1/ Does the immobiliser automatically immobilise the vehicle if you wander off for a few minutes after turning the ignition off? i.e. like when you go to pay for petrol (Gas) and leave the car open but take the keys with you?
2/ In this situation is it reset by arming and disarming with the "plipper"? (Key fob buttons)
MOST IMPORTANTLY
3/ How does it immobilise the car exactly? i.e. what system/s does it turn off?
I have a theory about a recent breakdown, but I want some answers first before I publicly embarrass myself!!! ;-) Al
Answers based on a 1997 CSE with the factory fitted alarm and immobiliser. I have not read the manual .... if the info is written anywhere.
Yes.
Yes ... and the doors lock and unlock.
OR
You turn the key in the ignition to the normal running position (one notch before the starter motor turns) and then press the thingie button. The immobiliser goes off without the doors locking and unlocking. Watch the red led (see below for what I mean) it will go on for a second or so when the immobiliser comes off.
No comment don't know
You got a flat battery and with jumper leads you could not restart it? It happened to me - or rather the car park attendants who tried to deliver my car.
Some points to note. If the key stays in the ignition the immobiliser does not come on. If you unlock (with the remote) the car and you do not open a door I believe the immobiliser does not come on.
Do you have the little red LED on the dash board? If it flashes once every little while ... the car is locked and immobilised.
If it has two quick flashes and then nothing until the next two quick flashes the car is immobilised.
FINALLY ... the batteries in your key fob(s) will soon die. I had to replace the batteries in both my fobs (the 2nd fob done a month ago) and the car is from circa September 1997. BUY the batteries now or else you will be truly immobilised ;-)
We "broke down" in the car park at Digley reservoir in Yorkshire near Holmfirth. We'd been for a walk, kids got a bit dirty so we opened car up and got them changed. Had an ice cream and then tried to start car. Nothing. Called out RAC, who after sending a patrol to the south coast eventually turned up four hours and eight or nine irate phone calls later.
Patrolman immediately diagnosed out of fuel, I said I found that hard to believe as car was fine when we parked. How unlucky would you have to be to run out as you switch the engine off.
To prove he was right he pulled off the intake hose to the throttle body and sprayed Bradex directly into throttle bottle whilst I operated the ignition. She started and ran on the Bradex, "proving" his point.
We fetched fuel put it in and tried again, in the meantime my wife had waited with the kids and the car, she'd obviously operated the remote locks.
Needless to say when we'd fuelled her up she ran like a dream!
We thought there must be a fuel sender issue, but I've just worked it out. Flash to bang period you could measure with a calendar! The immobiliser cuts the fuel circuit, but not the ignition! So there was still fuel in her, but the fuel pump was cut out by the immobiliser because we'd opened the car and not operated the ignition.....
Told you it was embarrassing, my only excuse is we'd only had the car a week and hadn't read the manuals. It was only by this very set of symptoms happening again on a known full tank that I realised what was going on! DOH!
It is pretty standard stuff they should know. This ha penned to me after I took the car I have now for a test drive, I could not restart it once I got back at the dealer's. They told me in passing why it would not restart ... hence the reason I know.
Mind you i knew my key fob was giving up but even one day I had to walk home for the spare key :-) and then back to the car :-(
Learn to watch the red LED for switching off the immobiliser. I am now sufficiently aware to know that if the car coughs and does not start I immediately look at the light for the way it is flashing.
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