I'll tell you another thing that pisses me off about vegans and vegetarians:

[Orrex]

So I was driving my 2003 Impala the other day and the "Security" light came on in the dashboard's message center. I've never seen this particular message before except as a brief blink as the system runs through its basic diagnostic.

The light stayed on for my four-mile drive home and went off when I shut off the engine, and it hasn't shown up since.

What the heck does this mean?


A bit of Googling got me to a bunch of message boards suggesting that it could be trouble with the "Body Control Module," which is an item that lasts for years after the car is assembled, costs $500 - $1200 to replace, and then will last only a year after that. Repeat annually as necessary.

However, other indicators suggested by those message boards (trouble with electronic systems, a clicking sound in the glove compartment, etc.) haven't occurred.


And why would the Body Control Module give a "Security" message anyway? Why not a message that says something slightly less cryptic, like "Body Control Module," for instance?


Any guesses/suggestions?

[LeftyMom]

1. I'd hook it up to a code reader and see if you get any hints from that.

They'll run you about $100 and are a pretty good investment to make if you happen to own or drive a car, but if you've got an Autozone nearby, they'll let you use theirs for free.

Alternately, you could get some white quartz, charge it with your intention to have your car run properly and reliably, and stash it in an inconspicuous place in your car, such as the glove box or taped under the dash. (I read this in a book once as a solution to car trouble. The author was serious. I hope he had AAA.)

[Orrex]

5. I'll probaby drop by the Autozone.

They know me because I bought those cool "dice" valve-stem caps for my sons' bikes.


And I'm definitely on board with the white quartz. Does it matter that the Impala is red?

[Orrex]

12. The Autozone guy said that it's probably the microchip in my key

Chevy vehicles make use of some sort of chip-based protection to prevent unauthorized ignition of the car, and after a while the chip in the key can go bad.

At about $120 it's not a dirt-cheap fix, but it's a lot cheaper than the $1500 I was (potentially) looking at for the BCM.


No word on whether or not the Autozone guy was a vegan.

[BlueJazz]

2. I love your posts but on this one, either I'm high as a kite or you are.

:)

[Orrex]

6. I don't see why it needs to be one or the other.

[BlueJazz]

9. Quite true or 2 heads are better than one.

[Happyhippychick]

3. Yep, I know what you should do. But I'm a vegetarian so I'm not going to tell you.

:P :P :P

[Orrex]

7. Doh!

[Kali]

4. fucking vegans

it went back off - just forget about it,

might be something to do with door locks or alarm systems


Impala?

[Orrex]

8. I wondered about the alarm system.

I've never actually used it, and maybe that's the system's way of telling me that it misses me.

[MilesColtrane]

10. It's feeling insecure?

Reassure your car and give it a banky.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

11. I had a friend who was a vegan

but that car was a piece of sh*t.



Maybe your Impala caught it from a Vega. Practice safe parking.

:hi: