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MG MGF Technical - Engine immobiliser

My car fails to respond to the remote control on the key fob any more. I have to got through the process of entering the security code by turning the key left and right in the door lock in the appropriate combination every time I want to use the car.

I thought that doing this would reset the problem and that the remote control would be recognised again, but this is not so. Neither of the two key fobs work, so I think I can exclude battery drainage (unlikely that both would be exhausted on the exact same day).

Can anyone offer me any advice, or do I need to take the car to the dealer to get reset?

Thanks,
Scot
Scot

Could it be local radio interference?
Rob Bell

Rob,

I wouldn't think so, as I have moved the car (after wiggling the right combination) and it doesn't work in its new location either (admittedly only half a mile away). Is that a known behaviour?

Scot
Scot

Has the car battery been disconnected? Try unlocking the car with the key, then repeatedly pressing the lock button on one of the remotes to resyncronise it.

Tim.
Tim Jenner

It is pretty uncommon for there to be a problem with the engine imobiliser and key fobs Scot, although this did effect one of our party on the Treffen run last year. Quite inexplicably, the imoboliser started working later in the day as suddenly as it stopped functioning... no explanation was found.

Difficult to know what to suggest to you, other than consider checking the battery of both key fobs (if one is never used, then it is possible that its battery was flat even before you tried it), keep trying the buttons and wait for resynchronisation as Tim suggests, or take your car to a dealership and see if someone can attach Testbook to interrogate the ECU to find out what the problem is.

Good luck!
Rob Bell

I have had a similar problem to this.... I have changed the battery loads of times in my key fob which helps for a while , and then it wouldn't work and the only way I could de-immobilise the car was once inside to take the pcb out of the key fob and then click the buttons - worked everytime!! I then got some contact cleaner and cleaned the long gold strip around the top of the pcb (which I believe works like the aerial? - could be wrong though) and the blipper now works better than ever, even allowing me to unlock from a good 6' away from the car.

Hope this helps

Nathan

Nathan Searle

The battery has not been disconnected. I just parked the car, locked it, and came back to it after a hard day's work. I opened it with the key fob as usual, but then when I tried to start the engine all went dark and quiet. I though the battery had died, but obviously it hadn't.

Thanks Tim and Rob. I'll persevere for a while to see if it will resynchronise, and if not I'll go to the dealer.

Thanks,
Scot
Scot

Thanks Nathan. I'll give this a try too.

Scot
Scot

You probably need to have the remotes recoded .. this only takes a few minutes @ your local dealer... a trick sometimes is before you put a new battery in take out the old one then repeatedly press the button.. put in the new battery, then you need to keep alternating the buttons, as it has a rolling code.

I once had a customer who kept having repeated problems with her remote after a hell of a lot of investigation, it turned out to be a pilon outside her home absorbing the signal.

MG now use a different frequency ...

If you still stuggle let me know and I can put you in touch with a man that can... My x PMG personal Technician he's had a few wright ups in MG enthusiasts...

Regards

Steve

X- MG BRand Manager
Steve

I must stop posting late @ night my spelling is bad enough ...

"my PMG ..." = "my MG ...", "he's had a few wright ups ..." = " write ups ..."

sorry guys

Mr E

This thread was discussed between 26/03/2004 and 29/03/2004

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