2002 Suburban Passlock problem

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
I know this isnt a mopar problem, but it is a problem for this mopar lady.

My main transportation for taking hubby to doctor is the 2002 Suburban.
As of 2 days ago, the passlock light came on and I can no longer start the car.

I have 3 weeks to solve the problem before I have to take him to another doctor appointment.

I do not have the original key fobs or original keys.
I have two replacement keys made a few years ago.

I've researched this problem to death on the web but I'd like some advice from you guys.

What I've tried:
1. removed battery and had it checked, it deep cycled tested good. Did not give me a cold reset as the interweb said it would even though battery was out of the car overnight.
2. tried the 10 minute on-position, 10 second off cycle for three to five times and it never cleared/relearned or accomplished anything.

What I've read are options:
1. splice in a resistor into one of the lines
2. replace a $200+ sensor in the steering column
3. replace the passlock module with a PERMANENTLY Disable and Remove GM Security Systems module which will eliminate the whole anti-theft process
4. have the dealer deal with it for $1200
5. stop driving the car

Is it possible to just buy new fobs and oem keys to overcome this problem?
Is there a way to remove or test the passlock module.

It is a 2002 Suburban, with a failing clear coat, and crumpled rear bumber and sorely in need of replacement front seat cushions and upholstry.

Not a highly sought car for parts or theft in my neck of the woods.

I'm growing weary of this problem and my 3 week deadline is looming.

JW
 

XfbodyX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
1,623
Reaction score
418
Location
Central US
You have the key with the tiny black spec on it?

Opps im probably 10 years off.
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
No black spec. I have the 2nd gen version.

After discussions with the local mechanics, they suggested I suck it up and buy the $200 bypass module. There are few scanners and fewer people that know how to use the scanners that set/reset the transponders. GM no longer makes any of the modules. Dead technology.

New keys and new fobs won't fix the current problem without having the info about the original fobs/keys that came with the vehicle.

So, I'm going to order that bypass module and post my progress in case anyone has this problem in the future.

JW
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,758
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
We run into that at work on older vehicles. Needs a module (of various types) and,,,,,,,,,,,,,unobtanium. Obsolete part, no remanufactured or aftermarket available. Basically SOL. Come to think of it, there's a lot of other parts for say,,,,,,,, cars and trucks built before 2005 that are not available anywhere for any price.
 

BudW

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
5,121
Reaction score
1,485
Location
Oklahoma City
GM’s “anti-theft” systems are troublesome. Even if you found parts to fix it, how long would the fix last?
The bypass module makes the most sense to me for A) tossing good money away for parts that may or might not fix (if could be found) and B) bam, it’s fixed for good.


I have had the opinion that GM likes to use customers to test things with instead of testing parts internally before sending them to the consumers. I could make a list of 100 different things GM has done this with, before coming back with a better design.

Chrysler has always tested parts extensively before releasing them. I remember reading about the (new for ’68) Plymouth Road Runner horns (the ones that go beep beep). They had to sneak the parts in under the radar and un-tested, so car could get built - whereas the normal horn had to pass something crazy like 1 million test blows before it would pass.
How would you like to be the button pusher for that test?
BudW
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,758
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
I have also noticed that GM vehicles seem to have multiple common failures that rarely, if ever, fail in any of the other makes. Wheel bearings, air bag crash sensors, wheel speed sensors, wiring harnesses, timing chains, module failure in general, anti-theft systems, instrument clusters, ABS, brake lines (rot problem), brake calipers, transmissions, engines,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,I could go on and on. I do wonder if they ever do any testing or if they design it on a computer, have it made by the vendor with the lowest bid and cross their fingers it works on production vehicles with no pre-testing at all. Problem is, they never seem to resolve the problems. They keep on using the exact same failure prone parts for years, or use a failure prone design. On the rare occasion they do redesign something to make it better, a few years later they try the same failure prone design all over again. Well, I guess GM's do keep the shop busy and full everyday! lol
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
USPS says its out for delivery today... which means
either
1. they will leave it at the gate and I get it today
OR
2. they leave an orange card telling me to pick it up on Monday

Pretty fast delivery which is what they indicated on their website, so I'm giving them 1 point for getting the package into delivery quickly.

JW
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
Got my bypass module today.
Well packaged.
Have to go to the interweb for instructions.
Just printed them at portrait, 90% size so it would fit on the page correctly.
Not enough daylight to start this tonight.
JW
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
Spent one hour so far and most of that was figuring out how to get the BMC connectors disconnected. I did not want to break anything.

Just so you know ... I have a very, very special Suburban.
It has a black enclosure for the connectors. And the directions say :
QUOTE:
(if enclosure is black, please submit a request to our support team for correct switch configurations)
ENDQUOTE

I also have no pink wire in my wiring harness.
The directions say:
QUOTE:
Splice the red wire into the pink wire going into BCM Connector C1 Pin B2
ENDQUOTE

Swing and a miss on this so far.
I have emailed them a support request and let you know what they respond.

JW
 
Last edited:

80mirada

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2012
Messages
1,567
Reaction score
620
Location
Wisconsin, Fort Atkinson
from my experience, typical GM. When I worked in the salvage yard, we were constantly looking for the "right" control modules. two Identical cars with the exact same options and the damn modules were wired completely different
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,758
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
You have my sympathy JW! Run into similar situations on GM's all the time at work. Wiring diagram shows (for example) pink wire with black stripe, BCM connector C3, pin 12. Then when you look, there is no pink with black stripe in any connector and pin 12 in connector C3 is empty. :confused:
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
Aspen500 --
I figure its just God's way of ensuring I have plenty of practice facing adversity and plenty of practice maintaining a positive attitude.

Right now, my brother and I have a running bet on how long it will take to get a response from the company. He's at 3pm Monday. I'm thinking 10 AM on Tuesday.

JW
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
I am pleasantly surprised!
Someone responded to my email less than 2 hours after I posted the help request.
WOW

I'm sending them pictures now.
Crazy good support help so far.

JW
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
The crazy good support guy (Jack) wanted pictures of the connectors.
I sent them this morning.
Late this evening he's asked for a picture of the BMC unit itself.
Found I had 3 helpful pics so I just sent them... laundry and wildlife exemption paperwork for the tax appraiser took priority today.

JW
 
Last edited:

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
Been whisper silent from the newrockies supoort guy (Jack).
So I'm going to go back out and plug the connectors back in, being sure I plug in the brown one last. Try the 30 minute relearn process and see if anything changed (the ultimate in being an idiot - change nothing and hope it gets better ... lol)

But on the diesel front, after changing the PCM, the ICM, dead relay in engine fuse box, and new diesel to the fuel bowl -- Ford dually will start and run

it will run right up until the fuel is about 1/2 full in the bowl and then it quits.
At least it now has a different problem since all the brains are working.

JW
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
Jack must have me on the evening support list.
Just pinged me with a message that wants to know if this is a American vehicle or one made in Europe....
I sent him my vin.
Figured since it isn't able to start, its basically a boat anchor and if he really is a scammer trying to steal it he will have more problems trying to drag it out of here than I am having getting it started. lol

JW
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
Here is the latest.
I have a very, very, very extra special Suburban.

It has a wiring harness for a 2003 Suburban with connectors
running in to a 2002 BMC (Anti-theft module).

Apparently, it was at the cutover from 2002 style to 2003 style and GM was using up the last of the 2002 inventory of items that the average person would never see or know about.

I've printed the new instructions and am headed outside to figure out if this new solution will work.

Wish me luck in splicing tiny wires while bent over under the steering column.

JW
 

Camtron

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
Fitting under the steering column is half the battle lol
Good luck, JW.
 
Back
Top