2000 Olds Alero body control module & passlock sensor

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Hey all. I’ve been having a problem with my 2000 Alero recently where, periodically, attempting to start the car will end in the car stalling and the security light beginning to flash on the dashboard. Usually after about 10 minutes the light goes off and the car starts normally (well, insofar as feeling like it’s going to shake itself apart the moment it hits idle is normal, but that’s another topic for another post). This happens about 40% of the time when starting the car, and seems to be happening more and more frequently (which may be my imagination).

I took the car into the dealer (after my local mechanic told me he was familiar with the problem and wouldn’t be able to fix it), and they told me I needed to replace the body control module and passlock sensor to the tune of $1,042. The other dealer in town quoted me slightly better at $913. Has anyone else had these repairs done? Should they cost this much? Does it fix the problem? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Car info:
2000 Oldsmobile Alero
~140,000 miles
2.4L I-4

2

The dealer is approaching this with a shotgun approach. They don’t like diagnosing these security problems so they just replace all the parts to cover their rump. I have to diagnose and fix about twenty of these cases a year. Every once in a while it does take a BCM to fix it, but usually it just takes the ignition lock cylinder/passlock sensor. What happens is after years of turning the key back and forth in the ignition, the lock cylinder becomes worn causing the voltages that the BCM sees to change. If I were you I would go back to local mechanic and ask him to install new lock cylinder and relearn security. These lock cylinders are no brainers to install. The total job should cost around 300.00.