The GM Passlock system was introduced by GM on the 1986 Corvette because the Corvette had become the number one target of car thieves. Corvette thefts dropped so impressively after VATS was implemented that GM expanded the system in 1988 to the Camaro, Firebird, and Cadillac Seville. Before long, VATS was standard equipment on all Cadillac vehicles and on many other Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, and Oldsmobile vehicles.
Problem can eventually occur and cause a situation where the vehicle will not start and the passlock needs to be disabled. There are a couple of ways to do this. The first is a GM procedure that takes a few steps:
Step 1: Attempt to start the vehicle. When it dies, leave the key in the run position.
Step 2: Leave the key in the run position for 10-12 minutes.
Step 3: Turn the key off and remove it from the ignition for 45 seconds.
Step 4: Attempt to start the vehicle and it should fire up. If it does not, repeat steps 1-3 up to 3 more times and it should start by the 4th attempt.
The second way to disable the GM passlock system is the easier, more efficient way. Contact us! We have the ability to disable the passlock within the PCM's software so that a no-start condition will stop occurring for good.
We offer a single-item passlock disable tune that will disable the security feature in the PCM. We just need the PCM from the vehicle mailed to us to be updated.
If you'd like to speak with us more about this solution or proceed with a tune, please visit our Tuning Services page or our Contact Us page. Additionally, our frequently asked questions page has answers to many common GM and tuning related questions.