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Anti-theft system reset?

Tiny
TEIGHLOR LOVE
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
  • 200,000 MILES
I had to replace my ignition because I lost my only key. Finally put in the new ignition and the car turns on and runs fine. But the anti-theft light stays on solid now. How do I reset the system to accept the new ignition/key to get the theft system light off?
Desperate for help.
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Monday, April 1st, 2019 AT 2:11 PM

41 Replies

Tiny
JOETECHPRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 705 POSTS
Hey TEIGHLOR LOVE,

Please see the information attached as to relearn the passlock system.

Did you replace the electrical part of the ignition switch or the key and lock cylinder?

If following the instructions below you may need to attach a battery charger as the ignition has to be left on which may drain the battery during the process.

This guide can help as well

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-reset-a-security-system

Hope that helps

Regards, Joe
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Monday, April 1st, 2019 AT 5:04 PM
Tiny
TEIGHLOR LOVE
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I replaced the key and lock cylinder that has the little black cord with one white cord coming out of it.
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Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019 AT 9:41 AM
Tiny
TEIGHLOR LOVE
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
I thank you for your help by the way! I will try the thirty minute relearn process when I am off of work. And will respond with an update.
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Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019 AT 9:45 AM
Tiny
TEIGHLOR LOVE
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Also, I had someone tell me that I could disconnect my battery and touch the two terminals together. Wait a few seconds and reconnect the battery. Is this an effective approach?
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Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019 AT 9:46 AM
Tiny
JOETECHPRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 705 POSTS
Hey TEIGHLOR LOVE,

I have not tried the battery reset approach to resetting the PASSLOCK system.
A battery reset may work, you need to be careful not to short anything during the process.
The thirty minute relearn process is the safer way to go.

If you try the thirty minute relearn and it doesn't work I can run you through how to do a battery reset.

It looks like the part you replaced included the PASSLOCK sensor so the relearn should work to get rid of the light.

Let me know how it goes.

Regards, Joe
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Tuesday, April 2nd, 2019 AT 10:17 AM
Tiny
TEIGHLOR LOVE
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Still no luck, the light never went out during the entire process! :(
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 8:52 AM
Tiny
TEIGHLOR LOVE
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Fixed it! I put the new key tumblr in the old key cylinder and sensor. Light is gone now!
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 9:14 AM
Tiny
JOETECHPRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 705 POSTS
Hey Teighlor Love,

That'll do it!

Unfortunate that you couldn't get the new PASSLOCK sensor to code to the system.

It should have worked unless the sensor in the new part you had is not correct for the vehicle.

Glad you have it all sorted. Great work!

Regards, Joe
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 11:15 AM
Tiny
TEIGHLOR LOVE
  • MEMBER
  • 10 POSTS
Thankyou for your time! Much appreciated
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 12:02 PM
Tiny
JOETECHPRO
  • MECHANIC
  • 705 POSTS
Hey Teighlor Love,

No problem, thank you for using 2CarPros.

All the best, Joe
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Thursday, April 4th, 2019 AT 1:31 PM
Tiny
DIAMONDROSE
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
  • 2001 CHEVROLET CAVALIER
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 150,000 MILES
I replaced the engine with the same engine. It started right away. Ran fair. Shut it off, tightened exhaust and hooked up a wire and vacuum hose I had for gotten. Went to start it. It turns over but will not start. I have a solid light in the instrument panel on the dash, that will not go out. I tried the 10 minutes in the on position, the off for a few seconds, I did this three times. The light never did go out at any time. How do I get this thing to reset? The light says "Theft System".
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,758 POSTS
When you tried the 10 minute trick, did you wait until the light went off? It could take a bit longer than ten minutes? Has anything been changed as far as the key, steering column, or anything other than the engine?

One other thought, do you have a spare key you could try, and which wire and hose was missed that you installed before this happened?

Joe
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,480 POSTS
Try disconnecting the battery for about a minute and then see what it does when you reconnect it. If the light is still on solid there is a failure in the PASS system, to find it you will need a scan tool that can communicate with the power-train and security modules to see what the system sees as a problem. It's possible that the PASS lock system failed just as you were done or it could be a pinched wire or missed ground.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DIAMONDROSE
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
So there is no way around the PASS system other than taking it to a Chevrolet dealer?I do not have a good code reader.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DIAMONDROSE
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Just the engine.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,480 POSTS
The system is part of the car, there is no way around it that will actually work. The engine swap wouldn't have triggered it. The system reads a signal from the key cylinder, compares it to the known good ones programmed into the power-train module through the body control module. A pinched wire or a short could cause it which is why I would start looking at the engine compartment for wiring issues first. The reason for the better scan tool would be that the PASS system can usually show if it's something like a short, a loss of signal, bad key.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DIAMONDROSE
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Checked fuses. Fuel pump/injector fuse blown. Found wire pinched inside of harness to cylinder #2. Fixed wire. Engine starts. Turn it off and Theft System light, odometer stays lit, and engine symbol stays lit. Also under the hood, the fuel pump relay buzzes. Turn the key back to on and then off, the buzzing stops, but the lights, still stay lit. With the key off, there is a ticking sound, that sounds like it is coming from behind the instrument panel. Turn the key to the on position, without starting the car, and the ticking stops.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DIAMONDROSE
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Also, starting the engine, shutting it off, then turning it back to the on position and then back off. Sometimes all the lights go off on the instrument panel, but the ticking behind the instrument panel continues until you turn the key back to the on spot. Could the short in the fuel system be back by the tank? Also, not to forget, When you take the negative cable off the battery, the theft system, locks itself. The small red light, not in the instrument panel will be flashing. The engine will not turn over. Cycle the door locks several times with the fob, push the option key on the fob, and the engine will turn over and start. Again, the lights and fuel pump relay do there bull crap. Any more ideas?
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DIAMONDROSE
  • MEMBER
  • 16 POSTS
Could there be a short under the dash, that became a new problem with this car?
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,480 POSTS
I would check a few more harnesses, It's possible that the wires got hot before the fuse blew. The symptoms sound like the PCM has an issue, so I would check it's wiring real close. The engine you put in was the same year, model and all correct? Just wondering if there is a harness fault from a wrong or shorted sensor that is sending power down a signal line or similar. That can cause multiple issues.
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Thursday, July 1st, 2021 AT 10:23 AM (Merged)

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