VATS information

As long as I am doing the carpet in the 96 RMW, I figured I would take a look at what is commonly called the VATS starter relay disable bypass wiring mod. I have seen a few places that even if you have VATS disabled in the ECM you could still get a relay failure and not start.

The normal instructions I have seen is to just connect the two larger wires on the "theft deterent relay" and you are good to go.

Since there is a lot of contradictory information on the internet on this topic I figured I should take the time to dig into the actual FSM wiring diagrams to see how it all would work.

Here is a scan of the area of interest in the FSM wiring:



It certainly appears that if you connect the two 5mm wires that are on the in and out contacts on the relay you will have the starter running all the time as it is wired through the maxi fuse 11 strait to the battery. Of course a large number of posters around claim there is no starter theft deterrent relay, only fuel enable for the injectors through the PCM.

The only control on the relay comes through the ignition start position to the relay coil and then to the VATS control module. My guess is that there is another small relay or electronic switch in the module to ground the anti theft relay coil when starting. With VATS written out of the program, I would hope that relay is normally closed but I don't know for sure.

It appears in the diagram that the deterrent relay is just a normal starter relay with the VATS controlling grounding. That setup without the VATS that looks to be for the cop cars does not go through the theft control relay and they show a 5mm wire all the way from the start position to the starter relay. The VATS cars switch to .35mm wiring along the way to the relay.

I think the safe bet would be to just ground the wire from the coil of the theft deterrent relay to the VATS module so any kind of failure in the module would not affect anything.

Has anyone messed with any of this or had the big wiring jumping actually work?

In order to remove it you MUST have the PCM flashed to disable the system. Once that is completed you connect two wires together at the module plug with a paper clip. Once that is done you throw the module into the trash can.

I don't remember the specifics but a wire at the passenger side kick panel can be grounded instead of using a paperclip on the other side.

There is a very nice write up on the entire thing over at the Impala SS Forum and I used it to remove mine.

94Woody wrote:

In order to remove it you MUST have the PCM flashed to disable the system. Once that is completed you connect two wires together at the module plug with a paper clip. Once that is done you throw the module into the trash can.

I don't remember the specifics but a wire at the passenger side kick panel can be grounded instead of using a paperclip on the other side.

There is a very nice write up on the entire thing over at the Impala SS Forum and I used it to remove mine.

I have heard of the ground in the right kick also, but don't remember where. Ours is programmed out but not tested yet as I have to get a plain key made to find out for sure.

So, where did the connect the two big wires on the relay come from? I saw that all over. I can understand bypassing the module by jumping the plug. One is probably the yellow black to the module and one is the ground from the module to chassis.

I am going to leave it as is for now to make sure it works the way it should, disabled, and take it out later.

I still use my factory key with the resistor in it.

Not sure about anything involving relays as I haven't messed with any. Grounding the wire at the kick panel is just the clean way to do it versus jumping (which just completes a ground circuit) the connector behind the instrument cluster.

One day I will dig further into this but for now it works and I'm happy.

VATS has always been a PITA. My 1989 Trans Am was down for weeks because of it. The shop I took it to was 100% clueless about the system and being 1997 I was as well. Finally had it towed to a Chevy dealer and it took them three days to figure out.

good info, I need to program mine out. On previous cars, I have done the resistor mod with great success. on my current 95, I have done the resistor mod, and it still leaves me stranded on occasion (like twice in a row last week!) but will be fine for months at a time. it's annoying!