Bit of a strange one: Had the clutch replaced on my MY94 today and as part of the process the battery was disconnected. Now when i place my immobiliser transponder against the little thingummy under the dash it will not un-immobilise the car for at least 45-60 seconds.
This used to take 2-3 seconds tops. The alarm (Clifford) still works as it did, but the immobiliser seems completely random. It will sometimes also just go off (light out) when the transponder is not even near the thingummy but has been held to it.
Do they need resetting after been inactive for a while? The car was in over night, so upto 24 hours without power. Is there a default setting that they revert to? I asked the mechanic who seemed nonplussed and gave me a number for their alarm guy, who i will try tomorrow, but thought i wiuld ask here as well.
Thanks in advance,

Roy.

P.S. I'm pretty sure that the immobiliser is a Cobra.

 

No idea I am afraid mate..

They are a Cobra immobiliser but that is all I know..

Sorry

JGM

 

Right had a word with an "alarmist" and he was nonplussed as well. He said that the immobiliser should never switch itself off without the keyfob making contact and that it should fail safe, i.e. always not allow you to start the car.
It seems to set itself OK 30 seconds after switching off and is always on when i try and start the car, but requires random pressing, holding and removing of key fob to switch it off.
I had a nose around under the dash and the socket thingy has two wires (+ve & -ve)going to the dashboard light and a data cable that seems to plug into a controller type box. If my keyfob is playing up (the only one i have) does anyone know if you can just change the keyfob and socket?

 

You could do no worse than speak to MCCLTD.

Dave used to be a Regional Sales Manager for Clifford and should know.

davidlucas@bigfoot.com

If he dont know, he will know someone who does.

 

Is the immobiliser you have a Clifford Virtual Key, or Virtual Key 2? If it was the earlier one, the range for the transponder tag used to be a bit variable. Check that the receiver coil which is around the steering lock, inside the column housing is still mounted as securely and perpendicularly as possible. Another thing to try is disconnecting your battery again, wait a couple of minutes and then reconnecting the terminal as 'cleanly' as possible, not jiggling it about. This powering down and back up again quite often works for all sorts of in-car electronics, not just security devices!

 

Ah, but then again, if it is a Cobra immobiliser, you can disregard everything I've just written (-:

 

Thanks for the advice so far guys, i'm going to take some pictures and try and post them to see if that helps at all.

 

Right been busy with my camera:

Key fob thingy on the right



Socket for key fob



Lead from the socket to the black box



The black box



Topside of the PCB inside the black box

 

I had another "play" whilst i was taking these and the latest findings are that:

1) Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery doesn't seem to make any difference.
2)The key fob seems to be OK as it will immobilise the car if the immobiliser is off (e.g. when the car has just been switched off and before the immobiliser cuts in automatically) instantly.
3)The immobiliser is off(!) for a short time after reconnecting the battery and the key fob will switch it on instantly at this point as well.
4)It is definitely a Cobra 0802, as seen on the PCB. I think these were added as standard when the cars came into the country. (Car is a UK MY94)
5)I still have to faff about for a minute or so (long time if you are in the petrol station at the time!) to get the immobiliser to switch off when i want to start the car.

Can anyone shed any light on the subject, please! Does it just need to be reset to the keyfob? Any ideas what the dipswitches do and the little switch on the socket?
Thanks in advance,

Roy.

added extra questions

[Edited by wiltshire_boy - 3/4/2003 2:21:18 PM]

 

Just realised that the keyfob does work when you insert it, it just takes 90 seconds or so for the immobiliser to switch off!

Plenty of time to get yer seatbelt on, insert key, choose some sweets, select a CD, clean the interior, shave, knit a jumper....:P

Think it may be knackered, any recommendations for a replcement immobiliser or is the one on the Clifford alarm enough?

OOhh, forgot to say that i had found a wiring diagram and instructions for resetting the keyfobs, tried this as well. Bit scary what you can find on the net eh?

[Edited by wiltshire_boy - 3/4/2003 4:38:56 PM]