'04 Grand Prix GT "Starting Disabled Due To Theft System"

[TommyMo2]

I have tried messing with the battery, messing with the fuses, along with just about everything else possible to get it started.

The only thing I know of is that there was once a remote starter on it (I bought the car used), but the dealership said they took it out due to lights staying on or something else. The remote starter was of course an after-market one. I saw the antenna that has been attached to the inside windshield that has a logo of "XR Plus".

The only other option that a neighbor suggested was to get a new fob which would override the alarm because I had only been using the keys and inside controls to lock the car (more the inside controls to lock the car than using the key switch on the outside to lock it)


Wondering if anyone here had any similar issues at any time? The car is just under the 64,000 miles on it.

 

[DuctTapeNinja]

One of my trucks has an alarm/disabler in it that was installed by a previous owner and disabled before I bought it. It's not a good thing, because when they put something like that in there they wire into every fucking thing, and I know that even though mine has been disabled it's still in there and some day it won't start because of that shit. With all the computerized bullshit on modern cars there's enough to go wrong without adding poorly installed alarm systems.

It sounds like they didn't completely remove your remote start and it's interfering with things and confusing the computer. Good luck, because that's a hairy one to track down. My sister's '02 Malibu had a remote start that was installed by a previous owner and after a few years of her owning it, it started doing that. Turned out the system tied into the ignition switch and tested the electrical resistance across the key as part of the security part of the system, and if you put the key in the ignition and turned it to 'run' without cranking for about 15 seconds, you could then turn it to crank and it would start up as it had time to read the resistance a few times before you tried cranking. But if you just put the key in and cranked it wouldn't start until you shut it back off and left it for about a half hour and then did it the slow way.

 

[TommyMo2]

One of my trucks has an alarm/disabler in it that was installed by a previous owner and disabled before I bought it. It's not a good thing, because when they put something like that in there they wire into every fucking thing, and I know that even though mine has been disabled it's still in there and some day it won't start because of that shit. With all the computerized bullshit on modern cars there's enough to go wrong without adding poorly installed alarm systems.

It sounds like they didn't completely remove your remote start and it's interfering with things and confusing the computer. Good luck, because that's a hairy one to track down. My sister's '02 Malibu had a remote start that was installed by a previous owner and after a few years of her owning it, it started doing that. Turned out the system tied into the ignition switch and tested the electrical resistance across the key as part of the security part of the system, and if you put the key in the ignition and turned it to 'run' without cranking for about 15 seconds, you could then turn it to crank and it would start up as it had time to read the resistance a few times before you tried cranking. But if you just put the key in and cranked it wouldn't start until you shut it back off and left it for about a half hour and then did it the slow way.

Fuck. I still thought cars in the early to mid 2000s were still relatively simple... Or at least made to be.

A co-worker suggested the alternator is shot as he has owned 3 Grand Prix's before... Possible? I'm just thinking the alarm thing doesn't coincide with the locks for so long before the alarm/disabler thinks the car is being stolen. When I bought the car, the DIC read something about the Security System not being set-up, personalized or something (I forget the exact wording). Then a while later it read "Service Security System". Now I am here with more questions than answers.