GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Your vehicle may have a content theft-deterrent alarm system.


Object Number: 811473  Size: A1

This is the security light.

To arm the theft-deterrent system:

  1. Open the door.
  2. Lock the door with the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter or the power door lock switch. The security light will come on to inform the driver the system is arming. If a door is open when the doors are locked, the security light will flash.
  3. If the delayed locking feature is turned on, the theft-deterrent system will not start the arming process until the last door is closed and the delay timer has expired. See Delayed Locking.

  4. Close all doors. The security light should go off after about 30 seconds. The alarm is not armed until the security light goes off.

If a locked door is opened without using the RKE transmitter, a ten second pre-alarm will occur. The horn will chirp and the lights will flash. If the key is not placed in the ignition and turned to START or the door is not unlocked by pressing the unlock button on the RKE transmitter during the ten second pre-alarm, the alarm will go off. Your vehicle's headlamps will flash and the horn will sound for about 30 seconds, then will turn off to save the battery power.

The theft-deterrent system will not activate if the doors are locked with the vehicle's key or the manual door lock. It activates only if you use the power door lock switch with the door open or the RKE transmitter. You should also remember that you can start your vehicle with the correct ignition key if the alarm has been set off.

To avoid setting off the alarm by accident:

    • If you do not want to activate the theft-deterrent system, the vehicle should be locked with the door key after the doors are closed.
    • Always unlock the doors with the RKE transmitter. Unlocking a door any other way will set off the alarm if it is armed.

If you set off the alarm by accident, press unlock on the RKE transmitter or place the key in the ignition and turn it to START to turn off the alarm. The alarm will not stop if you try to unlock a door any other way.

Testing the Alarm

To test the alarm:

  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 RKE 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.

While the alarm is set, the power door unlock switch will not work.

If the alarm does not sound when it should but the 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 headlamps do not flash, the vehicle should be serviced by your dealer/retailer.