TimR Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Hi, One last try - can someone here please help - or at least help me brainstorm. Vehicle: 96 110 CSW 300tdi Problem: Will not crank. 'Engine immobilised' light (the warning lamp with the picture of a key superimposed over an outline of the vehicle) constantly on. Keyfob(s) inoperative. EKA has no effect. Checked: Fuses in the engine bay Spider (joints re-soldered several months ago). I have tried an improvised 2 wire bypass. No luck - but then given that the 'engine locked' lamp is constantly on so maybe its not the spider at all. Alarm fuse (in the binnacle) And now to muddy the waters.. On a long drive down to England a couple of weeks back a couple of very odd things happened. My spotlights died and 5 minutes later the dashboard led blinked rapidly and constantly and the 'engine-immobilised' light came on. I still had a couple of hours to go and as it was the middle of the night I kept going. The next morning I discovered that the spotlight relay had melted and blown the offside headlight fuse. But it still started. I changed the fuse and fitted a new relay, I also changed the key-fob battery. Shortly after that I discovered that I had no break-lights - another blown fuse. Also the break-light fuses were blowing as soon as I could change them. While trying to sort that out I noticed that the reversing light came on when the ignition was turned on - then it wouldn't start. I had a poke around under the car and almost by luck discovered that the loom had been rubbing on the gearbox. It had severed one wire, and stripped the insulation off of 4 others and they were melted together. I managed to separate and repair them. In an instant the electrics were fine and it started first time. HOWEVER the 'engine-immobilised' light was still on. With all the other blown fuses in mind I decided to look for the alarm/immobiliser fuse and check it (its tucked in behind the ignition switch by the way). Had a look, it was fine. Thought 'sod it', tried to start the engine to park it up and… nothing. That was Sunday. Still nothing today. As mentioned I have tried the EKA to start the engine - it started the second time I tried this - thought 'great maybe the key-fobs have become decoded', turned it off went to get the key-recoding instructions - came back and it wouldn't start again (even with the EKA) So now of course I'm wondering if that was just a coincidence. Over the past couple of days (in the time I have had) I used some instructions (it was actually a picture - though very clear one) to make a spider bypass without luck (though the instructions I found showed a 2-wire bypass but I see the official bypass has 3 wires), I have looked to see if I maybe pulled a wire out while rooting around in the binnacle, tried the EKA method a dozen times but all without success.. So - if anyone can see light through these confused ramblings - please. I could use another head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 not just a flattened battery, could be enough for lights but not to start Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwhacker Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Hi Sorry I can't help,I don't even know what EKA is but I hope you get sorted. Regards Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frax Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Wish I could help also but sadly not , I have a 1995 300tdi but it does not have an engine immobilizer, is it standard system. Regards Frax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 When you say your spotlights died... are these factory-fit ones or has someone been rummaging around doing DIY wiring? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaz489 Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Test the battery and the alternator...... I had a similar problem on my 96 defender the alternator was overvaulting the battery and this made the battery no good...... If I charged the battery and left the car stood with the battery connected overnight it wouldn't start by the morning but there was enough power to turn the immobiliser light on and it wouldn't switch off.... I don't know if the lack of power affects the pickup of signal from the fob but when I got a new alternator and battery sorted it was fine and has been ever since.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharpy Posted April 15, 2011 Share Posted April 15, 2011 Hiya, Dont know if this will help, last year at the Peterbrough show we helped a guy who had a similar problem to yourself. After he messed around a bit we discovered that the little plunger things that turn on the courtesy light and also act as a sign of entry for the alarm/immobiliser had become stuck, so the trucks brain constantly thought it was open, little bit of wd40 and it worked again. Dont think that will have anything to do with the burnt wire issue, that could be completely coincidence? Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 Thanks all. Thought I would let you know what I found out. After revisiting the wiring I wondered if I had maybe loosened something when I pulled on the loom to repair it - and indeed I had - the wire to the starter. A pushed it back in place and it started first time. HOWEVER the red immobiliser light remains on. Ill go around and check the door switches again but I wonder if the immobiliser unit was damaged when the loom was damaged.. Its a 'for further investigation' but at least it starts now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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