GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Your vehicle may be equipped with a Content Theft-Deterrent alarm system.


Object Number: 806223  Size: A1

With this system, the SECURITY light will flash as you open the door if your ignition is off.

This light reminds you to activate the theft-deterrent system. Here's how to do it:

  1. Open the door.
  2. Lock the door with the power door lock switch or the remote keyless entry transmitter. The SECURITY light should come on and stay on.
  3. Close all doors. The SECURITY light should go off after approximately 30 seconds. The alarm is not armed until the SECURITY light goes off.

If a door is opened without the key or the remote keyless entry transmitter, the alarm will go off. Your vehicle's headlamps will flash and the horn will sound for 110 seconds, then will turn off to save the battery power.

Remember, the theft-deterrent system won't activate if you lock the doors with a key or use the manual door lock. It activates only if you use a power door lock switch with the door open, or with the remote keyless entry transmitter. You should also remember that you can start your vehicle with the correct ignition key if the alarm has been set off.

Here's how to avoid setting off the alarm by accident:

    • If you don't want to activate the theft-deterrent system, the vehicle should be locked with the door key after the doors are closed.
    • Always unlock a door with a key, or use the remote keyless entry transmitter. Unlocking a door any other way will set off the alarm.

If you set off the alarm by accident, unlock any door with the key. You can also turn off the alarm by pressing UNLOCK on the remote keyless entry transmitter. The alarm won't stop if you try to unlock a door any other way.

Testing the Alarm

The alarm can be tested by following these steps:

  1. From inside the vehicle, lower the driver's window and open the driver's door.
  2. Activate the system by locking the doors with the power door lock switch while the door is open, or with the remote keyless entry transmitter.
  3. Get out of the vehicle, close the door and wait for the SECURITY light to go out.
  4. Then reach in through the window, unlock the door with the manual door lock and open the door. This should set off the alarm.

If the alarm does not sound when it should but the vehicle's headlamps flash, check to see if the horn works. The horn fuse may be blown. To replace the fuse, see Fuses and Circuit Breakers .

If the alarm does not sound or the vehicle's headlamps do not flash, the vehicle should be serviced by an authorized service center.