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Keyfob immobiliser signal jammed

Stewart Rix

Stewart Rix

PCGB Member
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My young boys have recently moved to a new nursery which is located close to a large telco microwave/GPS mast. I've found that on several occasions when I've come to de-immobilise the ignition using the fob to restart the car (and despite the red light illuminating on the fob) the immobiliser doesn't react. On the times that I've been temprarily stuck I've just kept pushing the fob button (whilst actually sitting in the car) until, for some inextricable reason, it works. I've heard of this problem with older Scooby Imprezas, but never had this happen to my 993 before. I've taken to leaving the ignition fully on now to stop the immobilizer cutting in.

Anyone else had a similar problem?
 
Where actually is the antenna on the immobiliser? I'd assumed under the passenger seat?

Both my key fobs are quite weak (my indie has commented on it) despite me changing batteries. I have to be right next to the side window (either side) for them to work. Although I've just recently noticed that they also seem to work from in front of the car. They never work from behind it. Perhaps the antenna is in the front boot?

I was thinking of inspecting the antenna to see if it's damaged or poorly positioned.

Not that this goes anywhere near answering Stewart's question. If the mast is messing with your 993 then what's it doing to the kids in the nursery?[:eek:]
 
Stewart, I have both the original Porsche driveblock system and an aftermarket alarm on my German import and sometimes the Porsche fob does take a bit of a huffy for no apparant reason. Once it goes off on a strop it does take a long time to get it to work again. I resort to locking and unlocking the car, I don't know if this does any real good but it's arguably better than sitting in the car doing nothing. Might it be that you drop off your boys too quick and the alarm doesn't get a chance to "settle" itself before you're back operating it? Do you lock it when you leave it?

Mark, I think it's part of the Thatcham requirements that the blipper does not work from very far away from the car.
 
ORIGINAL: clyde

Mark, I think it's part of the Thatcham requirements that the blipper does not work from very far away from the car.
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Yes, it did not worry me until Peter in Shotts mentioned it was a lot worse than other 993s he maintains - so I changed the batteries at his suggestion but it made no difference. I'm not unhappy with it, just curious as to what affects the range.
 
ORIGINAL: Mark Elder

Where actually is the antenna on the immobiliser? I'd assumed under the passenger seat?

Both my key fobs are quite weak (my indie has commented on it) despite me changing batteries. I have to be right next to the side window (either side) for them to work. Although I've just recently noticed that they also seem to work from in front of the car. They never work from behind it. Perhaps the antenna is in the front boot?

I was thinking of inspecting the antenna to see if it's damaged or poorly positioned.

Not that this goes anywhere near answering Stewart's question. If the mast is messing with your 993 then what's it doing to the kids in the nursery?[:eek:]
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Hi Mark
It may depend on which system you've got, but fwiw on the PA100 it's under the driver's seat. The antenna is a length of black wire sticking out from the alarm control unit. It has a simple cut end - just like the receiver aerial on a toy RC car - so is easy to spot. I guess it could be damaged on your car, but can't imagine how. You may be able to feel around under the seat to reach it, but certainly much easier with the seat out - which in itself is quite simple, needing only a hex key of the correct size - probably 6mm. Another possibility (maybe not a common one at that) is a dry or weakened solder joint where the battery tabs attach to the circuit board in the alarm fobs. These are a cheap construction that can fail with the strain they are under, over time, but easy to re-make and quick with it. I'd be interested to know how you solve this one, but (also) fwiw the range on my unit is not great and it's a recentrly fitted brand new unit / fobs. The remote action on my Beemer E46 also has a c-r-a-p range, but not enough to bother me too much.
good luck
tim
 
Peter would know as he sees a fair number of them. I'm pretty certain that the reciever is under the passanger seat in mine but don't know if it's under the driver's seat in a RHD.

I haven't used the Porsche fob to open my car, only to de-activate the immobiliser, since I had the Cat 1 alarm fitted when I brought the car over in 2000 but I seem to remember it had a better range than the new Cat 1 did.

The problem that you've got Mark is that you've effectively lost the safety factor where you know the battery is running low because you've got to be closer to the car to activate or de-activate the alarm.
 
ORIGINAL: clyde

The problem that you've got Mark is that you've effectively lost the safety factor where you know the battery is running low because you've got to be closer to the car to activate or de-activate the alarm.
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Good point!

I'll have a look under the seats at the w/e - I know there is stuff under the passender seat (ie at least the ECU is there).
 
Thanks for the responses everyone. I've got the PA1000 alarm/immobiliser and it works perfectly normally up 3 metres away from the car absolutely everywhere, except at the nursery. I don't lock the car when I leave it to drop the boys off (its up a long private drive with parking directly at the entrance) and so the immobilser cuts in as normal after 30 seconds or whatever it is.

As an aside, you can extend the range of the fob (I reckon by about 5 metres) by placing it against your head, raising your other arm (like an aerial) and pushing the button (whilst still pressed against your head). No, honestly it works! I thought it was one of those urban myths until I tried it. Still makes me chuckle when I show people.....

Cheers
 
ORIGINAL: Stewart Rix

...you can extend the range of the fob (I reckon by about 5 metres) by placing it against your head, raising your other arm (like an aerial) and pushing the button ...Still makes me chuckle when I show people.....
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Stewart - we need a picture of you doing this[:D]
 
ORIGINAL: Stewart Rix

I don't lock the car when I leave it to drop the boys off


Cheers
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Sorry for the delayed response but I've been too busy to check my e-mails. The reason I asked this Stewart, is that I read somewhere (can't for the life of me remember where though) that when the alarm automatically goes into immobiliser mode it can sometimes throw a wobbly and make life difficult when you come to disarm it. Try locking it next time and see how you get on.

Good point on the applification of the signal, I remember Germy Clarkson doing it on Top Gear a while back.
 
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