I'm not sure if I did something wrong, or what to do from here.

Due to the "starting disabled" issues on my 1995 Cadillac Seville I read the VATS guide on the internet and here, determined key pellet was worn and not making contact and began the following procedures.

1. Called a locksmith and got another key made. He said it was a VAT#8. The car started ok for about a day, but the security light stayed on the entire time. The next day security light went off, but then the car refused to start with new key and the "starting disabled message" would come on as soon as putting in the new key. It would still start from time to time with the orignal key.

2. I believed this was due to an issue in the ignition cylinder, so I order resistors to match VAT8 and try to do the bypass trick. Cut the wires and attempted to install resistors. No go. Took the pellet off the original key and place it between the wires and it started every time.....for about a day.

3. So clearly, locksmith got the wrong VAT# and I went and checked it myself with a voltmeter and at a dealer. It was a 9 not an 8. Called him back and also picked up a 3kohm resistor to bypass. Got the new key with the right vat from the locksmith and also attempted to install the new correct resistor.

No more "starting disabled" message. But now it will absolutely not start. I've also determined that the ignition cylinder can't be the problem because every time I left the wires cut and unconnected I immediately get the "starting disabled" message when putting the key in. Same thing happened when using the wrong key or wrong resistor. Whenever I have the wires connected and using the correct key, or whenever I have the correct resistors on the wires....that message does not come up. So that tells me the VATS module is getting a correct reading. But now it just refuses to crank.

In addition when puttin in the origal factory key...it will sometimes give me the "starting disabled message" as soon as I put the key in(something that only happened with the wrong key before and would only happen after a failed start with the original key) so I'm assuming I just wore out the pellet but there could be more to this. However, now even though I get the "remove ignition key" message I can never get it to say "wait 3 minutes". That always used to happen after failing to start and now it never does, SOMETHING changed. Even taking the pellet off the key and placing it on the wires doesn't work anymore(somethign that worked consistently before).

I followed another guide and though it could have been the starter enable relay. Found it in the driver side rocker channel, cut the two main leads and attempted to start the car with the correct VAT key as well as with no pellet in the key while hot wiring the leads.

No go, nothing. It just doesn't crank. I have no idea where to from here and the true bypass VATS procedure looks complicated. Biggest problem being with me actually being able to locate and identify the required wires, like the ECM harness, etc.

What could the problem be now, or what could have I messed up when under there? Please advise. The reason I am hesistant to chalk it up to the VATS module is because I spent an entire day cranking by placing the key pellet of the original key on the wires and there was no indication that the VATS module was going bad. It was cranking religiously...and then later that night it just stopped. Could I have fried it by messign with the wires or is there some other possible and likely accidental misshape I could have done while being under the dash?

Is there something else I can check before chalking it to the VATS module?

 

does the car have autostart or any aftermarket parts added

 

No it does not. I had a friend come over this past weekend as well and help me try to determine the issue and still no luck. Couldn't even get to the starter to try to start it by running a wire from the battery because of its location.

The only thing I did notice is after bypassing the start enable relay, the next day I put it back the way it was. When starting I could hear it click but the car still would not start. It was the first time I noticed the click. I didn't noticed it prior to me messing with it, before I cut the wires. I used electrical tape to put the wires back together and at first I thought maybe it was shorting out because of that so I took it back apart to check the wires but everything seemed fine.

I later believed it was a sign that it was working right and put it together once again. This time it would not click. So I came to the conclusion that there was something going on there, since sometimes it would click and other times it would not. Perhaps the two smaller wires were shorting out but either way, me hot wiring it should have started the car if the relay was the only issue.

I finally gave up and plan to tow it to an electrical mechanic tomorrow who told me has experience with VATS and has done bypasses before. It could be something as small as an unplugged wire that I may have accidentally knocked loose, or as major as the VATS module itself. It could be the neutral safety switch, the relay or even the starter itself, but without actually being able to hot wire the starter and checking to see if VATS would allow it to start, there is just no way for me to tell.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time. Hopefully this guy knows what he's doing.

 

u can ht wire the starter without lifting the intake wire come out big thick red oneand a purple one right in the engine compartment

 

Figure I should come back and post an update here. It turned out it was actually the starter and the VATS module was ok. Ended up taking it to a mechanic and for $500 he replaced the starter for me and put back some of the wiring. The start enable relay was ok as was the neutral safety switch.

He told me he checked the starter by running a hot wire directly to the purple wire from the start enable relay, and realized it had to be the starter. He was right. Car stars like clockwork now, and also using two 1.5k(total 3k) resistors from Radioshack to bypass the ignition key.