8 replies to this topic

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Went sailing today...and errmmm....well lets just say the coast guard turned up.

Anyways...In anticipation of getting very very wet I took the clicky unlocky thing for my disco off my keyring and only took the keys out on the water. However...after their soaking the immobiliser kicked in and refused to let me start it.

My crew was slightly impressed and rather worried that I managed to hotwire it in under 2 mins, but I dont really want to do that every time I want to go anywhere. So - how can I fix my keys? Whats the mechanism? Is it delicate electronics that wont like salt water? Can I simply dry the key off? Or is there another reason why the immobiliser would kick in (using the key to unlock the drivers door?)

[David Sparkes]

When I asked this question sometime ago, in a different forum, the repeated and strongly emphasised advice , from different people, was to remove any batteries and wash the electronics with Clean, but CLEAN water. Distilled water is best, but running water out of the taps is MUCH better than nothing. Shake as much loose water out as possible, and leave to dry naturally in a warm environment. You apparently have a good weekend for it. Let it dry naturally (no hair dryers or hot air guns), and give it Time, Days not Hours. Then replace the batteries and away you go.

I had asked the question on behalf of someone else, and as often happens, I didn't get any feedback (that I recall) to say the advice worked.
But I thought it good, so stored it in my little grey cells, and offer it to you, gratis :-)

PS. Admin, why is there no spell checking facility on this board? Personally I put that as much more important than smilies, or even being able to do 'arty' effects with fonts.
Cheers.

[white90]

David
I'll ask for you
We have what comes with the package plus some smiles added recently.

[unclebill]

David
I'll ask for you
We have what comes with the package plus some smiles added recently.

Had a similar situation with my disco, but not for that reason, the key fob decided to stop working and I had to unlock the car with the key, long story short, if you have your handbook you should have a code number in it, to disengage the immobilizer you have to switch on and off the ignition to the code, sounds illogical, but it does work beleive me.

[leeds]

Can't help with the key situation/immobiliser stuff.

I can highly recommend the Orteib waterproof bags.

Kept my camera dry in the bottom of a dug out canoe, also my passport etc when I got totally immersed with my documents in ortleib bag still around my waist. They were bone dry

So a big thumbs up to Mr Ortleib.


Regards


Leeds

[BogMonster]

Went sailing today...and errmmm....well lets just say the coast guard turned up.

Anyways...In anticipation of getting very very wet I took the clicky unlocky thing for my disco off my keyring and only took the keys out on the water. However...after their soaking the immobiliser kicked in and refused to let me start it.

My crew was slightly impressed and rather worried that I managed to hotwire it in under 2 mins, but I dont really want to do that every time I want to go anywhere. So - how can I fix my keys? Whats the mechanism? Is it delicate electronics that wont like salt water? Can I simply dry the key off? Or is there another reason why the immobiliser would kick in (using the key to unlock the drivers door?)

What age of Discovery and what sort of alarm fob - one button or two button? I'm assuming probably a Tdi if you hotwired it in 2 min!

There is nothing at all in the key itself unless you have a Series 2 Discovery or a D3 (in which case it is all in the key) so if you left the fob in the vehicle there should not be a problem unless it blew up in sympathy with you getting wet!

Did you put the fob back on the keyring? It needs to be close to the ignition barrel for the passive immob to work, otherwise the immobiliser will stay on. If it is still in the cubby box, then that is your problem

The other possibility is that the fob has simply lost its code - one of mine did this once and I have seen it on a couple of others, 5 minutes on a diagnostic system with both key fobs sorted it out and never caused a problem again.

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Yeah, its a 300 TDi.

Dried the lot out after rinsing with clean water and it works again! So not sure why exactly the immobaliser kicked in, but ill be getting a nice waterproof bag to put them in.

[David Sparkes]

Good to hear of the positive result.
Thanks.

[FridgeFreezer]

Just to re-iterate previous advice, on dunking any electronics you need to remove power ASAP (to prevent short circuits and corrosion) and then flush it out with CLEAN water and allow to dry.