting a mysterious yellow wire. I'll have to look into it with my mechanic. Or BUY A TOYOYA.
Marc H.
Kingston, ON, Canada
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