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Rover 45 immobiliser left us immobile

14K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  Gazzamctazza 
#1 ·
This is the first time we have been on here but I am a member of Rover 75 website.

We bought a 2005 45 facelift model 1.6 petrol in April and it has been no trouble at all until yesterday. As we didn't have time to wash the car ourselves, we called in at a hand car wash where we have been before and had no bother. We left the car unlocked and my wife took the keys out while it was being washed and then cleaned inside. The car wash people opened and closed the doors and boot lid ( boot lid using the key fob button ) a few times. When we got back in to drive away the alarm came on and we couldn't start the car. We looked in the owners handbook which said we could reset the immobiliser using the code number ( presumably the one on the small metal tag on our key fob ) using the key in the drivers door lock turning towards the unlock position the number of turns of the first digit of the code and then towards the lock position the number of turns of the second code digit and so on. However, before we could finish this, the alarm went off. We tried a few times and finally decided to call our Green Flag number. Although the recovery driver had come only to load the car and take us home he tried to reset by removing the battery for 10 minutes, checked the fuses related the the immobiliser, but gave up and took us home. We have called a local auto electrician who is supposed to be coming to look at the car tomorrow.

Does anyone know the likely cause of this problem? I suspected that it was caused by the key being removed and then opening/closing doors and bootlid as I normally leave the key in at the hand car wash but perhaps this is just coincidental?

Any info or help would be appreciated. If the auto electrician sorts it I will put it on this site for other members incase its helpful to anyone who has a similar problem.
 
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#2 ·
does the remote work the centrol locking still?
Did the man from green flag check that the car battery is not flat (caused by the doors and boot being left open when washed and hovered?
a flat car battery will cause alarm problems as the voltage maybe to low for the ecu to reconise the remote
 
#4 ·
The metal tag on the keyring is the key number not the EKA code.

The EKA code should be with your original paperwork, usually on a credit card affair. When you find the EKA number enter it as shown in the hand book and you should then be able to drive the car at least, it may even allow you to re-set the system.
 
#9 ·
The auto electrician has just gone. He found that it wasn't the immobiliser at all but the impact switch had been caught ( propably with the vacuum cleaner attachment while it was being cleaned ) and had shut off the fuel supply. The electrician noticed it while looking for alarm unit, etc. £50 for electrician. £17 for using website to find correct code after finding out via this site that the metal tag with our keys is NOT the security code. At least now if we set off our alarm/immobiliser, we will have the correct code to reset the alarm.

Take care when cleaning in the car not to catch the impact switch which can be seen from looking behind the centre console from the direction of the drivers door. Once again thanks for all the replies.
 
#11 ·
The next time I go in I will mention what the cause was to the staff at the car wash. They are usually very helpful and when I told them that i would have to go home ( 3 miles ) to get what i thought was our code number, they lent me one of their cars to fetch it. I expect that they will be sympathetic and perhaps I will get £50 of free washes? The other £17.50 I spent on finding the correct alarm code I would have spent if I found out I didn't have the alarm code anyway for future reference.
 
#12 ·
Impact switch..

Just wanted to say to Glen B thank-you so much for your info concerning the impact switch.

I had just re-done the heater elements, the ceramic covered ones ofc, first time in a while that 1 and 2 were working ,and was tiding the car (we have had our wee 45 for 12 years now), I went for a wee nap, and when I tried to start the car later, turning over fine, but not starting. My wife had hoovered earlier and hit the switch.

Read your post and voila, now I know where this switch is for future reference.

Kind Regards

Gary
 
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