scoobyster

Hi All

I've had a Clifford G4 Concept 600 on my Impreza since '02 and it's been no trouble at all until now. It was installed by 'Max the Clifford dealer' at Maximum Impact in Leeds, but I believe they ceased trading some time ago, anyone know? I don't think I've seen him post on here for a long time in any case.

The alarm seems to have died. It went off a couple of times in the night for no known reason, but responded to the remote and disarmed. I just locked the car manually and left the alarm off for the rest of the night, but in the morning there was no 'immobilised' light flashing, and no response from the remote. The car started without de-immobilising with the remote or valet code, but the fuel pump immobiliser was active so the car soon stopped.

I have had a bit of bother with my usual remote lately, the battery clip's solder joint has been failing so needed a squeeze to work. I have now repaired this, but maybe the alarm considered it a 'dodgy' signal from this remote and so is now ignoring it? But that wouldn't explain why the alarm seems to have shut down completely, or why the spare remote isn't accepted either, or the valet code.

I've tried disconnecting the car battery, and upon reconnecting, the alarm sounds the 'armed' beep and then the alarm itself for a few seconds, then stops sounding and is left in an armed state. (Usually when you reconnect the battery, the alarm sounds until you stop it with a remote.) I then go on to disarm with the remote which seems to work fine and as I go to start I get ignition lights as normal, but the fuel pump is still immobilised so I can't start. After this first disarm, the alarm is dead again and the remotes and valet switch are useless.

I've got a Cliffnet Wizard cable somewhere but can't lay my hands on it. Not sure whether it would help, but if it worked at least I could re-pair the alarm with the remotes and rule that out.

I've done some dismantling of the interior today and I think I've found the alarm's brain but I need more daylight to do anything with it. I'm wondering about unplugging it so it loses its power supply from the siren's backup battery, in the hope it will reset itself and work again. Is this a good idea or not? I've no idea where the wireless fuel immobiliser will be or what I should do with it if I find it!

I still have the documentation for the alarm and am the original owner so the lifetime warranty still applies, but I'm not sure how I'll get on if the original supplier and fitter is no longer trading. The car is stranded in North Wales (as am I!) and the local dealer can't look at it for at least a week, he says it sounds like the alarm brain is faulty and will need replacing/refurbishing by Clifford. Anyone know of a good Clifford installer/service agent in the North West or Midlands that might be able to deal with it sooner? I guess my first port of call will have to be Clifford's head office on Monday and ask about a warranty claim. I'd like to make sure it goes to someone good as I think the job by Max was good and I've heard a lot of horror stories about poor installations of Cliffords.

Any tips or advice would be gratefully received.

incarsolutions

iTrader: (12)

Deffo sounds like the brain has given up, Have you had the alarm serviced every year and the book stamped as without that the lifetime warranty is void (also in the small print its limited to 5 years) Any dealer will honor the warranty if its valid so no need to go to the original dealer. Also directed electronics who own clifford have recently closed down their european office in surrey and handed all of their warranty and sales to a third party to deal with. Your best bet will to be find a local dealer (i'm suprised one said they're booked out for a week this time of year) and at least make the car mobile for you as if it can be done under warranty they will remove the brain and send it off before any repairs are carried out and that can take a couple of weeks.

To be honest its more than likely time for a new more up to date system as its had a good run for one of the G4 systems

scoobyster

Many thanks for the reply although not quite what I wanted to hear!

I haven't had it serviced I'm afraid to say. The manual says it requires no maintenance so I never considered it. What would servicing it involve anyway? I didn't think I was neglecting it as the manual clearly says no maintenance required.

There's another local dealer who I'll call on Monday morn. Presumably the AA would take the car to wherever I can get a dealer to sort it out quickly, so it doesn't have to be that local.

What will I be looking at paying to have the G4 brain repaired/replaced? If I update to a G5 can I buy a low spec one but get the high spec features from my G4 accessories? ie. blackjax, tilt sense, proximity sense, glass sensor, total closure, remote headlights, etc.

Must say that I'll be mighty unimpressed if I have to spend another £700+ to get an equivalent alarm when I thought this one would see the car out with its "lifetime" warranty.

incarsolutions

iTrader: (12)

with servicing its just simply checking the alarm installation, making sure everything works as it should, and stamping a book, dealers will charge for it but without it they will say the warranty is void.

the G5 range starts at £350 and has blackjaxx built in and you can use the sensors already in the car to spec it up to reduce the cost

scoobyster

Thanks again. Do the G5s have better reliability performance then? From the way you spoke about my having a good run from my G4, it sounds like you consider them unreliable generally?

The manual makes no warning about such warranty get-out clauses so I think I'm in a good position to argue at least. There's a pdf copy of the manual here: http://www.directeddealers.com/manua...0uk_owners.pdf
Page 3 says no maintenance required. Page 24 has the warranty clauses, which don't include servicing requirements. Perhaps these clauses have been introduced for their newer models?

Anyone know of a good Clifford agent in the North West? I'm going to give Safe & Sound in Deeside a call tomorrow.

P600wrx

iTrader: (1)

just to say before you trash it, have it checked out a dealer can plug it into the cliffnet wizard, i'm pretty sure you will need a new valet switch if it was in daily use for the blackjax, i have a 600 and i needed to change my switch, as for the remote's the solder joints on the battery clamp break so a simple touch with a sodering iron will sort it out might save you 350 for a concept 650

scoobyster

Thanks. Local installer said it sounds like the power isnt getting through all of the alarms circuits and it will be an alarm out and sent back to Clifford job. He reckons this means that Cliffnet Wizard won't work, although I have been tempted to get hold of a cable to try (still can't find my own one). I've soldered the battery clip in the remote like you say.

Interesting development today. The alarm seems to have partly come back to life without prompting. I went to the car today and the immobilised status light was flashing away. When pressing the remote, the car unimmobilised, as it would if the keys were in the ignition (which they weren't - ordinarily it should lock and arm in this circumstance). Another remote press leads the alarm to lock and arm but the alarm sounds immediately, which I can stop with the remote. I can then disarm and unimmobilise, on the face of it anyway, but the car still won't start. I have put the battery on charge just in case this is a factor, although I still think it's the fuel pump immobiliser still engaged. It still won't respond to the vallet code.

It's now left so that the status light acts as it should, as do the ignition immobilisers it seems. The only problems are that the alarm sounds as soon as it is armed, and the fuel pump immobiliser seems to be locked on. Also the vallet code is not accepted. I'll have another go with it tomorrow and update. It's booked in to be seen by the local agent on Monday.

P600wrx

iTrader: (1)

i know exactley what it could be, when the c600 is fitted it has a wireless fuel gaurd i totally forgot, find your fuel pump under the metal cover look for a black box about 2" square with 3 black wire's on it, what you need to do is disarm the car so you have ignition lights but DO NOT crank it, then go to the fuel gaurd and squezze it you will feel a small button inside it on the wider part, hold it squezzed for at least 30 seconds so it programmes to alarm, then start car WITHOUT TURNING IGNITION OFF if this does not work and you do find the fuel gaurd then just take it out and repair the cuts to the power wire to the fuel pump, the 3 wire 1 will be a ground and screwed to the chassis the other 2 will be in line on the live to your fuel pump.

Mark

AndyMoody

iTrader: (2)

I had problem with my 600 valet switch. My car was immobilised and wouldn't react to anything as the switch was worn out completely and I couldn't start the car or disarm it.
I had an engineer who came out and bypassed the alarm but it still wouldn't start. Found one of the massive 50A fuses under the bonnet near the passenger wing had blown, no idea why. When replaced the car started. Had the switch replaced and alarm reconnected and all now OK. I'm not saying your alarm isn't duff, but check the fuses.

Mine was also fitted by Max in Leeds but I know he sold up or something not long afterwards, so you won't get hold of him.
Andy.

Lernebo

having kind of the same problem but i cant found that fuse andymoody could you send me a picture? thx for reply!

AndyMoody

iTrader: (2)

Sorry but I sold my Scooby over 12 months ago. From memory though they were red fuses in the fusebox under the bonnet and I think near the battery on the inner wing. I can't be 100% sure of that location, it was nearly 6 years ago now and I can't look at mine to check the fuses.

Evansawd

Sorry to hijack the thread but have a clifford alarm questions but mainly.....

Can you buy the master key separately, can't find them listed on the clifford site.

Cheers.

Dvddan

Good luck with the life-time warranty, think you will find if the UK main dealer has changed since buying your alarm they will not honour it, Main dealer seems to change every 5 years or so

Regards Daniel