Help Needed with Passlock?

[baxterday]

I have a K1500 Suburban, 1998. I replaced the spider assembly and the upper intake manifold gaskets. We started it the other day and noticed we had two spark plug wires reversed. So, disconnected the battery for a second time to turn motor over with spark plugs out to make sure I had distributor in correct. When I connected the battery the doors locked, it did not do this a few days ago. So we unlocked with the other remote and went to start the truck and nothing. All the bells and whistles come on, but it will not turn over. The starter is not doing anything. We are leaving for our annual vacation in two days and I am at my wits end. This has been a nightmare this job. Any suggestions, can I reset the passlock?

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

disconnected the battery for a second time to turn motor over with spark plugs out to make sure I had distributor in correct. When I connected the battery the doors locked, it did not do this a few days ago.

I've had mine do this, too. Sometimes it locks, sometimes it doesn't. I'm always sure to keep a set of keys outside the vehicle whenever I f___ with the battery.

So we unlocked with the other remote and went to start the truck and nothing. All the bells and whistles come on, but it will not turn over. The starter is not doing anything. We are leaving for our annual vacation in two days and I am at my wits end. This has been a nightmare this job. Any suggestions, can I reset the passlock?

That is NOT a problem I had. Although... I disabled my VATS with a "tune" some time ago, which may have had an effect.

I'm sure you're using the proper key.

Have you looked up VATS in the 1998 service manual? I suspect there's an override... "blow the horn, key-on / key-off three times, blow the horn" sort of thing to allow it to start.

 

[618 Syndicate]

No crank is not typically a passlock issue. It will crank, start, and die in those situations. Is it in park?

 

[df2x4]

That doesn't sound like the typical PassLock problem... From what I've read usually when PassLock acts up the truck will still crank and even start, it'll just die immediately after.

I'd triple check all the battery connections/cables first considering you've disconnected them recently. If that doesn't solve it, maybe there's a battery or starter issue?

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

So we unlocked with the other remote and went to start the truck and nothing. All the bells and whistles come on, but it will not turn over.

So you're saying the interior lights don't dim, or extinguish, when you turn the ignition key to START, yes? That's another way of asking "Are the battery cables tightly connected?"

Are there any clicks from the starter?

Can you put a voltmeter on the solenoid terminal (and to ground) and confirm that voltage is applied at the terminal during attempted START?

I know you're no dummy, but sometimes someone has to ask the obvious questions.

 

[baxterday]

I guess it could be a spontaneous starter issue, I am charging the batteries now. It started two days ago, just ran a little funny. I just cleaned the battery connections on the battery running to the starter, and nothing.

 

[baxterday]

So you're saying the interior lights don't dim, or extinguish, when you turn the ignition key to START, yes? That's another way of asking "Are the battery cables tightly connected?"

Are there any clicks from the starter?

Can you put a voltmeter on the solenoid terminal (and to ground) and confirm that voltage is applied at the terminal during attempted START?

I know you're no dummy, but sometimes someone has to ask the obvious questions.

No click from the starter, all the interior lights come on just find. I can try the solenoid terminal next. If it's not getting power, what would be the cause of that?

 

[1998_K1500_Sub]

No click from the starter, all the interior lights come on just find. I can try the solenoid terminal next. If it's not getting power, what would be the cause of that?

I'll check the service manual for you now and look for the solenoid control, e.g., via a relay or other.

Another stupid question: Are you certain the battery hot and ground are firmly connected to the starter? You might check them with a DVM while someone else turns the key to START.

I swear I've heard others talk of corrosion problems with the solenoid wire. If it was getting corroded, it might have open-circuited. But it's odd to be coincident with the other work you've done.

Maybe @df2x4 or @618 Syndicate know where to turn.

 

[618 Syndicate]

First step for me is verifying necessary conditions for starting.
Out of park, back in.
Starter fuses/relays.
Battery terminals.
Grounds.
Power to starter.

 

[Jeepwalker]

I'm trying too remember ...I had a car with passlock a long time ago. When it would lock out, the 'alarm' light would stay on while starting. Some light would stay on. Dig out your manual and read about the passlock. It should say. Is yours the passlock with the resistive pellet on the actual key shaft?

One thing that can cause the doors to spontaneously lock could be shorted wires in the door jamb between the door and body. After many thousands of open/close cycles the plastic wire jacket can crack and some wires can fray. I was trying to de-bug my Jetta a couple months ago and out of 22 wires in the door-to-body bundle EVERY one of the wires, the jacket was cracked, some in multiple places. And two of the wires were frayed and broken (probably touching other bare wires. That vehicle had all kinds of wonky things going on. You should be able to pry back the rubber door jamb boot. It's worth a look.

Read up closely in your manual how the passlock works and doesn't work. I don't recall exactly how the passlock works it's been quite a while ..I'd have to re-read the manual. But many vehicles the alarms behave in similar ways. Under certain conditions if the door is locked (again general terms) ...and alarm is engaged, and the battery goes dead, and you go to unlock the door with a key. The alarm system won't disable and will still be engaged, even once the door was opened. You can turn the engine over all day long and it won't start. The fix (on some vehicles) is to charge the battery, close the door, get out of the vehicle, then lock and unlock the vehicle with the fob. There are a few variations on this, but that's a general scenario. It should articulate it in your manual.