To reset your Chevy Silverado’s anti-theft system, you put the key in the ignition and put your car into accessory mode—meaning the car’s electrical system is on but the engine is off. Leave your key in the ignition for about 10 minutes, then start up the engine. After all that, the security light should stop blinking.
It’s always comforting to know that your vehicle is equipped with an anti-theft system—especially for Chevy Silverado drivers. These popular tracks make up a staggering 1.55% percent of all vehicles on the road, and are the number one most commonly stolen vehicle. In 2021 alone, there were 48,206 reported incidents of Chevy Silverado theft.
Your anti-theft system does give you great peace of mind. But it can be a pain in the rear when it accidentally gets triggered and you’re unable to start your car! That’s why Jerry
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ drivers How to reset the Chevy Silverado anti-theft system
The anti-theft system in your Chevy Silverado is powered by your car’s internal computer. If it accidentally gets triggered (which we’ll talk about in more detail below), your car will think you’re trying to steal it and prevent you from starting up the engine. So, in order to fix the problem, you’ll need to reboot the computer system.
Start by unlocking your car and placing the key into the ignition. Turn the key part of the way so that your Chevy’s electrical systems (battery, radio, headlights, etc.) turn on, but that the engine remains off. You will need to leave it in the ignition until the anti-theft light stops blinking, which should take around 10 minutes.
After the light turns off, remove the key from the ignition and remove the key. Wait about 10 seconds, then re-insert your key. Your Silverado should now start up without a hitch!
But, if that doesn’t work, you may want to try another method. For this one, take your car’s physical key and insert it into the driver’s side door, and hold it there for about 30 seconds. With this method, you are getting your vehicle to recognize that you have the correct key for your vehicle. Once your vehicle recognizes your key, you’ll be able to get back in and start up your engine.
If you try both of those methods and your Chevy still won’t budge, you’ll need to contact your local Chevrolet dealership. There could be a larger problem with your truck’s computer system, or you may need to get your key fob reprogrammed.
What does the anti-theft system on a Chevy Silverado do?
The Chevy Silverado anti-theft is what’s known as a passive system. It’s “passive” not because it doesn’t do anything, but because it goes on automatically without you having to do anything. It automatically arms when the vehicle is off, and automatically disarms when the vehicle is on.
Notably, only a properly paired remote keyless entry transmitter can start up or unlock your vehicle. If your Chevy Silverado senses that a non-paired key is attempting to open the door, trunk, or start the engine, the anti-theft system will engage and prevent the engine from starting.
You can see your security light on the instrumental panel on the driver’s side door. The light will slowly blink to indicate that the vehicle is armed. Sometimes, when starting up your car, the security light may come on briefly, but should turn itself off.
How to pair your Chevy key fob with your truck
So, the key (no pun intended) is to make sure that your Chevy key fob is programmed specifically for your Silverado. To pair your key fob with your truck, first unlock your Silverado’s driver side door with the physical key. Make sure that all four doors (and the trunk!) are firmly closed, and put the key into the ignition but do not start the car.
Next, look at the instrument panel on the driver's side door. Press and hold the unlock button and then turn your key into the “on” position. When you do this, the interior lights should turn on but the engine should still be off. From there, you will need to quickly turn the key off again in this sequence: on-off-on-off. After you do that, release the door unlock button you’ve been holding down on the driver’s side instrument panel.
You should hear the locks on your doors engage and disengage, meaning your Silverado is ready to be paired with your key. Now, on the key fob, press and hold the unlock and lock buttons at the same time until you hear the locks on your car doors engage and disengage once more. To complete the pairing process, re-insert the key into the ignition and set it to “on.”
What can trigger the Chevy anti-theft system?
Chevy’s anti-theft system, however helpful it may be, isn’t 100% foolproof. In fact, many Silverado owners report that a dead key fob battery, a dead car battery, a damaged car battery, or a broken immobilizer can all trigger the anti-theft system.
If you’re not sure what’s causing the anti-theft system to engage, scan your car with an OBD scan tool
or take your Chevy into a dealership. Can the Chevy Silverado anti-theft system lower your insurance rate?
Anti-theft devices aren’t just for peace of mind, though. In fact, equipping your truck with anti-theft devices can shave off 5% to 25% off your comprehensive car insurance coverage
! Chevy Silverados generally benefit from low insurance costs regardless of whether or not they have their own anti-theft systems. As we mentioned in the introduction, the Silverado is one of the most common vehicles on the road, which makes replacement parts widely available and making the car overall cheaper to insure. With the Silverado, the WT Regular Cab 4WD is the cheapest to insure while the decked-out Silverado High Country Crew Cab 4WD is at the pricier end of the spectrum.
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How to save on Chevy Silverado insurance
But, let’s say the worst happens, and a would-be thief is able to override your security system and steal your Chevy. Under those circumstances, you’ll need comprehensive coverage. Although it costs a little more than a standard car insurance
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