944S2 immobiliser

[apusmelba]

my 89 S2 immobiliser has immobilised and just blinks its red led on the centre console.
over the last year or so it has occasionally needed two or at most three touches of the electronic key before the relay clicks and the light goes steady so my first search was for the relay in the passenger footwell which is marked Hella Alarm - Stueugeract
5AA 004 502-03 928 637 104 03 RDW and is followed by Achtung blah blah which i assume to mean sit down when the dealer tells you that a replacement is £103
so i ask if i remove said relay and bring it to you can you test it ? only if its on the car and the test will be an hours labour thank you
so i decided to have a think and explore my options
i am fairly hopeless with electrics and the last time i tried to test the abs relay it cost me £68 after i shorted it out and it wasnt the relay in the first place
if i replace the relay it may be something else is wrong
im based near woodbridge suffolk about 40 miles from the nearest dealer and my nearest independant is 50 miles away and i cant drive the car so i really need a mobile expert and should i bother with the original set up and go for an updated
insurance acceptable replacement
any thoughts/experiences will be gratefully considered
by the way its the first time in over 10 years 944 driving that ive been stranded which is pretty remarkable really

[diver944]

Have you looked at the contacts on the immobiliser key? Over the years they wear away until they are so narrow they will not disable the system. The little socket can also wear away inside. The S2 immobiliser system was aparently made by a company in Kent called

Hamilton & Palmer
Manufacturers of Vehicle Security Systems
F1 Chaucer Business Park
Watery Lane
Kemsing
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN15 6PL

Tel: [phone] , Fax: [phone]

They can supply replacements keys and/or sockets for circa £20 each if you send yours in. The OPC's can also do this but I believe they just send your key to Hamilton & Palmer ading extra time to the process.

[apusmelba]

thanks for the info on the key
i have 2 keys and neither activate the system
i will remove the socket and check for wear/obstructions
regarding the relay i'm wondering if i can work out a test procedure from the markings on the case

30/HN
61/31
A/87a
MK/T
E/15

0r somehow bypass the immobiliser
but i expect a factory fitted system is by definition
difficult to get round

by the way can anyone translate ACHTUNG Nor Auf Kabelstrange Mit Blauem Gegenstecker Verwenden

Any recommendations for a replace ment system
dealer quoted me about £850 and local accessory shop about £350 for top of range system fitted

[uk952]

It was the socket on mine, slowly got worse and worse if you shine alight into it you should see a line of equally spaced contacts top and bottom, mine had developed 2 spaces.
It is designed not to be removed, so had to be cut away.
The wiring goes to behind the cubby under the radio so easy to join in,
Tony

[apusmelba]

excellent advice re socket its hard to remove from ignition trim panel but cut away front and pushed inside to get a clear look at it carefully cut away the circular cover with a sharp knife borrowed from matron and the rectangular centre is exposed
this pulled away very carefully to expose contacts of which five a side ( only four a side on key )anyway carefully reintroduced back into centre piece and worked first time so i'm mobile again and very gratefull for your help
i'll contact suppliers for new socket/key as advised and hope for more trouble free motoring
at a guess for the reason for the failure was that my good lady who was useing the car had put the ignition key into the immobilisor socket and pushed one of the contacts out of line but alls well that ends well