HELP!! Immobiliser problem.

[B'gad]

I would be grateful for some help.

I bought a 1998 993 Turbo yesterday, drove it home and parked it in my garage. I went out this evening to attach the car to a Porsche Charge-o-mat battery conditioner via the cigarette lighter. With the ignition off, the light went on briefly then went off. I assume that this means that the socket is not adapted to charge the car.

When i came to start the car after taking everything off, all hell broke loose with the immobiliser and alarm.

So, this is what i did.

I unlocked the car using the p1000 fob. Hopped in, foot on clutch, turned key. All dash lights came on, some humming and noise from the back for a second the it all went dead and the alarm went off. I tried this a few times with similar results.

I called OPC and they said battery may be flat. I checked charge and it has a full 12V, comfortably in the green charged zone.

I've put it on charge with some croc clips but i feel that the problem is not the battery but the immobiliser. I may of course just not be pressing the buttons correctly.

Can anyone help me start my car?

 

[T911UK]

Cigarette lighter is not live with key out of ignition so a charger needs to go direct onto the battery, easy enough to still close the bonnet.

Do not depress the clutch!!!! Power clutch system, foot off and well away until engine is started!

P1000 is nearly 30 years old now, if it plays up once ditch it for something better.

Battery is still a good call, try again tomorrow morning!

Good luck!

 

[tomwinton]

Sounds like you need Hamilton and Palmer, the alarm designers

http://www.hamilton-palmer.co.uk/

They'll sort you out!

TOm

 

[Graham-S]

Do you have a red immobiliser light on the dash or centre console? Mine is at the bottom of the centre console under the switches. Is this on or off? You should also have a light on each door card which flash red when set. These are near the small fixed window in the trim

 

[kasspa]

Adam,
Keep it simple 1st....!
Have you tried contacting whoever you purchased it from to see if they've had any similar experience?

 

[B'gad]

Thank you - I will give it another go in the morning and will stay away from the clutch. Is it possible to damage the electrics by trying to charge through the lighter socket?

 

[B'gad]

Yes, it has a light under the switches and on the door trim. When locked, these door lights blink. The light under the switches seems to do a number of things:

Stays off if i depress the fob button
flashes (i have no idea what makes it do that)
Stays on when the car is locked

It also bleep thrice after each looking and unlocking episode. I don't know what this denotes.

Any advice/ideas?

 

[IndischRot]

You won't have damaged anything by plugging a charger into the cigarette lighter - it just won't have accomplished anything.

The 993tt's clutch is power assisted - if you operate it without the engine running you may notice greater pedal effort but you won't do any harm. Depressing the pedal when starting the car takes a bit of load off the starter and saves your bacon if you forget to put the gearbox into neutral.

Definitely give H&P a call - they are very helpful and still have spares for the systems they supplied to Porsche Cars GB 20 years ago.

 

[pse_SC]

Definitely give H&P a call - they are very helpful and still have spares for the systems they supplied to Porsche Cars GB 20 years ago.

+1

For your info, the central console red light (under the switches) is for the immobiliser, door red lights for central locking activity... talk to who you bought it from first (private sale or otherwise?) - if no joy try H&P[]

 

[zola]

I often use my Porsche charger using the cigar lighter,just have to turn ignition to position one. I also always depress the clutch pedal when starting the car,no problems.

 

[B'gad]

Status of problem so far:

I fully charged the battery, but the same thing happened, so not a low battery problem. Called H&P who were very helpful (Jim) but ultimately couldn't suggest a fix over the phone. It seems that it is a faulty board. So, after just a couple of nights at home, it's back to the OPC for a new immobiliser/alarm control unit.
Thank you all for the fast and detailed help, i really appreciate it and am delighted by how helpful and friendly my fellow 993'ers have been.
I'll keep you posted.

 

[scaramanga]

Will the OPC just order one from H&P?

 

[B'gad]

Because they are so unreliable? Do you think i should ask them to order 2?

 

[tscaptain]

We had an alarm problem. PC replaced circuit board/ new fobs with PA 2000 ( I think it is) as the 1000 isn't available, apparently. They got it from H and P.....all been fine since.

 

[scaramanga]

Because they are so unreliable? Do you think i should ask them to order 2?

LOL. No, sorry i should have been clearer. Was thinking, H&P supply all the boards. I was just hoping that the OPC wasn't going to charge you more than the cost of the part. Should be reasonably straight forward to install. If you are in H&P's service area, then maybe better for them to do the work.

Just a thought.

 

[B'gad]

A resolution!
After three days on charge, the OPC came to work out what the immobiliser problem was. IT STARTED FIRST TIME!!
Obviously my trickle charger wasn't up to the job, or i was foiled by the light under the bonnet while trying to charge.

Thank you for all of your help. I am now an expert on the PA-1000 but in the end all of my swotting-up was to no avail as it was a flat battery - as suggested by nearly everyone above!

 

[Graham-S]

Glad you got it sorted.
I changed the interior light, under bonnet & boot lights to LED's. Stops this issue too! You can also use a screw driver and just push the catch in to stop the under bonnet light coming On (Just as if you closed the bonnet)

Graham