The MGF Register Forums

I'd psoted earlier about the gear shift issue I was having with my N-reg 1.8i MGF and was all ready to get the car to my local garage with the things to look at list... but i cant now get the immobiliser to disengage.

I've tried the obvious - charging the car battery, changing the immobiliser battery with no effect, and I've also tried the emergency access process with the code I have using the door key - but nothing works and all I get is the warning tones when I try to switch on. I've pressed both on and off switches till I'm blue in the face - but zilch. Of course, I only have the one keyfob...

At this point i have a car I cant start, and could only drive to the garage at the end of the road if I could start it!

There is a place locally (in York) that can reprogram keyfobs - but presumably they need the car to do so unless its possible to dismount the immobiliser and take that and the key fob to them.

What worries me slightly is that the inside of the keyfob has gungey stuff (disintegratesd rubber?) all over the circuit board - which could be part of the problem.

anyway - any help on how to deal with this (apart from breaking the car which i dont want to do!) would be very helpful

hugh

Maybe the best course of action is to first inspect keyfob. Maybe batteries does not have good contact, or maybe something else is wrong with the fob.
Last resort can be Technozen who can programm fobs to your alarm box if you send them the alarm box (and fobs).

Are you sure you have the right EKA code? I seem to recall that early MGF's had the code one digit out on the second and fourth numbers. Try adding 1 to both of these and try the EKA method again.
Nigel

Traditionally MGR dealers used to increment the 2nd and 4th digits every time they sold a car on - just to ensure the previous owners couldn't get back in to their old cars. eg access code 1234 would become 1335 etc. Depending on how many times the car was sold on the code could be quite different - even more so if totally re-programmed

Easiest solution is to buy a second hand ECU with matching key fob. Either that or buy another fob and then have the car transported to wherever your nearest T4 Testbook is to programme them together.

Try MGFnTFBitz for a replacement ECU - make sure you get one with matching part number. The part number of yours (its on a sticker on the side of the unit) for example MKC 104111

It does sound like your gungy fob could be the problem.
I've used the guy in York (Caboodle?) to program my F for a second fob though he did ask if the car would start before he said he could do it.
I bought just a fob from Ebay & the guy was able to test that it was transmitting before he programmed the car for it.
Give him a call.

PS - I have no association with Caboodle other than as a customer

Where are you, if local I could have a look, I am in Sussex.

well - I sent off to the RemoteKey guy in Christchurch because I need a second fob anyway and he sent back the new fob and programmer which plugs into the diagnostic socket. But it didnt work (the programmer didnt show its LED as its supposed to) so I've now sent him back the immobiliser module to test and am awaiting the outcome.

And yes - I have checked every fuse in sight - not just looking at them but actually testing them! If the module comes back tested out OK with a matching fob, then if it works fine, but if not, i'm not sure where to go from there! Everything else electrical works fine as far as i can tell - it just wont de-immobilise!

Ian at RemoteKey has been very helpful so far - just wish it was nearer to York! I know about Caboodle by the way, though I've not used them. Same price as RemoteKey anyway.