Possible alarm problems ?
Discussion
Ok I've got two possibly unrelated problems of the intermitant variety, but there might be a connection.
1) after a blast on a recent hot day (yes there was one) I pasked for 2 mins and then tried to start the car again and it wouldn't have it. I assumed it was a sign of yet another starter motor to be replaced. If I recall right, there wasn't even a sound from the fuel pump so I was a little worried in case it was the imobiliser or something. I wafted the bonnet a bit to get the air moving and then tried the alarm key (or is this an imobiliser override ?) in the the hole/slot next to the main key hole, and the engine started fine. Which one did the trick I wonder ?
2) a couple of times now shortly after I have set off, I've noticed a little red light still on on the dash board (next to the radio). I always assumed that this was related to the alarm. Anyway, not long after this the alarm goes off ! stopping and pressing the key fob button has solved the problem so far. I've assumed that when I'd got in I'd hit the fob button twice or something, but now I'm starting to get a little nervous about it.
Do you think that there is a connection ?
I think I still have the Meta alarm (97 500).
Can someone tell me (off line might be a good idea) where exactly TVR puts the alarm units so I can check the wiring conectors to it - I've heard that they can get a bit dodgy over time. I know where the unit is supposed to be in the newer models but a more exact location would save me a lot of back ache I'm sure.
Anybody else had similar problems ?
Cheers
Phil
1) after a blast on a recent hot day (yes there was one) I pasked for 2 mins and then tried to start the car again and it wouldn't have it. I assumed it was a sign of yet another starter motor to be replaced. If I recall right, there wasn't even a sound from the fuel pump so I was a little worried in case it was the imobiliser or something. I wafted the bonnet a bit to get the air moving and then tried the alarm key (or is this an imobiliser override ?) in the the hole/slot next to the main key hole, and the engine started fine. Which one did the trick I wonder ?
2) a couple of times now shortly after I have set off, I've noticed a little red light still on on the dash board (next to the radio). I always assumed that this was related to the alarm. Anyway, not long after this the alarm goes off ! stopping and pressing the key fob button has solved the problem so far. I've assumed that when I'd got in I'd hit the fob button twice or something, but now I'm starting to get a little nervous about it.
Do you think that there is a connection ?
I think I still have the Meta alarm (97 500).
Can someone tell me (off line might be a good idea) where exactly TVR puts the alarm units so I can check the wiring conectors to it - I've heard that they can get a bit dodgy over time. I know where the unit is supposed to be in the newer models but a more exact location would save me a lot of back ache I'm sure.
Anybody else had similar problems ?
Cheers
Phil
quote:
Ok I've got two possibly unrelated problems of the intermitant variety, but there might be a connection.
1) after a blast on a recent hot day (yes there was one) I pasked for 2 mins and then tried to start the car again and it wouldn't have it. I assumed it was a sign of yet another starter motor to be replaced. If I recall right, there wasn't even a sound from the fuel pump so I was a little worried in case it was the imobiliser or something. I wafted the bonnet a bit to get the air moving and then tried the alarm key (or is this an imobiliser override ?) in the the hole/slot next to the main key hole, and the engine started fine. Which one did the trick I wonder ?
2) a couple of times now shortly after I have set off, I've noticed a little red light still on on the dash board (next to the radio). I always assumed that this was related to the alarm. Anyway, not long after this the alarm goes off ! stopping and pressing the key fob button has solved the problem so far. I've assumed that when I'd got in I'd hit the fob button twice or something, but now I'm starting to get a little nervous about it.
Do you think that there is a connection ?
I think I still have the Meta alarm (97 500).
Can someone tell me (off line might be a good idea) where exactly TVR puts the alarm units so I can check the wiring conectors to it - I've heard that they can get a bit dodgy over time. I know where the unit is supposed to be in the newer models but a more exact location would save me a lot of back ache I'm sure.
Anybody else had similar problems ?
Cheers
Phil
1. I've had this happen to me once - pulled up to the entrance to Brands, I was on a trackday and the weather was hot. Stopped at the main gate and switched off the engine so I could hear directions from the security guard. I then tried to start the car but nothing happened, no fuel pumps wherring, nothing. I had to get the guard to push the car through the main gate as I was stopping all the other traffic - bit embarassing! Called the RAC who said they'd be there in 30mins. While waiting for them I was having a chat to the guard and a cig, I thought I'd try the car again - low and behold the bloody thing starts - called the RAC to cancel. Apparantly, the problem was all the heat generated in the engine and the immobiliser was having a fit. Never had it happen again, even in 35C in Italy last year.
I can't help you with the other problem, but I don't think that they are related.
If you don't hear the fuel pump prime or the dash light doesn't go out then I don't think it's the starter motor?!?
The alarm control unit lives under the LHS of the dashtop on earlier models (mine's a '95), I don't see why it won't be there on a newer car.
My Foxguard (std Chimaera 1995 install) has played up 3 times with similar symptoms. However, the weather has been different each time. Every time the car has been fine, parked up and then it wouldn't respond to the keyfob (not the battery, I take 2 fobs on holiday with me and neither worked once).
First time: Parked up in Richmond about 4 years ago on a hot sunny day (24C) and it wouldn't lock, but the immobilisor light came on so I left it. The roof was down anyway. Came back 2 hours later and it was fine (note to new owners - TVRs often fix themselves!). I put it down to heat buildup.
Second time: 6AM on a summer's morning, not too hot/cold or wet (bit of dew, but not enough to need to clean the screen etc.). Car unlocked, demobilised OK. Loaded bags ready for the dash to the ferry - in the meantime it had reimmobilised. No problem normally, but this time it ignored me. Neither fob worked. Girlfriend now hitting me and saying "we should have taken the TT". Waited a minute or two (as you do with a TVR) and tried again. Worked fine ... made me paranoid for the rest of the holiday in Brittany but it didn't play up again.
Third time. Last August, went to Blackpool, then across N Yorks moors etc. Parked up in Goathland and it wouldn't lock/immobilise. It had been VERY wet and normally I would have said it was water ingress, but the two other times it hadn't rained. Went for a cup of tea, came back and sat in the car reading paper - still didn't work. Tried 5 minutes later and it was fine and has been ever since. (Yes, I'm in the AA, but I know TVRs usually fix themselves so I wait 30 minutes before calling them Just in case.)
So it's happened about once every 18 months. I'm waiting for it to play up again but it hasn't. I'm sure it will stop working while we're in Italy next month ... bloody thing.
I thought about replacing the whole thing, but I'm not sure if the installers fully remove the old immobilisor??? (Any one experienced in this area?)
Well that's my story, time to do some work.
T/.
>> Edited by trefor on Tuesday 28th May 09:22
The alarm control unit lives under the LHS of the dashtop on earlier models (mine's a '95), I don't see why it won't be there on a newer car.
My Foxguard (std Chimaera 1995 install) has played up 3 times with similar symptoms. However, the weather has been different each time. Every time the car has been fine, parked up and then it wouldn't respond to the keyfob (not the battery, I take 2 fobs on holiday with me and neither worked once).
First time: Parked up in Richmond about 4 years ago on a hot sunny day (24C) and it wouldn't lock, but the immobilisor light came on so I left it. The roof was down anyway. Came back 2 hours later and it was fine (note to new owners - TVRs often fix themselves!). I put it down to heat buildup.
Second time: 6AM on a summer's morning, not too hot/cold or wet (bit of dew, but not enough to need to clean the screen etc.). Car unlocked, demobilised OK. Loaded bags ready for the dash to the ferry - in the meantime it had reimmobilised. No problem normally, but this time it ignored me. Neither fob worked. Girlfriend now hitting me and saying "we should have taken the TT". Waited a minute or two (as you do with a TVR) and tried again. Worked fine ... made me paranoid for the rest of the holiday in Brittany but it didn't play up again.
Third time. Last August, went to Blackpool, then across N Yorks moors etc. Parked up in Goathland and it wouldn't lock/immobilise. It had been VERY wet and normally I would have said it was water ingress, but the two other times it hadn't rained. Went for a cup of tea, came back and sat in the car reading paper - still didn't work. Tried 5 minutes later and it was fine and has been ever since. (Yes, I'm in the AA, but I know TVRs usually fix themselves so I wait 30 minutes before calling them Just in case.)
So it's happened about once every 18 months. I'm waiting for it to play up again but it hasn't. I'm sure it will stop working while we're in Italy next month ... bloody thing.
I thought about replacing the whole thing, but I'm not sure if the installers fully remove the old immobilisor??? (Any one experienced in this area?)
Well that's my story, time to do some work.
T/.
>> Edited by trefor on Tuesday 28th May 09:22
You do know don't you, that if you don't turn on the ignition within 15 seconds or so of turning the alarm (and immobiliser - one press of the fob does both) off the immobiliser kicks in again. You can turn the immobiliser off by either a quick press of the fob or inserting the end of the black stick into the "keyhole" next to the ignition.
What can happen is you can set the alarm with too many presses of the fob just before you start the car, if the keys are in the ignition it won't lock the car when you set it. The alarm takes 30 seconds to set thus giving you enough time to drive off down the road happily and then oh sh*t!!!!, this happened several times to me when I first bought my car!!!!
If anyones alarm is randomly going off after this amount of time then my theory is obviously a load of boll**ks!! lol
Hope this sheds some light on the matter
If anyones alarm is randomly going off after this amount of time then my theory is obviously a load of boll**ks!! lol
Hope this sheds some light on the matter
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