Factory Fit Alarm/immobiliser on 2000 HSV GTS?

[Fatboy]

HI Everyone,

I'm loving the GTS I bought last friday (Thread here, but today I had a very annoying experience with the aftermarket 'Autowatch' immobiliser - it just refused to start (as I was supposed to be leaving work to go drop the Ute off at the exhaustr place!), all looked fine, so I suspected the immobiliser, called the AA and the git started as son as they turned up AA man reckjons this is normal for a failing immobiliser and it'll only get worse.

So I've spoken to my local stero/alarm place (Speed of Sound in Barrow) about removing it, which they'll do Friday/Saturday, I'm not keen on aftermarket alarms/immobilisers as IME they're just trouble, but speaking to my insurers (Adrian Flux) they need some sort of electronic immobiliser fitted, although it doesn't need to be Thatcham approved - would my HSV GTS (2000 model) have a factory fit immobiliser? If not I'll get the alarm place to fit another while they're in there...

Cheers

[Fatboy]

Thanks for the help everyone!

fred bloggs said:

BTW forget what the AA man says, they know nothing.
Wa there nothing when you turned the key?

Normal Procedure is t put the key in the ignition, turn to postion 2, press the button on the Autowatch fob, then the dash lights all come on, the dorrs lock/unlock and I can start the car.

What was happening was the lights came on and the doors lock/unlock as normal, but nothing happened when I turned the key - no sound, nothing.

I've also got a little autowatch push fob, with three contacts on it, and I found the receiver for this in the passenger footwell (it's the same as one I have in my 944, again autowatch, but that's never given me any issues, but it's just the contact fob, push in then start the car within a couple of minutes!) - pushing the fob into the receiver makes it beep a couple of times (didn't count how many) and, but didn't help the car start

fred bloggs said:

Oh you bought it ? Cool.
How do you like it?

I bloody love it, it's great
Thanks for the page Oversteer! I think I'll be fine with just that for insurance, but I'll check with them tomorrow.

[Fatboy]

Just to add - it did it again this morning, but started again after locking the car, waiting 2 minutes then unlocking and doing it again.

When I turn the ignition key, there is a single beep from the dash, so looks like the factory immobiliser is disarming as it should...

I'll definitely get the Autowatch Alarm removed - I can't see that this problem is anything other than that at fault unless there's something I'm missing? Plus I've only got 1 set of fobs for it and no paperwork so no idea what system is installed to get spares!

[Fatboy]

Update for you - my local alarm/Car Audio place Speed of Sound managed to fit me in this afternoon and got the Autowatch alarm removed - here's the culprit:


They've tidied up the wiring and removed everything except the LED and sensors (they've only left those to hide the holes), so I'm back to just the factory immobiliser Very Happy and I'd definitely recommend them to anyone in the Barrow/South Lakes area.

[Fatboy]

Hi everyone, the problem has recurred - aftermarket alarm has been totally removed, and it won't start

When I turn the key, lights on the dash come on as normal, there's a single beep from the dash and then nothing when I turn the key - any ideas?

I'm currently sat in the work car park waiting for the AA

[Fatboy]

And then, oddly enough, she decides to start, no changes, just turns over and starts as normal, after 20 minutes or so - what could it be?

Battery on the way out?

[Fatboy]

The starter relay could be on the blink?

I'll get another one, hopefully easily enough sourced... I'll try the fish tomorrow morning :-)

[Fatboy]

Thanks Fred,

I'll get underneath ASAP and have a look How easy is the stated to get at?

[Fatboy]

I've ordered a replacement relay from Monkfish, will be here tomorrow

Although it started instantly this morning, it wouldn't start on the way home again - this time I popped the bonnet and had a look at the relays - when I tried to start it with the bonnet and door open I heard a loud 'click' from the engine bay - still no start, then one more try and it started - I heard the click that time as well... Any ideas?

[Fatboy]

Thanks Fred, she wouldn't start again this morning - just the loud click when I turned the key, so I finally got around to getting her up on some axle sxtands this evening and had a look - with the undertray off I couldn't see any issues with the wires, looked in good nick:



So just to be sure the trigger wire was OK I disconnected it and tried again - no click!



Gave the terminals a wipe over - no real corrosion on there, came apart and went back together OK, tried to start again, the loud click is back and nothing else.

So as Fred said, I unbolted the starter motor and knocked it against the bellhousing a few times - gave it as good a shake as I could Bolted it back up and it satarted straight away - cheers Fred :-)

From this I'm guessing my starter is on its way out? Looking on the Fish it's £264, no idea if it's ever been changed so I'm willing to get that done - I'd got it booked in for next Monday (Keith Ewards Motorsport in Ulverston) to get looked at, so I might as well get the starter changed - looks like a right bd to get out, and the nuts on the exhaust manifold don't look like fun to remove (what I've read on the web it's either manifold bolts off and moved over or the rack out?), so I think I'll pay the garage to do that one!!!!

One thing I couldn't see though was any earthing straps - I'm assuming the starter just earths through the body/bolts, but where are the earths for the engine/gearbox to the chassis - I couldn't see any?

[Fatboy]

HI everyone,

After a couple of weeks it started again so I got the new starter from Monkfish and got Keith Edwards to fit it (only took them an hour!) hey presto, working great...

Until last night, stopped for fuel at Lancaster Services, and it wouldn't start - turned over, all lights dimmed big time and the starter cranked once very slowly and just made a rapid clicking noise, like a flat battery... Bugger. Bump started it easily though, thanks to a very nice chap in a white sprinter Box van giving me a push :-)

This morning, it fired up no problem, then when I stopped and went to restart, same thing - turns over once slowly then just rapid clicking. I bump started it no problem again (instantly caught, so can't see any issue with immobiliser or anything...

Reading up, sounds like the battery on it's way out - anyone got any other ideas? I'll drop in at Halfords in town if they can do a battery test, but I'm assuming it'll be the same 027 battery as recommended for the Monaros?

[Fatboy]

Good point

Where are the engine earths on these cars - couldn't find it when I was underneath the other week?

[Fatboy]

Thanks Guys - any idea how long th earth strap is, I might just get a replacement from Halfords at lunchtime then have a look this evening...