dude thats only part of a bigger problem that can cost hundreds of dollars if you dont know what exactly it is the theft sys on pontiacs are faulty and it eventually wont let you start the car cause it thinks your stealing it. it sucks :( but there is hope, i had the same problem so i looked up "grand am theft system on yahoo and found a solution for our year (i too have a 97) good luck For those of you who have not done it yet: Mine is a 1997 GrandAm. I warrant what follows for 1997s only, but perhaps yours is the same. 1. The manual says to isolate the yellow data wire through the radio compartment, but I did not have to do that. Pop the top off the steering-wheel housing (it snaps on) and remove the tilt-steering lever (unscrews -- mine had some locktite on it, so be careful). 2. Now remove the bottom portion of the housing (three screws underneath). 3. BE CAREFUL! There are two yellow wires underneath -- one to the air bag, one to the ignition. Obviously, you want the one to the ignition. It is the wire "most" underneath (obvious what that means when you see it) and closest to the driver when he or she is behind the wheel. 4. START THE CAR! START THE CAR! START THE CAR! This is an essential step! If the car won't start (like mine), jiggle the wire as you turn the ignition (many of these PassLock problems are old, corroded wire connections, not the Hall sensor). 5. Clip the yellow data wire, leaving at least some wire to work with on both sections. Once the wire is cut, you may (but don't have to) turn off the car. 6. From Radio Shack, obtain SPST mini-toggle switch # 275-612 (total cost including tax: $3.17). 7. Remove switch from packaging; make sure it is in the "off" (contacts open) position (check it with a meter). 8. Strip a short section of insulation from each end of the cut data wire, slip some shrink wrap over the wires, and splice in the switch. 9. Maneuver the shrink wrap over the soldered terminals and heat to form a completely insulated splice. 10. The toggle can be left inside the housing or mounted on the underside of the lower housing section (drill a 1/4-inch hole carefully so the plastic does not melt around the drill bit). 11. Reinstall lower housing (three screws) and tilt lever (you may want to use some locktite, but I didn't). If you opted for outside mounting, screw on the locknut for the switch. 12. Snap top half of housing in place. 13. If you turned the car off, turn it on to test. It should start right up. That's all there is to it! Now: Don't write back and say your "theft system" light is on -- it's supposed to be on. What you have just done is disable PassLock, and YOUR CAR IS NO LONGER PROTECTED FROM BEING HOTWIRED AND STOLEN. So, you must take all the old precautions against auto theft, like locking the car and pocketing the keys. IF YOUR BATTERY DIES (or if your local dummy repairman disconnects it to work on the car): PassLock probably will reactivate -- that's why you spliced in the switch. Flip the toggle to "on." Now, in effect, the data wire is reconnected. You must get the car started again to disable PassLock. Once started and running for more than five seconds, flip the toggle to "off." PassLock once again is disabled, and the red "theft system" light will come on. Ignore the light. N.B.: If you accidentally (or deliberately) flip the toggle while the car is off, PassLock will reactivate, and the car must be restarted again before the toggle can be turned off again. If PassLock is engaged and the toggle is off, the car will not start. If you flip the toggle while the car is running, again PassLock will engage and stay engaged unless you flip the toggle off before turning off the ignition.

leave the key on for 10 minutes.that will reset the theft system.