MY2000 P38 immobiliser issues!!!

Hi all,

I'm at my wits end with this one!

Opened car with the key last night and all was fine, actually went back to it 3 times and opened no bother every time....didn't start it as the tensioner was knackered and I'd planned to change it in the morning.

Went back to it this morning, put key in the door, but only the drivers door unlocked and the alarm sounded when I opened the door. When I tried to start the car the engine is completely immobilised!

I changed the aux tensioner and belt, while I had the battery on charge.

I didn't attempt to start the car again until the battery was fully charged, however the car was still doing the same thing once charged!

I changed the batteries in both fobs, but now the little red light on the fobs don't flash and the car is still the same!

Any help greatly appreciated as I'm at a dead loss

I know this may appear stupid but these things are really temperamental ....a power drain may be the issue so check that the 2 bonnet clamps are working as if they are not located fully they keep the cub or whatever it is called running which can cause all sorts of issues and an affinity to drink.

Put key in lock turn backwards count to 4 turn forward & count to 4 try locking with the fob....

Doo said:

Put key in lock turn backwards count to 4 turn forward & count to 4 try locking with the fob....

Click to expand...

Cheers mate, I'll give that a try in the morning...

Before changing the batteries in the key fob the little red light on the key itself would flash when pressing the buttons, now it doesn't flash at all?

I also read somewhere that you can deactivate the alarm/imobiliser all together so I'll see if the trusty RAC man can do that

shiftyoldscoob said:

Cheers mate, I'll give that a try in the morning...

Before changing the batteries in the key fob the little red light on the key itself would flash when pressing the buttons, now it doesn't flash at all?

I also read somewhere that you can deactivate the alarm/imobiliser all together so I'll see if the trusty RAC man can do that

Click to expand...

I think the keyfob needs to be synced to the car again. I had this once or twice when I first got my car and the battery was absolute toast.

Keep us informed if it works and if so, mines a pint

shiftyoldscoob said:

Cheers mate, I'll give that a try in the morning...

Before changing the batteries in the key fob the little red light on the key itself would flash when pressing the buttons, now it doesn't flash at all?

I also read somewhere that you can deactivate the alarm/imobiliser all together so I'll see if the trusty RAC man can do that

Click to expand...

You can turn off passive immobilisation but that's all, I think. Can be done with the Nanocom.

Make sure car battery is 100%. Try key sync. Try EKA code. Failing that you'll need diag.

shiftyoldscoob said:

Cheers mate, I'll give that a try in the morning...

Before changing the batteries in the key fob the little red light on the key itself would flash when pressing the buttons, now it doesn't flash at all?

I also read somewhere that you can deactivate the alarm/imobiliser all together so I'll see if the trusty RAC man can do that

Click to expand...

You have done something wrong changing the batteries. They maybe the wrong way up.

wammers said:

You have done something wrong changing the batteries. They maybe the wrong way up.

Click to expand...

I checked and double checked their orientation buddy, they're defos the right way up.

They keys are quite well worn so there's a possibility the buttons have had it?

SHE'S ALIVE!!!

Entered the EKA code and bingo!

However the key fobs still don't work and their little LED's still don't light up???

Maybe an egay repair kit might do the job?

shiftyoldscoob said:

I checked and double checked their orientation buddy, they're defos the right way up.

They keys are quite well worn so there's a possibility the buttons have had it?

Click to expand...

If the buttons worked before they should still work. However there is a small connection visible if you look up inside the case on top of the board that desolders itself. Pushing it back in can correct the problem for a time. But fitting a new case and soldering it back into position is the real way to fix it. It is the positive contact for the battery. Make sure the positive contact strip in the lid the batteries go into is not contacting the positives of both batteries. It should only touch the first battery to go in. if it touches the second battery you will only get 3 volts instead of 6. Put a strip of insulation tape over it inside the lid as insulation.

On my fob the pickup on th board for the negative had broken, managed to fix it with a bit of wire, if you don't manage to sort it one of the members on here referbs them Mrsporty I think he is on eBay as well, or martyuk may be able to help.

brianp38dse said:

On my fob the pickup on th board for the negative had broken, managed to fix it with a bit of wire, if you don't manage to sort it one of the members on here referbs them Mrsporty I think he is on eBay as well, or martyuk may be able to help.

Click to expand...

The negative is the big round one with three prongs on the board do you mean that?

Aaaaaand she's dead again!!!

Input the EKA code earlier and all was fine, car opened and started using both keys (not the fob, just they key)

Went to get into it for a drive and only the drivers door unlocks, then the alarm sounds when I open the door!

Tried EKA again and nothing....

I read somewhere it could be connections in the door?

shiftyoldscoob said:

Aaaaaand she's dead again!!!

Input the EKA code earlier and all was fine, car opened and started using both keys (not the fob, just they key)

Went to get into it for a drive and only the drivers door unlocks, then the alarm sounds when I open the door!

Tried EKA again and nothing....

I read somewhere it could be connections in the door?

Click to expand...

CDL switch in drivers door lock maybe your problem. Get someone with Nanocom to disable alarm EKA and immobiliser until you sort it.

wammers said:

The negative is the big round one with three prongs on the board do you mean that?

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No it was the other one and the bit was missing so had to check other fob às to what was missing was like it when I got the motor and been working now for 8 years touch wood.

brianp38dse said:

No it was the other one and the bit was missing so had to check other fob às to what was missing was like it when I got the motor and been working now for 8 years touch wood.

Click to expand...

It is the positive contact to the board from the batteries.

Thanks for the replies so far guys, really appreciate it!

I honestly think it's the CDL switch in the door as the previous owner said sometimes the doors would lock and unlock while driving, also when the car was running the other day the same thing happened to me...

I think I'll buy a key fob repair kit and fit a new CDL switch and take it from there!....is the CDL an easy job or does it require any resetting etc?

Also a point to note is that both keys are labelled "key 1"?

Have you got 2 threads going? Thought I'd replied to this!

If you have 2 of key 1 they will keep knocking each other out of sync. Just use one of them and keep the other as backup.

This is a double thread?

Rick-the-Pick said:

This is a double thread?

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Or me losing it. Could have sworn I responded to something similar not 5 minutes earlier! P38 alarm/immobiliser thread as opposed to MY2000 P38 immobiliser issues!!!