Technical Immobiliser

[Otter28]

Hello all, my first project car ever is my fiat coupe 1.8l 16v NA. I absolutely love how the car looks. I have had mine for half a year now but never got it to start. Tried replacing a lot of things but have now boiled it down to the immobiliser (pretty obvious, the light was always on). Turns out the guy that sold me had just replaced the ignition lock cylinder. He told me it worked, and I was blinded by my excitement. I only have one key, not the original one. I have opened it and the chip is in there but the handshake does not seem to be happening. He also did not give me the code card. What are my options here? Thanks for the help!

 

[bugsymike]

Hello all, my first project car ever is my fiat coupe 1.8l 16v NA. I absolutely love how the car looks. I have had mine for half a year now but never got it to start. Tried replacing a lot of things but have now boiled it down to the immobiliser (pretty obvious, the light was always on). Turns out the guy that sold me had just replaced the ignition lock cylinder. He told me it worked, and I was blinded by my excitement. I only have one key, not the original one. I have opened it and the chip is in there but the handshake does not seem to be happening. He also did not give me the code card. What are my options here? Thanks for the help!

If the lock he fitted was second hand then there is every chance that key, would only work on the car it came from regarding the immobiliser side, so chip is wrong for your car.
I suspect you will need to see a good auto locksmith who can connect his computer up to it and then supply a suitable chipped key plus a spare!
The only other suggestion is a company that can "de immobilise" the cars computer if they are any good.
The issue then is it may invalidate your cars insurance.
Another minor detail my distrusting mind thinks is buying a car that doesn't start, when you get it running is there any other problems that then come to appear.
I recall as a youngster buying a early Fiat 600 with the suicide doors, I accepted the sellers story that it just needed a new battery, once I got it running I soon diagnosed the main bearings in the engine were knackered and the engine was scrap. Mind you if I had that car today it would be really valuable, even with a duff engine!

 

[Otter28]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, naive of me to just trust them. I just messages the guy that sold me the car and he says the key should be programmed correctly. I trust this honestly cause a garage did it amd he gave me the invoice and anything. Is there anything else that might be causing th issue? Cause tge barrel with the antenna around it is just dangling there I havent actually fully put it back together yet.

 

[Mike1alike]

The IMMO code on car is stored on ECU and they say also on the fuse box panel (don't know if second part is really so). Anyway, replacing the ignition lock cylinder does not affect the stored code, so everything should be good there.
What's causing you the problem, most likely is the IMMO antenna around the key lock cylinder. It reads the code on the key chip. Either the antenna was left on the old lock cylinder, either it's cable is not connected or even oxidized contacts on that little plug connecting to antenna can cause the problem.
The antenna looks something like this (this is the Punto/Doblo model)

 

[Otter28]

The IMMO code on car is stored on ECU and they say also on the fuse box panel (don't know if second part is really so). Anyway, replacing the ignition lock cylinder does not affect the stored code, so everything should be good there.
What's causing you the problem, most likely is the IMMO antenna around the key lock cylinder. It reads the code on the key chip. Either the antenna was left on the old lock cylinder, either it's cable is not connected or even oxidized contacts on that little plug connecting to antenna can cause the problem.
The antenna looks something like this (this is the Punto/Doblo model)

Yeah I used to try starting without this thing around it. Now I tried it with this thing around it but still nothing. It seems pretty new to me, like the cable is like a sort of cord, like very well isolated. Also I checked the connectors to the code box and those all look fine. I am wondering right now if maybe my whole code box may just not be getting power due to a blown fuse. The previous owner had DIY’d his own stereo system into the car, maybe that shorted something.

 

[Mike1alike]

Yeah I used to try starting without this thing around it. Now I tried it with this thing around it but still nothing.

But is the cable connected to it? It's a little cable looking like this. The plug connected to that antenna it's the same like the one at the other end that shows in picture.
Yes, check the fuse.

 

[Mike1alike]

And do use some contact cleaner spray on that little plug.

 

[Otter28]

And do use some contact cleaner spray on that little plug.

Checked the plug and the fuses. Everything is fine. Used a multimeter to check the ground and the power and thats all good as well. One strange thing I found is when I put my car in MAR position, the light instantly comes on and stays on, the code light. My uncle has exactly the same car and his code light has a tiny delay before coming on and then his of course goes away again. Could this mean anything?

 

[AnthonyH]

Sounds like the previous owner took it to a garage and they failed to fix the immobilisation problem, so he sold the car. At a guess you're going to need to put in another barrel, code the ecu and keys. Its not something you can fix yourself. You need to get several auto locksmiths out to it, one by one, while you gather information, i doubt you'll get this fixed by the first auto locksmith mainly because he won't have the parts.

 

[Otter28]

Sounds like the previous owner took it to a garage and they failed to fix the immobilisation problem, so he sold the car. At a guess you're going to need to put in another barrel, code the ecu and keys. Its not something you can fix yourself. You need to get several auto locksmiths out to it, one by one, while you gather information, i doubt you'll get this fixed by the first auto locksmith mainly because he won't have the parts.

Okay, thanks for the advice. I indeed tested a bit more and this seems to be the problem. Does anybody maybe know if I can virginise the ecu so it will grab the new key? I heard of this online. Even if that then completely bypasses the immobiliser but at least it will start

 

[AnthonyH]

Okay, thanks for the advice. I indeed tested a bit more and this seems to be the problem. Does anybody maybe know if I can virginise the ecu so it will grab the new key? I heard of this online. Even if that then completely bypasses the immobiliser but at least it will start

Thats hopeless, sorry to be so blunt. This requires specialist equipment and experience that you don't have.

 

[bugsymike]

If the lock he fitted was second hand then there is every chance that key, would only work on the car it came from regarding the immobiliser side, so chip is wrong for your car.
I suspect you will need to see a good auto locksmith who can connect his computer up to it and then supply a suitable chipped key plus a spare!
The only other suggestion is a company that can "de immobilise" the cars computer if they are any good.
The issue then is it may invalidate your cars insurance.
Another minor detail my distrusting mind thinks is buying a car that doesn't start, when you get it running is there any other problems that then come to appear.
I recall as a youngster buying a early Fiat 600 with the suicide doors, I accepted the sellers story that it just needed a new battery, once I got it running I soon diagnosed the main bearings in the engine were knackered and the engine was scrap. Mind you if I had that car today it would be really valuable, even with a duff engine!

Sorry, I assumed it was all together, antenae ring correctly connected etc.
Re auto lock smith, the guy I dealt with could connect his lap top up, read the details, program a new chip and start the vehicle, some are less experienced.

 

[AnthonyH]

Sorry, I assumed it was all together, antenae ring correctly connected etc.
Re auto lock smith, the guy I dealt with could connect his lap top up, read the details, program a new chip and start the vehicle, some are less experienced.

I tried 4 different auto locksmiths, only one of them could do the job for me, the other 3 didn't have the software. I hope the car doesn't have additional problems being masked by non-starting. A few years ago i went to see a car with a view to buying privately, the owner wouldn't let me drive it...only start it and look at it on the driveway. His excuse for this was pretty lame, and i didn't buy.

 

[AnthonyH]

A few years ago i went to see a car with a view to buying privately, the owner wouldn't let me drive it...only start it and look at it on the driveway. His excuse for this was pretty lame, and i didn't buy.

If you've ever tried buying or selling anything on Facebook marketplace then you'll know that this kind of thing is normal lol

 

[Mike1alike]

So... wait a minute...
The guy put new ignition barrel. That came with new keys, right? What happened next?
Where is the old key? That should be ok, good code on its chip.
Virginizing the ECU works. But as mentioned, needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing and to do it right.
But... what happens is this: after ECU is virginized, first time you put the key on, ECU copies and stores the code on the key. So the key you use needs to have a good working Fiat code on its chip. Gets us back to the question about the original key. Where is it?

 

[Mike1alike]

If you've ever tried buying or selling anything on Facebook marketplace then you'll know that this kind of thing is normal lol

Anthony... are you talking to yourself there or what's happening?! Are you ok...?

 

[AnthonyH]

Anthony... are you talking to yourself there or what's happening?! Are you ok...?

LOL. Yes i'm bored. Whats wrong with talking to yourself anyway? LOL

 

[bugsymike]

LOL. Yes i'm bored. Whats wrong with talking to yourself anyway? LOL

As long as you don't argue.

 

[AnthonyH]

As long as you don't argue.

Its not that long ago i'd cross the street to avoid anyone talking to themself, these days there are so many people with a hidden earpiece i can't tell. Should avoid them all just in case lol

 

[AnthonyH]

Where is the old key? That should be ok, good code on its chip.

The only reason to change the barrel is because the original key has been lost?