7.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$880
Average Mileage:
98,200 miles
Total Complaints:
16 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (12 reports)
  2. replaced ignition module (3 reports)
  3. temporary fix (1 reports)
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problem #16

Nov 302018

Monte Carlo SS 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 260,000 miles

I am really stressed i get in my car and i put the key in and i get nothing i then wait 10 minutes and still nothing so i wait 10 more minutes this went on for a full hour this time and this is the 3rd time it took this long most of the time it is 10 to 20 minutes but this should be fixed by the manufacturer

- Jessica R., Greenville, US

problem #15

Jun 062012

Monte Carlo LS 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 135,000 miles

ok... my security light comes on about 12:00pm. but in the morning it's fine, everything works ac and all no problems. but by 12-1 o'clock the security light comes on and my ac don't work and i hear this ticking sound, lights flash on and off. sometimes at night it wont do it but it seems like its getting worse. so what can I do, or what's the problem?

- columbus h, Hollywood, FL, US

problem #14

Mar 012012

Monte Carlo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles

Following procedure has worked for over 500 people so far.

I HAVE A WORK AROUND FOR THE PASSKEY/PASSLOCK II or III sensor problem on the vehicles equipped with such. It takes less than 1 minute. PROBLEM: You try to start your car as normal and BAM! SECURITY ALERT- I AINT MOVIN. The security system locks you out of the ignition system and the SECURITY light flashes 3 times. You have 3 choices at this point. 1st yell and scream and literally beat the crap out of yourself until you are a pulp of pissed-off mess. 2nd you can wait 10-11 minutes with the key out of the ignition (ACTUAL minutes, not estimated) then try again hoping it will turn over, to no avail, it happens again forcing a loss of another 10 minutes possibly another 20, of which is very valuable to me. By this time it should start. After re-learning the key's resistor level it better start. Stupid RESISTOR KEYS AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS! Best anti-theft device is a colt 45 with laser-aim. 3rd option is take it to the dealer, get told we don't know what the problem is and then be told we have to replace the bcm, ecm, ecu, pcu, pcm, or some other alphabetical based black box somewhere in this hunk of junk, that cost about 50 bucks and 500 in labor cost. You can settle with that or even buy a bypass module that MAY NOT EVEN WORK. With that said, I have a new solution that has taken me from the security light lockout 2-3 times a day to the past 6 months with no occurrance. I had 6 of my friends that had the same problems with their passkey/passlock II and III systems - bending them over and nailing their exhaust pipes before becoming sweet and starting after the reaming- try the same thing I did and it worked for them as well. Out of the 6 only 1 reported having the security system locking them out twice during the past 6 months.

HERE IS WHAT I DID AND HAD MY FRIENDS DO:

If your car has been sitting while you were at work or home or in the store, and you are coming out to leave, follow steps 1-6.

If you just had the SECURITY SYSTEM lock you out of the ignition system, you will have to wait the 10 minutes for it to reset and allow the ignition control module to interact with the system. Once the 10 minutes have passed from the ACTIVE SECURITY STATUS, follow steps 1-6. Do not try to shortcut this as it wont work.

If it is raining, you can close your door, just not all the way. Close it all the way and open the door latch without pushing the door open. This will keep you dry.

+++++STEPS+++++ 1.) OPEN YOUR DRIVERS DOOR AND SIT DOWN. 2.) PLACE KEY IN IGNITION, WAIT FOR CHIME. (3 seconds is what I usually wait) 3.) TURN IGNITION 1 CLICK RIGHT (TO THE ACC POSITION) AND STOP! Do not continue to ON and START yet. WAIT ATLEAST 5 SECONDS 4.) AFTER 5 seconds has passed, TURN KEY TO ON and STOP, DO NOT CONTINUE TO START YET! 5.) WAIT AND WATCH. With your drivers door open, here is what you will see and hear = Your notification will signal DOOR ADJAR, then the BATTERY light, then the SECURITY light, during which you will hear the chime sound as if you just started the car. 6.) AFTER YOU SEE THE SECURITY light switch back to DOOR ADJAR or Battery, and after the CHIME has stopped, you can turn the key to start and voil�!

It has worked every time for me and 5 of my friends. This whole process takes about 20-30 seconds, but it sure as hell beats 30 minutes, as GM refuses to compensate my time lost to their vehicle's design flaws.

RECAP: 1.) Open driver door, sit down 2.) Insert key in ignition, wait for chime 3.) Once chime starts wait 3 seconds 4.) Turn key to ACC position WAIT atleast 5 seconds 5.) After 5 seconds turn key to the ON postion and wait for the security light to switch back to Battery or DOOR adjar, and the chime to stop (Do not try to START if the chime is still sounding) 6.) Once chime stops and Security light has passed, You may now complete the turn to START and it will start.

Note: This is not a permanent workaround, but it will buy you some time, I can almost guarantee it will work for most if not all people, almost all the time.

If you follow these steps and it works, email me at kevintampa5@yahoo.com to let me know your results. If this did not work for you, it may be an actual failure of the system and not just an argument between the key and the car, in which case I wish you the best of luck and hope you get it fixed. I dealt with this problem for 2 years before I tried this method. Worked wonders for me. I am actually on time for work every day now. No thanks to GM, sorry to say. Disappointed in their new products.

- kevintampa5, Tampa, FL, US

problem #13

Nov 122010

Monte Carlo LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 118,000 miles

Everything comes on but it won't start it just clicks, PLEASE HELP

- tammiel, Perkins, OK, US

problem #12

Nov 072008

Monte Carlo LS 3.4L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 135,000 miles

I bought a 2001 Monte Carlo in January of 2008, and since Ive had the worst luck. Sometimes when I turn the key nothing happens, Only the dashboard lights, headlights, radio, and chime comes on. I have to sit and wait form 5 - 30 minutes for the ignition to work. It is very irritating.

- Darrell D., Oak Park, MI, US

problem #11

Oct 282006

Monte Carlo SS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

I bought this car in October 2006 a week after I had this car i had nothing but problems with electrical , brakes it goes on i have spent over 13 thousand dollars to fix these problems from turn signals car wont start locked out(security light) windows and my car still giving me all the same problems i even replaced parts twice the only thing i did not replace is trans and engine

- saguiar, Port Charlotte, FL, US

problem #10

Mar 012009

Monte Carlo SS 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

Thought it was the battery, had the starter checked. Turns out that if you keep locking or unlocking the doors with your key. It will eventually start. But it sometimes takes awhile. So hopefully you are not in a hurry.

- camc, Sedalia, MO, US

problem #9

Sep 022008

Monte Carlo LS 3.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 33,000 miles

Took the car to a gm dealer to fix. Told them the problem was that when the car set in the sun it would not start unless you held the switch on sometimes up to a minute before it would crank over also the same thing would happen had it been running for a few minutes but if you left it where it was cool it would start right up. They replaced the module on the key switch and reprogrammed the passlock system as i was told. Took the car home same problem arose again that evening. Took ot back it is still not fixed. I'm not a rocket scientist but i told them that if you did not shut the ignition all the way off only to accessories it would sart right up again, which told me when you turned it all the way off when you put the key back in it it has a poor connection to the switch from the passlock system and does not read the key instantly as it should. As i see it heat has an affect on this connection. A guy here on the net that calls himself Dr. Zach says to solder the three wires from the passlock system to the switch and it will do away with signal drift from a poor connection which makes sense to me, but don't to GM even though they had a recall for GMC I believe it was 1999 to 2003 that told them to soldrer the wires to the switch when this problem occurred. Does any one else have any better solutions to make this system work.

Thurman

- Thurman R., Baileyville, ME, US

problem #8

Jul 212008

Monte Carlo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 97,000 miles

My car won't start sometimes and the security light is on all the time. One fix is to not ever park in the sun but being summer that is impossible. It starts only if the car is cool.

- codonnell, Carol Stream, IL, US

problem #7

Jul 312007

Monte Carlo LS 3.4L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

I'll try to start my car, and nothing will happen. My lights, radio, etc. all work, but car will not start. It won't click or turn over,... it won't even make a sound. Like there's nothing there. Was happening once every couple months or so, but has become more and more frequent lately.

- Tony M., Hudson, IA, US

problem #6

Sep 052007

(reported on)

Monte Carlo

  • Automatic transmission
  • 96,000 miles

Car will not start once a week +/-. Radio on and everything else works, just will not turn over, Not fixed yet. Any ideas? I have taken it to 3 shops.

- rhodes, Elk Grove, CA, US

problem #5

Oct 282007

(reported on)

Monte Carlo LX V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 71,700 miles

I was driving the car fine ALL day..Then ALL OF A sudden, the ignition locked. I can pull the key in and out but the car wont turn on, its completely LOCKED!! I'm so freaking pissed right now, I don't have $$ to tow to the dealer, so I'm gonna try and change the ignition and hopefully that works since theres no refund for the part.

- missjones2007, Stockton, CA, US

problem #4

Jun 072006

(reported on)

Monte Carlo LS 3.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

car won't start security light flashes. been doing it for 4 years now. depending on how much i start and drive the car, this happens about every 2 to 3 months. please, please help

- Mark S., St. Louis, MO, US

problem #3

Feb 202007

(reported on)

Monte Carlo 3.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 127,000 miles

Ok, so I found another place to take my car after 2 dealers and to other shops had given up on it (and charged me a great deal for NOTHING). Wonderful people!!! They said if they can't fix it, they won't charge me. I told'em, "Good luck with that *@#%." Well, they fixed it after 2 weeks of replacing parts and sending them back if they didn't fix it. Props to Morin's Automotive in North Augusta, SC. It was the ignition module or something like that. Now, my car runs like it's brand-new.

- Stephanie B., Aiken, SC, US

problem #2

Jul 072006

(reported on)

Monte Carlo SS

  • 106,400 miles

i have owned this car for 6 months, this has happened to me probably 10 times, it wont start, the radio, lights and everything come on, but the car won't turn over at all. What the Heck!!! i am going to assume the ignition switch is going out.

- Dorothy D., Colorado Springs, CO, US

problem #1

Jan 202006

(reported on)

Monte Carlo LS

  • 69,000 miles

took to dealer said i needed new key switch and changed codes. worked for 2 weeks now it's doing the same thing with the security light flashing like before

hhhhhhhhelp

- Earl H., St. Albans, WV, US