GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Object Number: 811473  Size: A1

The security light is located on the instrument panel cluster.

If the ignition is off and a door is open, the security light will flash, reminding you to arm the theft-deterrent system.

To arm the system:

  1. Lock the door using the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter or the power door lock switch.
  2. Close all the doors. The security light will illuminate. It should go off within approximately 30 seconds.

If a door or a liftgate is opened without a key or a RKE transmitter, the horn will sound and the lamps will flash for up to 30 seconds.

The theft-deterrent system will not arm if you lock the doors with a key, use the manual door lock or if the liftgate is ajar. It activates only if you use the RKE transmitter or the power door lock.

To avoid activating the alarm by accident:

    • The vehicle should be locked with the door key or the manual door lock after the doors are closed if you don't want to arm the theft-deterrent system.
    • Always unlock a door with a key or use the RKE transmitter. Pressing the unlock button on the RKE transmitter disarms the theft-deterrent system. Unlocking a door any other way while the system is armed will activate the alarm when a door or the liftgate is opened.

If you activate the alarm by accident, unlock the driver's door with your key. You can also turn off the alarm by using the unlock button on the RKE transmitter, or by starting the vehicle with a valid key.

Testing the Alarm

  1. From inside the vehicle, roll down the window, then get out of the vehicle, keeping the door open.
  2. From outside of the vehicle, with the door open, lock the vehicle using the power door lock switch or the RKE transmitter and close the door. Wait approximately 30 seconds until the security light goes off.
  3. Reach in and unlock the door using the manual lock and open the door. The horn will sound and the exterior lamps will flash.

You can turn off the alarm by unlocking the driver's door with your key, using the unlock button on the RKE transmitter or by starting the car with a valid key.

If the alarm does not sound when it should, check to see if the horn works. The horn fuse may be blown. To replace the fuse, see Fuses and Circuit Breakers . If the fuse does not need to be replaced, you may need to have your vehicle serviced.

To reduce the possibility of theft, always arm the theft-deterrent system when leaving your vehicle.