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Disable GM Security System in 96 Oldsmobile Aurora
Read the story of Alvin Robinson from Canada, as he disabled the GM security system in full when he fell prey to a dishonest individual that pawned his failing vehicle off on him.
But Alvin has had the last laugh and regained control of his 1996 Aurora without breaking the bank.
Alvin’s story starts…
“Hi my story is a little different i had a 1998 dodge Dakota 4 cyl standard trans which i fixed up mechanically for my 71 year old wife.
After doing so she informed me she couldn’t drive a manual shift anymore so I put the truck on craigslist in our little town.
The trade
After a week I got a call from someone with a 1996 Olds aurora he had and seemed to be running OK except a leak in the front of radiator. So we traded.
I installed a new radiator and a couple of hoses thinking I would fix the cooling problem for good!
The hidden problem
The wife and I drove about 7 miles away from home and the car wouldn’t start anymore!
I checked the battery which seemed charged up and all the accessories on the car worked, I just happen to leave my key in the ignition as we waited I had no idea about the GM security system and it’s malfunctions yet. After about 10 minutes I turned the key she started and took us home.
Stuck again…
A day later I drove a couple blocks to the store and then it wouldnt start again, but luckily I know the people there and they didn’t mind me leaving it there while i tried to figure out what was wrong.
I hooked a booster battery which didn’t help and everything seemed to have enough power.
How to permanently disable the GM Security System
Then I checked online thinking maybe someone else might have a same problem and sure enough I found out about the GM security system, this totally explained the problems I was having.
I then purchased a PRO Module from NEWROCKIES. I wasn’t able to install it right away due to the inclement weather, but as soon as it broke I installed as per instructions and the car started right up.
NEWROCKIES saved my Oldsmobile and made my 71 year old wife happy again. Thank you very much for your product.”
Now Engine is idling at 1000 rpms. No more SECURITY light!!
Nicely Tucked in where the TDM was
What Was Actually Wrong — and How the Fix Works
What Alvin’s mechanic and the online forums were describing is GM’s Passlock/VATS anti-theft system — a resistor-based immobilizer used across GM’s lineup through the late 90s and 2000s that reads a coded key value and cuts power to the starter if it doesn’t match. As these systems age, the reader drifts out of calibration and starts refusing even the correct key, which is exactly the random no-start pattern Alvin describes — sometimes it fired right up, sometimes it didn’t, with no consistent trigger.
Installing the PRO Module means locating the factory TDM (Theft Deterrent Module) behind the dash, disconnecting it, and wiring the PRO Module in its place using the supplied harness — which is why it ends up tucked into the same spot the TDM used to occupy, as shown in the photos above. Once it’s in, the car’s computer stops checking the key altogether, so there’s no resistor value left to drift out of spec and no more random lockouts.
Alvin’s Aurora shares its TDM-based VATS PassKEY hardware with the same-era Buick Riviera — the PRO Module wires in behind the dash in place of the factory TDM, which is exactly the spot shown in the photo above. If you’re working on a 1995–1999 Aurora or Riviera, the full wiring steps are in the Aurora/Riviera installation guide.
