Immobiliser Problem

[MikeE]

Apologies I'm sure this has been asked and answered numerous times before but the search doesn't seem to work.

I have an immobiliser problem on my 1998 Griff 500 as follows:

- Normally the red led next to the immobiliser socket flashes brightly and can be extinguised with a quick plip of the remote key fob
- yesterday this decided not to work, the plipper would make the flashing led pause for a second or so but then start flashing again
- played around with various combinations a number of times and then realised the led wasn't flashing as bright as normal, and of course couldn't start the car (no fuel pump)
- eventually realised if I put the immobiliser key in the socket this extinguished the red LED and I could start as normal, plipper still not doing what it used to though
- so today I tried the plipper and as predicted it didn't work, so tried the immobiliser key and this didn't extinguish the LED either, realised again the LED wasn't as bright as it should be.
- eventually got it working by turning the ignition on first, then LED became the usual brightness and this allowed the immobiliser key to deactivate the immobiliser and the car started.


So it seems that the immobiliser doesn't have enough power of its own to let the plipper work (the led does pause, but then restarts so it seems to be seeing the plipper), the immobiliser key was working but now the lack of immobiliser power has stopped this working, so the last resort is to turn the ignition on whereby I assume the car battery is supplementing the power to the immobiliser and it can then see the immobiliser key (but not the plipper).

So with the wealth of experience on here I'm assuming a lot of other owners have seen these symptoms? Is it a quick fix (new internal battery for the immobiliser) or as Graham@Fernhurst suggested over the phone, it sounds like a new immobiliser is required (under warrantee I'm told).

Oh by the way the car is always left on a trickle charger and starts immediately (once immobiliser is deactivated) so don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Sorry for the long winded explanation but wanted to give enough detail for a quick diagnosis, thanks!

[gralin69]

you may also find by removing the battery terminal(main battery footwell)then replacing after couple of mins may reset the unit. worth a try good luck

Edited by gralin69 on Sunday 14th April 20:35

[MikeE]

Ok thanks for the suggestion, will try that when I next get a chance to get into the garage.

Anyone else encountered anything similar???

[EGB]

Is it a META imobiliser with a TVR blipper. This blipper is notorious for internal frame breakage. Get a new case from ABACUS and instal the electronic board from the TVR blipper.