P Rover 214S immobilised. :-(

Hi I found this in a forum. Hope it helps

If your key fob has just stopped working try this:

1. Unlock your vehicle with the key in the drivers door lock, do not open the door.
2. Press the right hand button lock button (the button with the padlock symbol or the dimpled button) on the key fob 4 to 8 times. If the above fails try this:
3. Open the key fob
4. Remove the battery
5. Press any button 10 ten times, and the same with the other button
6. Refit the battery or a new battery
7. Unlock the vehicle with the key in the drivers door lock, do not open the door
8. Press the right hand button lock button (the button with the padlock symbol or the dimpled button) on the key fob 4 to 8 times The Rover 25 Immobiliser system is very reliable, the ECU control rarely fails, if your vehicle will not start it is probably due to the remote key fob. You may have to perform the above sequence if your vehicles battery has gone flat or it is disconnected. If all the above fails you have the EKA code. The Rover 25 remote key fob uses a rolling code system. When you press the key fob, the code changes every time, and the alarm box in your vehicle also changes its code to match with the key fob. This is a great antitheft system but sometimes the key fob and alarm box codes do not match and the system will not operate.

Yeah, funnily I'd spotted that earlier and believe we have been trough all the steps we can with no success.

The extra problem for me is I'm not clear just how bad the 'not immobilising' was before I ever saw the thing and hence how well the buttons on the fob are working.

FWIW my 92 218SD Randomly immobilises itself (and I never did have the fob) but I know a 'wrinkle' that allows me to un-set it quite easily. I didn't want to try it on this in case it makes matters worse. :-(

Cheers, T i m

The fobs die. I took my one to bits and resoldered several dodgy connectors and replaced the actual switches (maplin) which improved things. But I still ended up adding a tiny wedge of rubber in the casing. If you take out the circuit board and operate it out of the case, I found there was a certain point that needed pressure behind it to make it work, that was where I added a little chunk of rubber. It has worked faultlessly for months.

Otherwise a new fob is about 65 quid including synching to your ecu, you cannot do it yourself. Various places on the web advertise the service.

If you find a way to synch a new remote to your ecu please tell me, I bought a spare from ebay, but apparently it needs a special reset electronic gizmo.

Oooo, I found the site but not that bit, interesting.

I also found on the net that X-Part should be able to supply the EKA code. I just rang one place and they just wanted me to bring the car in and they'll supply a replacement fob for £125+. They didn't seem to understand that they should be able to just supply the EKA (all we want right now). They also suggested that even with the EKA the car would re-immobilise itself every time you turn it of but that's not what I understood to happen (if you don't press the fob that is)?

I then phoned another X-Part centre and they seemed more 'switched on', asked me for the reg and vin and are going to get back to me.

Once we get it running we can buy ourselves some time to sort the fob out (or not). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

AFAIK on all models (that year rover) The automatic immobiliser cuts in so many seconds after you open the drivers door,(Which is why the Immo . doesn't cut in if you just turn the car off and sit in it ) so it should be possible to disconnect the door switch and prevent it coming on. If you know the key turning sequence for your exact vehicle the immobiliser can be circumvented, but not permanently.

Hmm, so it works differently to my 92 218SD then (I have had the fob and have to occasionally 'trick' the immobiliser off when it comes on randomly. (I think it's over sensitive to RF or summat as it more often does it in car parks etc)?

I might try your tack re replacing / checking some of the components on the fob, like switches and xtal as they are quite cheap.

Cheers, T i m

Don't press it too often away from the car or it loses synchro. To re-synch it turn on the ign and press the off button about 4 or 5 times and it should re-synch. The pre 95 (?) system was quite different, on my old 92 metro with a single button remote. I can't remember the number of the switch, but they were not too hard to mount and they definitely came from maplin and yes they were surface mount on the original, and I just cut the legs off. RSonline also have the switches. I don't know about the crystal, if you find one that definitely works right I would love to know and I'll change that too. I found there were cracks in the solder for the battery mount. A powerful magnifier is needed or one of those PC microscopes.

Ok thanks. There does seem to be a confusing amount of information out there as to the correct procedure re re-synching? We were just using the 'unlock but don't open the drivers door and press the lock button

Ah.

I was thinking along similar lines.

The one given in the previous message is supposed to be the right one.

Ah, funny you should say that ... in the daylight, my stronger glasses and whilst poking about a bit I found one of the switches is de-soldered on the pair of contacts that look like they are supposed do the work!

I'm not sure when that happened (but might account for the intermittent reliability pre me getting to it) but I'm about to solder them back down and see what happens.

In any event the external rubber buttons are damaged and one of the actual rubber push button stalks is cut in half (so now quite short) so it could still do with some TLC.

I'll keep you posted and thanks for your help so far.

T i m

Wahoo!

Soldered up the switch (and re-did a few others joints while I was there [1]), popped it all back together and went out to the car. Unlocked the drivers door and sat in, pressed the 'Lock' button a few times then heard a 'click' from under the dash, pressed the unlock button and the nasty red light went off!

Now, to get her at least one new fob and someone to do the re-programming ... for the right price.

All the best and thanks to all who offered help.

T i m

That is nice to know. I spent ages on this problem when it happened to my one, I still only have one remote that is matched to the car. If you find a procedure to get a secondhand remote to work at a reasonable price please let me know.

Will do.

I think the deal with this range of remotes is they come with their own serial no's and it's just a matter of adding up to 4 fobs on the 'accepted' list.

I think it's all down to first finding the remote (seem cheap on eBay) and someone with a Testbook to program the system for you.

Or there may be a door open / close keyswitch way of doing it (I've got to read the handbook later).

Cheers, T i m