Important! : Immobiliser Problem ):

5th February 2012, 19:32

Hi guys, Im having a nightmare with the Immobiliser on my 1999 VTR.
I went to start it today and the Yellow Immobiliser light on the dash was flashing and the car just turns over and over but will not start.

This has never happened before today and i have no idea whats going on.

What can i do to get it started? Will i need to buy anything and can i do it all myself?

Please help guys, I really need my car and just cant figure out whats happened. Cheers..

5th February 2012, 19:36

Sounds like the ring around the barrel has screwed up, check to make sure you havent broken or lost the chip out of the key, at worst id say u just need to coded again... Thats a guess as on my old one i just taped the old key to that ring and used my mates for 6 months when i broke my key....

5th February 2012, 20:00

Okay, how do i get the key re-coded? Will i need a new ring thing around the barrel (transponder?)? Could try doing what you did as well i suppose.

5th February 2012, 22:41

Lol to get it coded easyest way it a cit or pug dealer, tapeing it wont work for you as your using the original key to start with, see if they can code it first then go from there, thats your best bet

6th February 2012, 11:05

Mate I have sympathy! I have exact same problem! Iv had my key programmed, nothin helped then I changed transponder and had it coded again and still nothing, iv gota have my ecu unlocked now as I have been told its locked! So I'm basically f***ed aswell

6th February 2012, 11:49

In thAt case id be looking for a doner lol

6th February 2012, 13:26

Doe get saying that lmao! Iv got faith! Hopefully this guy can unblok it and ill let you no, ther is guy on hear who offered to do mine down cornwall, so if youhave the same problem as me I will message that guy for you.

6th February 2012, 15:16

Iv just been told to press you the fuel cut off button, innertia or sumert, on a vts it is behind battery, not sure on vtr but try pressing that mate cus iv been told the bearin pops out sometimes. Just give it a try

6th February 2012, 18:09

Okay might have to look into getting the key programmed then. Will i need a new transponder or not? Ill give that inertia switch a try, you never know.
Am i right in saying once you get the engine running, if you disconnect the immobiliser this will never happen again?

6th February 2012, 18:25

I dunno, iv saw people say do this but not actually sayin it works, I spose if it doesn't work u just plug it back in but can't help you their mate, let me no if u get it running, but as I say a red button under bonnet controls the fuel pump it may reset it I'm gona try it later

6th February 2012, 18:27

Won't need a new transponder if it isn't broke but its hard to say, I got 1 for 20 kwid n easy to do so might be worth it tbh mate, 2 birds with 1 stone then a it. Just get it programed after

6th February 2012, 18:32

Resetting the "Inertia" will reset the fuel line (if it's been blocked - it's a safety device which stops fuel flow to the engine in the event of an accident) but don't think it has anything to do with the yellow dash light.

My VTS has occasionally an issue with reading the key code (flashing yellow light jobbie) but by disconnecting the battery and reconnecting it resets and all works OK - try this before spending any money as it might work (does for me) as a reboot. Be ready to turn the alarm off when/if it sounds.

6th February 2012, 19:55

Do you think getting my ecu unlocked or flashd will bypass the immobiliser, then I can just fit a toad immobilider? Has any1 had their ecu flashed or unlocked (same thing I think) does it work, any problems or negatives to flashing ecu?

6th February 2012, 20:29

I tried the Inertia button but didnt make any difference =/ Also tried disconnecting the battery and even touching the terminals together but that made no difference. Im gonna leave it disconnected over night see if that helps.
If none of that works i've ran out of ideas. What does getting the key re-programmed do? Does it not need a matching transponder or ECU or something. Dont really know much about all this so im easily confused =/

6th February 2012, 20:34

Lmao, iv pressd my button and no change, iv disconnected my battery and I did the terminal thing other day! Same for me, thers chip in ur key that can be knokd out of program or broke when u drop ur keys, n a guy will plug it in n just re do it, I have 2 leys and both them don't work so it wasn't my key but I changed my transponder for the cheaper option, I just hope getting my ecu done bypasses the immobiliser. Ill let you no mate or if u get urs done before me let me no pm me or something

6th February 2012, 20:45

Haha, hating it. Sounds like your in the exact same boat as me. Think the next step is to get my key done and hope for the best. So can i fit any old trasponder then, i have a donor saxo could swap them over. Or does it have to be from a VTR?

6th February 2012, 20:59

Not sure mate, I wudnt say any saxo key or transponder is different, I just duno weva u will need to program it into ur ecu, I'm totally lost on electrics, anything mechanical I can handle ish lol, but this has just threw me

6th February 2012, 21:04

exact same happened to me on an 02 saxo desire, after standing for a few months, battery went flat, immobiliser forgot what it was meant to do and immobilised the engine, cranked but wouldn't fire. Now have an unlocked ECU, immobiliser light continually flashes but at least it starts and goes now. If the battery went flat/very low this may have happened to you. The immobiliser recognised my keys, tried recoding but didn't work. Can't even get a decent wiring diagram (petty criminals may get hold of them etc) so i'm getting a third party immobiliser. Hate french electrics. I reccommend a third party immobiliser. You can get an unlocked ECU on ebay for about £90 or try having yours unlocked, it didn't work with mine though.

Hope that helps

6th February 2012, 21:12

So you couldn't get yours unlocked? Just put a new 1 on already flashed, cheers mate. N yh electrics not the best, iv been told pulling out the immobiliser disables the light, or even try getting behind your clocks and chopping or pulling it out if it annoys you

6th February 2012, 21:28

we got an auto-electrician out and he took away the ecu, wrote an 'imo' file on to ignore the immobiliser but it didn't help, got a brand new unlocked ecu for £85 trading in the original ecu off ebay. Check all relays and fuses too, one of the relays were giving slighty dodgy readings, so changed those too. A right pain to get hold of though

and im going to attack the dashboard this weekend when i have a free morning, just hope the little plastic holders dont snap. The french really don't know how to make an easy to maintain car do they

7th February 2012, 08:55

Looool fairplay mate, that light will drive me nuts, doin my nut in now! Yh cheers for advice ill see what this guy can do n if I have to ill buy a unlocked 1, cheers again good luck with your light. Ohhh wich relay is it? Under glove box yh?

7th February 2012, 09:00

check the relay that sits underneath the ecu tray; favourite to go wrong as happened with mine. Its a double relay which activates the immobiliser and charges the fuel pump. See if you can check for any power at the fuel pump. I had the same symptoms with mine on a 52 plate and it worked afterwards, quick cheap fix only about a tenner from a scrapyard or about 15quid from a citroen dealer. Hope it helps

7th February 2012, 10:37

Spot on mate ill try that! Didn't no that neva cheers mate, I'm in derby training so I aint with my saxo till friday so ill give it ago friday

8th February 2012, 18:33

Right i've tried everything. Charged battery up, disconnected it, touched terminals together, inertia switch, any thing without spending a penny but ive had no luck.
What you guys think? Get an unlocked ECU next? Might speak to Citroen and see what they say but i reckon they will just tell me to go to them and that would end up putting me back far to much ):

8th February 2012, 19:32

did you check the relay? use a multimeter and check for continuity

8th February 2012, 19:50

Try the relay, try searching google for someone mobile who will come have a look and maybe unblock it, if you can't then buy a flashed/unlocked ecu and that should work from what iv seen on internet and been told.

Good luck mate

11th February 2012, 15:47

checked all my fuses again today, took off my fuel pump relay, massive brown block, put a tester on it and it does look faulty, tried various scrapyards and no luck. going to wait till monday then phone citreon. do i have to get a vts 1 or can i get a vtr? mine is brown and a vtr 1 is black? becuase you have to keep same coloured fuses is this the same?

help is much appreciated

11th February 2012, 17:28

colour has to be the same, the codes should be identical aswell. I had the same problem looking for one for my 1.1 saxo; had to wait 3 weeks for citroen to get some from the manufacturer; managed to find one in a scrappy by sheer determination

11th February 2012, 17:57

I got a brown relay for my vts from a leaser spec 1.4 saxo, same connector and part numbers. Hope this helps

David.

P.s. I also have the same fault as you, car spent a week in the garage and still no joy,
One of the lads on here said he could unlock it for me for £45.

11th February 2012, 21:13

cheers lads, well i found a proper citreon breakers and he said hees got some, £15 so spose that aint bad just gota get it before tues as iv got a guy coming to do my ecu.

have you got yours working david?

11th February 2012, 23:39

I got one for a fiver mate, but just wear some baggy clothes and fill your pockets

There is a bit of a knack to getting the relay out so take your time with yours, mine had a small R-shaped clip holding it into the connector at the bottom.

No mate, not got mine running yet. I hope it's just needing the ecu unlocked.

David.

12th February 2012, 13:23

yh ther was a lil split pin thing in mine took that out, pulled out the red tab and just disconnected it, thnx mate but ill just go to the tat yard tmoro because i need it before tuesday

12th February 2012, 18:34

no probs fella, best of luck

david.

14th February 2012, 17:24

well today a man came round with fancy computers, got the ecu to reveal its faults, only thing wrong is the abs :s, but still not starting, got a new relay no change still not clicking in. so i got my volt meter out played about and then bridge the fuel pump and got it pumping but no spark. so definatley a faulty immboliser box i think, dunno wether to try unblocking my ecu but not sure. breaker yard offered me ecu with matching transponder, keys and immobliser and all locks. £150 kwid, do i unblock my ecu or buy a flashed one already or do i buy new system???? help please guys

thank you

18th February 2012, 22:15

UPDATE, iv tried 2 auto electricians and they cant suss the problem. changed relay twice, nothing. by passed fuel relay but still no spark. today i bought a used ecu, immobiliser box, transponder, all keys and locks and still didnt work. so i think i have some sort of wiring problem. any ideas? any help or suggestions appreciated as iv spent like 300 now and still not going

21st February 2012, 19:14

finally got it going, after all this faffing and taking the whole dash off tracing all the wires eventually found that its a wire from my battery to my alternator! so i lived the alternator off battery and it started straight away. thank god to wiring diagrams in manual. so if any body has any of these symptoms try living the alternator first!

hope this helps

22nd February 2012, 14:05

Was the wire damaged mate, also what colour was it? Just a basic red one?

Cheers,

David

22nd February 2012, 14:50

not sure yet pal, it was getting late when i finally put everything back in, so i just chopped up a jump lead and bodged it for now, going to fix it properly tomorow will update tomorow mate