# Service Anti Theft Detterent Systej



## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

I would guess there is a problem with your key fob, the car is not reading it and thinks its being stolen. If you have a spare fob you could use that one for a while to confirm that the first one is faulty or not.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

I agree. First thing I'd do with this car being four years old would be to put a new battery in the fob(s).


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

My occasional problem is lint buildup in those key groves, have to clean those out with a brush. And when I toss the jeans in the wash, have to make sure the pockets are out, because this is where the lint is coming from.

Had to replace that cheap made in India 2032 battery after a year. Replaced it with a Duracell Pro battery, still good after two years.


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## norm h (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks for the info. I will change the battery in the FOB. Any suggestions or help on the other problem I mention....where I insert the key and everything works except the vehicle doesn't crank..no start noise or anything..but gauges and lights appear as normal.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

norm h said:


> Thanks for the info. I will change the battery in the FOB. Any suggestions or help on the other problem I mention....where I insert the key and everything works except the vehicle doesn't crank..no start noise or anything..but gauges and lights appear as normal.


Start with the battery change for the key fobs. As for the second item I'd suspect your car's battery is nearing the end of it's life - replace it. Don't bother testing it, just replace it. According to JD Powers the most common item to be replaced on a car in the first three years of ownership is the car battery.


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

norm h said:


> Thanks for the info. I will change the battery in the FOB. Any suggestions or help on the other problem I mention....where I insert the key and everything works except the vehicle doesn't crank..no start noise or anything..but gauges and lights appear as normal.


Start by changing the fob battery first and try it in the car. If you still have a problem with the anti-theft system with the new battery in the fob, try using your other (spare) fob if you still have one. If the spare fob works, then you have a bad fob and will need a replacement. If the anti-theft still does not work on the spare fob then there is likely a problem with the receiver or something else on the car and that will have to be serviced by the dealer. 

If you need a replacement fob the dealer can order one or you can get a new uncut replacement fob on ebay for example, but your dealer will still have to program and cut the key. That may save you a bit on the cost though?


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## TDCruze (Sep 26, 2014)

obermd said:


> Start with the battery change for the key fobs. As for the second item I'd suspect your car's battery is nearing the end of it's life - replace it. Don't bother testing it, just replace it. According to JD Powers the most common item to be replaced on a car in the first three years of ownership is the car battery.


I agree about the car battery as well, they seem to be really cheap! Mine already struggles a bit on the colder days and its almost new. Only issue i have noticed is the radio resets every now and then. If it was bad enough it may interrupt more systems.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

TDCruze said:


> I agree about the car battery as well, they seem to be really cheap!


Who, where, makes the OEM Cruze batteries?


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Why not test the battery first before replacing it, I can do this a home with all of my electronic junk. Dealer may charge for this, NAPA does it for free with a good tester, none of that mickey mouse crap like what Walmart uses. We also know about clamping problems in the negative battery terminal that can cause this problem and will also be there even with a brand new battery.

Spotted mine the next day, just filed that clamp so it would grip tight. Darn clamp was closed tight and still loose on the battery terminal, could twist it. 

If you take a BCM with a variable DC power supply and slowly increase the voltage from zero to 5 volts, it will go nuts. Would suspect a poor battery connection to emulate the same thing when hitting the starter. Well 0 to 11 volts at the BCM power supply input. Another factor is power on reset, if the program counter is not set to zero, the microcontroller is dead loss and no telling what codes it would generate. Tripping over it own feet.

As usual, the shop manual is next to worthless in explaining the operation of the anti-thief, use to use Hall Effect transistors to make sure the correct key was inserted and all of the tumblers were perfectly aligned to enable the crank function. What they are doing now is a good question. Also use to be a separate module for anti-thief, if nothing else, could bypass the crank and ignition relays to start and run your vehicle. 

In the Cruze, all part of the BCM now with a microcontroller running on code stored in flashram that can also be the problem.

But I would start with first knowing your battery is good and having good connections.

Not easy to explain this in simple terms because the anti-thief system is anything but simple. Over 18 wires feeding the BCM portion just for anti-thief, and a ton more for other stuff.


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## Caitloglyn (Jan 6, 2022)

/


norm h said:


> In December 2014 purchased a 2011 Cruze. Twice last week I went to start the vehicle once I inserted and turned the ignition key, it would not crank. No starter noise at all, however all the indicator lights and gauges appeared as they normally would. If I removed the key from the ignition and reinserted the key a few times, the vehicle then starts. Also, when this happened yesterday, the message appeared "Service Anti Theft Deterrent System". I'm wondering what could be the cause of the 1st issue I mention and is it related to the 2nd issue I mentioned. Are these two problems somehow related and can a dealer repair easily. Thanks for the help.


Did you ever figure out what the cause was and how did you fix it?


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