Thread: Immobilised in the deep bush. My worst fears.

Dont know if its the same on a P38 but you can disable the immobiliser on the Td5 Defender with a Nanocom, so that the Key always works and the fob is a decoration.


Imobiliser is good in the city but knowing you wont be stranded in the outback if you lose the keys or get them wet is even better.

what year model is your p38? there are a few things that can be done, but it depends on what the original spec was as to what will need doing.for example, if yours is pre 1999, it may just need a becm reprogram and a new door latch. 1999 on, it could be a failing becm (but these are just a few of the posibilities).

Rupert, thanks
It is a 1995 with a new BECM about 10 years ago. It has the emergency key access code disabled. Not sure what this means for me if it immobilised and the key fob loses synchronisation. It relies heavily on the microswitches in the door latch working I would think.

The fact that the key not synchronise by holding the unlock button and unlocking the door with the key suggests that perhaps the unlock microswitch in the latch is the culprit?

Thoughts?

Could I replace the latch myself without needing to access the BECM?

I wonder if you could just replace the switches. They dont seem to be anything special.

Originally Posted by goingbush

Dont know if its the same on a P38 but you can disable the immobiliser on the Td5 Defender with a Nanocom, so that the Key always works and the fob is a decoration.


Imobiliser is good in the city but knowing you wont be stranded in the outback if you lose the keys or get them wet is even better.

Couldn't agree more.

In WA, you have to have an immobiliser fitted for rego purposes... which brings me to my story.

Some years back, SWMBO and I took a week long trip up the WA coast in the 90. Spent day two snorkeling around Abrolhos Islands and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, couldn't have had a better day! Until we got get back to the car, that is... Unbeknownst to us, the immobiliser FOB joined us for the swim... (naughty little FOB, how dare it)!??

Now the car is parked in Geraldton, so that's good. It's just after 5, and the shops are all closed, not so good. That would be OK if we didn't have the night booked and paid for at a resort in Monkey Mia, some 400km due north.

The good news was that just prior to the trip, I had pulled the dash apart and knew exactly where the immobiliser was and even how to disable it... the bad news was it took the best part of 3 hours to pull it apart and put back together.

As luck would have it, our pilot chanced upon us in the carpark not 15 minutes into the job... He had some contact cleaner in his car, and a FOB battery that's the same size as ours. Apparently, we're not the only genii around that take their keys swimming on Abrolhos. We were the first he came across that were dismantling the dash to disable the immobiliser (or so he tells us - worked a treat for a bruised ego in either case, but I digress).

Half an hour of cleaning the contacts and drying out the buttons later, the car started and we were on our way.

Moral of the story, if you have an immobiliser fitted, try to have a way of bypassing it in an emergency... preferably one that doesn't involve 3 hours of labour to execute!

Bojan

from your description, and that you have had the EKA disabled (how you get door key over ride), it sounds like a door latch would be the way to go. the switches in the latch are normally fine, it is the linkages to them that break. i think the new latches are only the 1999 on type, so have to have the old connector fitted. it is also worth checking the becm as even a small amount of water will start corrosion on the boards (it might take 6 months but the they eventually die) a give away is the top alloy cover has white corrosion patches.

Drivers door latch ordered and fitted. Synchronised the remote and everything unlocked and locked happily. Left overnight and it unlocked with the remote, but lost synchronisation again the very next time it was locked after a short drive. It will only resynchronise using the 'lock' button while locking with the key. Not sure if this is a how it is meant to be.

The BECM has a couple of very minor white corrosion spots on top. Not enough to suggest any moisture damage, but how do I tell?

Could there be something in the remote which intermittently loses connection with the remote battery while driving?
Would any faults be thrown up from the BECM?

Any ideas gratefully accepted.
Troy N

does the car remobilise if you unlock the car with the key in the drivers door? is the remote sychronisation the only problem?