Newbie with a quick PassLock question

[HotWheelsBurban]

Thanks for the reply. I don't know if the battery went bad due to a parasitic draw, if so if it was the PassLock that did it, or if it was just a bad battery.

What I do know is that I was having PassLock issues: starts, runs a few seconds, SECURITY light staying on. I could usually get it to work by disconnecting the battery. Sometimes (perhaps every time?), when I reconnected the battery, I would have to leave the key on for 10-12 minutes until the SECURITY light went out. Usually, I had to leave the battery disconnected for more than a few minutes, but i never could determine the minimum amount of time (determining that is not an easy test.) Connecting a jumper across the battery connections (battery removed, of course), hoping to more rapidly drain any "memory", didn't seem to speed up the process. Finally, the battery went way down overnight when NOTHING was connected to it. That was certainly not normal. I had the battery tested and got it replaced under warranty.

When I connected the new battery, I went through the full 30 minute "relearn" procedure. I don't know if a single 10-12 minute key on would have done it or not. Once I decided on the full 30 minute relearn, I stuck with it. Everything seems fine now, but I still don't trust it. My gut tells me that the chance of the PassLock preventing a theft is less than the chance of it causing trouble down the road. It is likely not a high target truck, and my lifestyle now is such that I don't often put the truck in theft vulnerable situations. I'm willing to take the chance and spend $120 for piece of mind. Thus, my original question.

I had this same issue with my '99 Burb, and in my experience the "relearn procedures" lasted a few times at best. What finally worked was to get it electronically deleted from the PCM.
In 2019 that cost me $250 at a shop that does a LOT of tuning and such on LS platform vehicles and engines. It's in far west Houston, actually Rosenberg.

 

[618 Syndicate]

I had this same issue with my '99 Burb, and in my experience the "relearn procedures" lasted a few times at best. What finally worked was to get it electronically deleted from the PCM.
In 2019 that cost me $250 at a shop that does a LOT of tuning and such on LS platform vehicles and engines. It's in far west Houston, actually Rosenberg.

Cry once...

 

[HotWheelsBurban]

Cry once...

At least when it doesn't want to start, I know it's not that.....

 

[PM18S4]

1999 5.7 Burb here as well, I had a local tuner shop get rid of the ECM Passlock check with HP Tuners for similar reasons.
The tune cost me $225 USD. but said any future tune would be $50 as they would have my VIN in their HP Tuner system.

Good thing to as I had to replace the ignition cylinder lock housing later on, and at the time of purchase, the Passlock housing was significantly more expensive than the non-Passlock housing for some reason.

 

[Gundoc]

Thanks for all the replies. A few years ago, my '99 4x4 Suburban went through a period where I would be driving down the road, make a small steering correction, and the steering seemed to "twitch." That is the best way I can describe it at the moment. The truck didn't change course much at all, and it was never out of control, but it was a bit weird and disconcerting. Does that sound like an EVO issue? It hasn't done it in a long time.

Sounds to me like the best course of action is to get the PassLock tuned out of the ECM, and install the bypass (that I just leaned about on this forum) if the steering gives me trouble. Things are a hell of a lot more complicated than they need to be, and this is on a 25 year old vehicle!

 

[AK49BWL]

Thanks for all the replies. A few years ago, my '99 4x4 Suburban went through a period where I would be driving down the road, make a small steering correction, and the steering seemed to "twitch." That is the best way I can describe it at the moment. The truck didn't change course much at all, and it was never out of control, but it was a bit weird and disconcerting. Does that sound like an EVO issue? It hasn't done it in a long time.

Sounds exactly like an EVO issue, mine did the same and it was completely random.

 

[df2x4]

A few years ago, my '99 4x4 Suburban went through a period where I would be driving down the road, make a small steering correction, and the steering seemed to "twitch." That is the best way I can describe it at the moment. The truck didn't change course much at all, and it was never out of control, but it was a bit weird and disconcerting. Does that sound like an EVO issue?

Yes, I experienced similar issues with the EVO in both of my '97s before removing it. It will really get your attention if it happens on the interstate.

 

[PM18S4]

If the ECU has Passlock tuned out and the EVO bypass was installed, is there any reason to keep the Passlock/EVO module installed in the dash. I'm thinking of using that mount point for a small 12V to 24V inverter.