Originally Posted by
JHPerformance
I hate to bring this back from the dead but I have ran into this same two instances of V6 VATS giving me woes recently.
Just sharing for those in future that run into this.
I have deleted VATS for years for TONS of cars/trucks locally. Hptuners would not work on two vehicles for me,
-02 Impala V6
-98 Bonneville V6
Both cars had VATS problems, the only way I was able to bypass it was to do the resistor trick. Tried leaving the CEL enabled switching VATS to PWM, all codes disabled no dice..
The BCM is monitoring the VATS coms, logging VATS with Tech2Win or the VATS PID in VCM Scanner shows that VATS was valid pre and post disable. Still wouldnt take.
Ultimately had to trace the passlock resistor values on the bonneville and hardwire the resistor in, bypassing the column and setting it all back factory with HPTuners
With the Impala I ended up losing the job due to being at the dirt track with none of my supplies to wire in a resistor. Now after researching I see where some people flashed in a Pontiac GrandPrix OS that doesnt use BCM VATS monitor, maybe that will work for next time. Something in the software is not picking up the full VATS value, and it could be the way GM designed the OS. But I have read 5 or 6 threads where people contacted support and they told them its not a VATS issue, when I can confirm it was on mine.
EFIlive shows a VATS none option which I have not tried on these, but HPT only has PWN and serial. May be worth digging into one day, but keep a resistor assortment in your truck for times when you are on the road on some of the older V6's.. I will also add I have had success disabling VATS on some of these older V6's but its something with the late 90s Bonneville and early 00's Impala that simply wouldnt work.