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Security light flashes-Grand Am GT won't start

Marcia Thornley

15 years ago

I am having a very annoying problem. The security light on my Pontiac Grand AM GT 2003 is on. When I start the car it does not go off as it should. On occasion it will flash. When it does this on starting the car will not start. If I leave it ON and flashing for 11 minutes then it stops flashing and the car will start. I only know to wait the 11 minutes because I called the auto club when the car wouldn't start the first time it happened. Luckily I got a guy who knew what to do. Otherwise I would have it towed!

Does anyone know what the problem may be? I will have to take it in, but I'd like some idea before I do.

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Comments (2)

jemdandy
15 years ago
I don't know about your Pontiac, but I do know about my wife's '97 Saturn. These are both GM products, so maybe there is a similarity in their theft deterrent systems.

For our Saturn, if you lock the car with the remote key fob, this arms the security system and to disarm it, you must also unlock the car with the key fob. If, instead, you insert the key into the lock and unlock manually, it will activate the security system, and then, you must wait the time-out period before the car will start. The time-out period can be up to 30 minutes.

So, the drill is: if you lock with the key fob, you must unlock with the key fob.

Does this fit your situation?
Marcia Thornley
Original Author
15 years ago
They replaced the ignition cylinder. The part was $275.00. Luckily I have an extended warranty that covered it. It would have been about $400 total.
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