Ultimate Nightmare - Keypad Immobiliser Wires Broken

michaeljclark · Post by **michaeljclark** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:27 pm

The ultimate nightmare for a D8 owner with a keybad based immobiliser has just happened to me - I'm out with the missus we stop off somewhere stop the engine wonder off and come back... ...

Key in, flap down and nothing - no flashing red light no blips when you type the code, no green light and no beep when you try to start the engine. Take thing to bits and... ... 3 or the wires that plug into the back of it broken. Now I'm colour blind but I think it's the 2 brown and a lilac coloured wire to the right of off centre as you look at the pad

LUCKILY I have managed to pull the thing to bits and get a connection and restart the car and then rip the connector off the keypad - so the car now starts OK but obviously I have no immobiliser (and thus my insurance probably won't cover me if it gets nicked)

So I now have 2 questions

1) Is it possible to replace the wires and associated connector (ie the whole cable assembly)- assuming that I can get one.
2) If not 1 then can I take the connector apart (anyone know how) and chop the wires and re splice them back in so that I have connections that work - if this is possible anyone happen to have a pin out guide

I'm off work tomorrow so might be able to give it some sort of fix a try

Mike

Post by **mjb** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 8:29 pm

Do you actually need the keypad? I never use mine, heck I don't even know what my code is without looking where I scribbled it on a bit of paper

If you open the door with the keyfob button on my car you have about a minute to start it before the immobiliser kicks in. When it does, pressing the big keyfob button again with the key in the ignition (usually needs holding down for a second or 2) will deactivate the immobiliser just the same as entering the code

Have you actually checked you have no immobiliser now, as I suspect the circuitry for it is nowhere near the keypad...

jameslxdt · Post by **jameslxdt** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:35 pm

if your car is a diesel it will be impossible to steal even without the keypad immobiliser, and if its a petrol its possible but you need to know the engine management inside out to hot wire it

chili · Post by **chili** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:25 pm

so the car now starts OK but obviously I have no immobiliser (and thus my insurance probably won't cover me if it gets nicked)

how is your insurance company to know you now have no immobiliser ? who's to say that a car thief did not break into your car and rip the immobiliser keypad out and get away with your car ?

don't worry about it until it gets nicked m8

michaeljclark · Post by **michaeljclark** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 11:22 am

For give the confusingness of the reply:

As I managed to get the old girl going I then removed the plug from the back of the keypad - so now the immobiliser never kicks in (I know this as it's been used all weekend) so now the car can be hot wired (or whatever) and driven away - hopefully the average thief will realise that it's a D8 and walk off (knowing that it has a nice keypad inside)

The local slealers want £14 for the cable loom (reasonable), £15 for the cable plug (not quite taking the pi$$ but OK ish) and a MINIMUMN of 2 hours (£76/hr) labour (taking the proberbial) to fix it

As I understand it: If the keypad is removed whilst the ignition is OFF it does nasty stuff to the ECU - but there's no way I'm trying it

And in previous posts I've mad I've never been able to get the whole remote - keypad syncing thing going - and to kap it all the electrical button INSDIE the remote has come off any way

If anyone has any thoughts or knows a 406 specialist in the bexley, orpington or lewisham area that doesn't change the earth on labour I might put her right

Oh well

And chili is quite right - how are they to know - it's just that my girl friend has a rather expensive Viola that we carry in the boot to and from Concerts and stuff - and if the car goes with it in and the insurers ask how it went as it has an immobilier in (especailly as it's decalred on the insurance) I'd be royally stuffed (car I can cope with but £2500's worth of Voila.....)

jameslxdt · Post by **jameslxdt** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:04 pm

as i said above
is it petrol or diesel?

michaeljclark · Post by **michaeljclark** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:39 am

jameslxdt wrote:as i said above
is it petrol or diesel?

Sorry

Petrol 1.8 16V

jameslxdt · Post by **jameslxdt** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:11 pm

it will take an absolute genius to hotwire that
unless you know the engine management blindfolded, then theres no way anyone could steal it

Captain Jack · Post by **Captain Jack** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:49 pm

I think the general consensus is that 406's are generally very hard to steal. The 407 was in the top 10 of secure cars last year.