1997 Pontiac Grand Am Anti Theft Issue?

[David]

Have a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. Around 8 months ago, the gages on the instrument panel started to do what they wanted. During idle, driving, they would bounce all over the place. The car worked fine, except for the instrument panel. Then one day, the car was started and the engine stopped. The anti theft light blinked a few times then stayed on steady. The car then sat for 8 months. Now, my daughter is starting drivers ed soon and I am trying to get the car back up to snuff. This is where I am now. Because the key for the ignition could always be removed from the ignition during any position, I had the ignition rebuilt. That is now working (the key will not come out like it used to). The relearn procedure, the long and short kind do not work. After doing the procedure, the anti theft light blinks and stays on steady. It has NEVER gone out. I see a lot on the net about how the light will go out after 11 minutes. I have been doing 15 minute intervals and the light stays on. And 30 sec off intervals. Also, have taken out the instrument cluster and it looks fine behind it where the cable hooks to the back of it. And the ground and positive side where the wires hook to the battery look fine.
I am thinking that there is more than one problem here. I was wondering if there is a way to check the electronic thing under the tumbler with an ohm meter? And since the instrument cluster was having problems for a while before the car finally quit completely is there a way to check the instrument cluster electrically?
Thanks in advance

 

[Mcbride.21]

The best advice I can give you, having a 1996 with the same problems, is the theft system is crap. Follow this site to have your instrument cluster repaired, and then try the 30 min relearn procedures again. You may have to clear the codes using a scan tool. Assuming the light now works and is sending out the proper codes to the computer, you can then either disable/bypass the system by cutting the yellow wire coming from the ignition lock cylinder, or try the resistor trick to ensure that you don't trigger the system due to faulty or old lock cylinder. This should do the trick. You could always go the dealership route and pay lots of money to have the entire system replaced for it to all go bad again. Bacon be with you!

 

[Mcbride.21]

http://www.mrwhizard.com/