[Exige2640]

Hi everyone, I'm new member from Bangkok, Thailand. I've two Exige's in troubles now.
1. Exige British GT3, this one belong to my friend. He took his car to install a water chargecooller,Komotech, at one of well known Lotus garage in BKK. The mechanic here is Lotus certified mechanic, but on Esprit not Exige. After finished, mechanic took it to drive for about 10 minutes then turn off the key. 30 minute later, restart again, it's just dead. Every telltales at dash board is OK. It seems immobilizer shutdown Fuel pump and starter circuit. So he ordered a new immobilizer, installed it, still dead. So he took the immobilizer out and spliced fuel pump and starter circuit wires, pins 1&6 and 5&12, still dead!! So, try to reset PIN at fob, resync the fob, nothing happen. Then he borrows my car.:crazyeyes
2. 2007 Exige S, he want to check some wiring and some of electrical parts. Everything is ok, until he pull out immobilizer plug, the one with all black wires, and put it back. It's just dead like the GT3. But this time, when he spiced fuel pump and starter circuit wires, pins 1&6 and 5&12, he can start the engine. Once put immobilizer back, dead.
Don't know, what to do now? Whole new set of Cobra immobilizer just arrived. Shall I go on and install it? Any advise? Please Please Please.
(sorry for my poor english)

 

[SirLotus]

Regarding your car, check the immobilizer fuse R2 in the engine bay. If that is Ok then the alarm module is not sending the signal to the immobilizer. If your wireless remotes are working, on the "alarm off" mode, it should turn off (mobilize) the immobilizer. Try disconnecting the battery, with the alarm turned off and then reconnecting after 10 seconds. Separate issue, if the immobilizer spliced wires don't allow the GT3 to start, then obviously it's not an immobilizer issue. Check all fuses, especially, R1 Fuel pump, R4 ECU, F13 Starter. One other possibility is a dead battery.
Michael

Hi everyone, I'm new member from Bangkok, Thailand. I've two Exige's in troubles now.
1. Exige British GT3, this one belong to my friend. He took his car to install a water chargecooller,Komotech, at one of well known Lotus garage in BKK. The mechanic here is Lotus certified mechanic, but on Esprit not Exige. After finished, mechanic took it to drive for about 10 minutes then turn off the key. 30 minute later, restart again, it's just dead. Every telltales at dash board is OK. It seems immobilizer shutdown Fuel pump and starter circuit. So he ordered a new immobilizer, installed it, still dead. So he took the immobilizer out and spliced fuel pump and starter circuit wires, pins 1&6 and 5&12, still dead!! So, try to reset PIN at fob, resync the fob, nothing happen. Then he borrows my car.:crazyeyes
2. 2007 Exige S, he want to check some wiring and some of electrical parts. Everything is ok, until he pull out immobilizer plug, the one with all black wires, and put it back. It's just dead like the GT3. But this time, when he spiced fuel pump and starter circuit wires, pins 1&6 and 5&12, he can start the engine. Once put immobilizer back, dead.
Don't know, what to do now? Whole new set of Cobra immobilizer just arrived. Shall I go on and install it? Any advise? Please Please Please.
(sorry for my poor english)

 

[Exige2640]

Thanks a lot, TheViper. I will check everything today.
As for GT3, battery is OK. Is it possible that immobilizer doesn't recognise the fob? It can open the door but will not start. Yesterday I try to reset the PIN many times, follow the instructions on service notes , still doesn't work. Sometimes siren even turn on. For a while it stop. I try again now follow the procedure on the PIN card, which is more easier than procedure on service notes. Result is still the same. Which procedures should I follow, service notes of PIN card. Or it doesn't make any difference.

 

[SirLotus]

It is not the immobilizer that recognizes the fob, it's the alarm module. If the doors are operating with the fob, that indicates the fob is synced with the alarm. The immobilizer simply receives a signal from the alarm, as does the CDL(door) module. As your car starts when you splice the wires together, but not when connected to the immobilizer, the fault IS the immobilizer, it seems to be stuck in the open position. Go through the check list I gave you and see. I am thinking it's either the R2 fuse (my guess) or a battery disconnect/reconnect. There is no need to "resyc" the fobs/alarm, if it is operating the doors as you state, it must be working. If it is operating the doors, it must be turning on the alarm,(not immobilizer in your case), are you getting the security light in the tachometer???? Remember, the alarm and immobilizer are separate, although connected.
Michael

Thanks a lot, TheViper. I will check everything today.
As for GT3, battery is OK. Is it possible that immobilizer doesn't recognise the fob? It can open the door but will not start. Yesterday I try to reset the PIN many times, follow the instructions on service notes , still doesn't work. Sometimes siren even turn on. For a while it stop. I try again now follow the procedure on the PIN card, which is more easier than procedure on service notes. Result is still the same. Which procedures should I follow, service notes of PIN card. Or it doesn't make any difference.

 

[TonyWoo]

I have many customer always have alarm problem onward 2005 but we never heard that from 2006.

Is it the dash red flash light is off when you press the alarm remote control?

TW

 

[charliex]

A possibility is that somethings shorted out in the GT3 and has killed both immobilisers off, it may have damaged other parts of the electrical system in the GT3, but its only killed your immobiliser since thats all you transferred.

that'd explain why the immo jumper works in the exige, but not the gt3 and why the exige's original immo no longer works in the exige.

 

[Exige2640]

Thanks everyone, I'll go to see my mechanic this afternoon to do thing by myself, and watching Australian Grand Prix at his garage . As for the Exige, I'll ask him to recall his memory, what he has done before unplug the immobilizer? I believe the sequence was, when I left my car to him, A/C didn't work it leaked some where in the system This is 3rd time in 3 months. Then he removed the front shell, and he pull the immobilizer plug when when the red light is blinking. That might make the immobilizer remember in its square head that it was in armed mode before it die. Once reconnect it again, it waked up with armed mode, not accept any signal from anywhere. I'm going to try to reset it myself this afternoon.
Many thanks again everyone. It is a very warm community here. I also own a Esprit S4s and member of LEF. It seems Lotus owners are such a very lovely people worldwide .

 

[TonyWoo]

Thanks everyone, I'll go to see my mechanic this afternoon to do thing by myself, and watching Australian Grand Prix at his garage . As for the Exige, I'll ask him to recall his memory, what he has done before unplug the immobilizer? I believe the sequence was, when I left my car to him, A/C didn't work it leaked some where in the system This is 3rd time in 3 months. Then he removed the front shell, and he pull the immobilizer plug when when the red light is blinking. That might make the immobilizer remember in its square head that it was in armed mode before it die. Once reconnect it again, it waked up with armed mode, not accept any signal from anywhere. I'm going to try to reset it myself this afternoon.
Many thanks again everyone. It is a very warm community here. I also own a Esprit S4s and member of LEF. It seems Lotus owners are such a very lovely people worldwide .

Maybe you can remove the factory complete immobilizer system. If you need the instruction please let me know.

TW

 

[SirLotus]

Based on your new information, if the immobilizer is stuck in the armed position, in order to disarm it and get it back in sequence, try arming the alarm with the immobilizer plug out, it should arm. Once the alarm is armed (light flashing) reconnect the immobilizer plug and now disarm the system, Hopefully,the immobilizer will disarm along with the alarm and it is back in sequence.
Good luck,
Michael

 

[Exige2640]

BINGO GT3 IS BACK:clap:
Since it is not about immobilizer, I kept on thinking, what mechanic has done before it, GT3, dead. He installed water c/cooler, OK. Then he installed an heavy duty electric water pump I asked him, where do you get the power supply from? He got the power from tapping the pump wire to the solenoid valve for intake flap manifold-eek-, I wish I call it correct. Very unwise thing to do that. So I suspect wherever this wire come from, that thing must be damaged, and cause engine dead. Yes, it came from ECU. So I ask him to change the ECU and splice the immo wires. BINGO, it's back on life again.

Now, back to my Exige. I try to reset the immo as per TheViper first procedure, still dead. Remote is OK, able to open the door, red light flashing on/off OK. It seems it was dead lock at the open mode. I'll try another procedure as TheViper advise again tomorrow.

If it won't work, I'm thinking to delete the whole immo system. Any bad things to the car, if I delete it. I don't mind not to have this system installed. Thief in Thailand don't like Lotus, don't know how to drive. They rather like Toyota pick up truck. Kindly give me full procedure how to remove it. But I will try to reset it as per TheViper procedure first, just very curious what was going on.

Thanks again everyone.

Oh, congratulation to Brit F1 fan, and Sir. Richard too. J Button won the Australian Grand Prix, new car, new team, new owner, well done Button:clap:

 

[SirLotus]

Was that Button's first GP win?, I am not a follower, but I knew at one time he was looking for a first.
I am very hopeful that the procedure I outlined will work for you, but who knows with these strange little cars. Removing the immobilizer is simply what you did previously, splicing the 2 pair of wires together.
Glad the GT3 is back, but interesting that it initially ran for 10 minutes..
All the best,
Michael

BINGO GT3 IS BACK:clap:
Since it is not about immobilizer, I kept on thinking, what mechanic has done before it, GT3, dead. He installed water c/cooler, OK. Then he installed an heavy duty electric water pump I asked him, where do you get the power supply from? He got the power from tapping the pump wire to the solenoid valve for intake flap manifold-eek-, I wish I call it correct. Very unwise thing to do that. So I suspect wherever this wire come from, that thing must be damaged, and cause engine dead. Yes, it came from ECU. So I ask him to change the ECU and splice the immo wires. BINGO, it's back on life again.

Now, back to my Exige. I try to reset the immo as per TheViper first procedure, still dead. Remote is OK, able to open the door, red light flashing on/off OK. It seems it was dead lock at the open mode. I'll try another procedure as TheViper advise again tomorrow.

If it won't work, I'm thinking to delete the whole immo system. Any bad things to the car, if I delete it. I don't mind not to have this system installed. Thief in Thailand don't like Lotus, don't know how to drive. They rather like Toyota pick up truck. Kindly give me full procedure how to remove it. But I will try to reset it as per TheViper procedure first, just very curious what was going on.

Thanks again everyone.

Oh, congratulation to Brit F1 fan, and Sir. Richard too. J Button won the Australian Grand Prix, new car, new team, new owner, well done Button:clap:

 

[Aedo]

BINGO GT3 IS BACK:clap:

Fantastic news :clap:

How are you getting on finding a new mechanic

 

[Exige2640]

Actually it initially run 30 minutes. I believe, the pump consume more power than the wire from ECU can supply. The put overload to ECU until it can't handle and break down.

There is no other Lotus mechanics here. Even mechanic at Lotus authorized dealer is worse than him. That why Lotus owners have more technical knowledge than the owners of other marque, Fer, lambo...

 

[Aedo]

...
There is no other Lotus mechanics here. Even mechanic at Lotus authorized dealer is worse than him. That why Lotus owners have more technical knowledge than the owners of other marque, Fer, lambo...

That does make it more challenging! You should be able to find solutions here - the Lotus community have a great knowlwedge base and are always willing to help

 

[Exige2640]

Hi again everyone, just came back from the garage. Today I've done the follows to my Exige.
1st try to reset immo, door is unlock, window is down, immo plug is disconnected, then I press big button on fob to lock it. It's lock, red light flashing, then I connect immo plug again. Wait for 5 minutes, unlock the door, turn the key on, then press start button, nothing happen, same.
2nd did everything same as 1st time, but this time after 5 minutes I activated the alarm by open the door from inside when it's armed. It alarms then I press big button again, alarm stop. Unlock the door, try to start again, nothing happen, same.
3rd I disconnect the immo plug and splice the wires, now it can start as usual. I'm thinking to leave the wires spliced just like that, but the pattern of beep sound is very annoy me. When I press to lock the car, it sounds 2 beeps + 5 beeps. When I unlock it, it sounds 4 beeps. When I pull the key out, red light flashing and around 1 minute, it sounds 5 beeps and no more.
I tried new immo, this is brand new immo and used few time with GT3, It didn't work with GT3 and didn't work with my car neither.
Today, I just got my Exige PIN code from UK. Lotus dealer here is very clever at very stupid things, never gave PIN to customer. But I think, nothing wrong with the PIN code, fob can lock the door, stop the alarm, etc.
Shall I reset PIN code again?
Or what shall I do, if I want to remove the whole system of the Cobra security system. Can I still lock the door by remote?
Or should I replace the whole system. I have it with me now. But very doubtful, what happened?
Many thanks in advance, everyone.

 

[SirLotus]

.

Today, I just got my Exige PIN code from UK. Lotus dealer here is very clever at very stupid things, never gave PIN to customer. But I think, nothing wrong with the PIN code, fob can lock the door, stop the alarm, etc.
Shall I reset PIN code again? No need, the existing one works
Or what shall I do, if I want to remove the whole system of the Cobra security system. Can I still lock the door by remote? Not be removing the whole system. Removing only the immobilizer yes (or by passing it as you have done) Or should I replace the whole system. I have it with me now. But very doubtful, what happened? Did you check Fuse R2? It could be that the immobilizer is not getting the signal from the alarm.Many thanks in advance, everyone.

Also, try waiting 5 mins before pluging in the immobilizer plug after arming the alarm.
Disconnect the car battery for 10 mins
Last resort is to replace both alarm & immoilizer.

 

[Exige2640]

Thanks TheViper. I've checked every fuse. They are all OK.
I did checked the signal from alarm module. It's pin no.4 on immo plug, isn't it? It show 10.4 amp. Is it possible that when anyone pull the immo plug when red light flashing, it destroy itself. Just like the impossible mission movie?

 

[SirLotus]

Disconnect the car battery for 10mins

 

[Exige2640]

Shall I disconnect battery when red light flashing or when it off?

 

[SirLotus]

Alarm MUST be off, no flashing.
Try arm and disarming 10 times in a row.
Maybe the Cobra alarm module has been compromised and not signalling the immobilizer.
That Pin#4 wire is suppoed to be a digital signal.

Shall I disconnect battery when red light flashing or when it off?