Hi All,

I installed my Evoms intakes a couple of weekends ago, drove around after the install and love the upgrade. The next day, my alarm started making a funky noise when I locked it, almost as if there was something in the way of the siren. I still hear two beeps, but definitely muffled somehow. A couple of days later I went on vacation for a week, came back Monday night and the car won't start! I'm getting an "IMMOBILIZER ACTIVE" code in the dash. I want to add that my battery is very strong.

I've done numerous searches across 6Speed and saw a few different P-cars that had this issue, but none are really transparent as to what the culprit was. My guess is that the key fob and immobilizer's signals are scrambled or not pairing correctly, and something needs reset.

Here's what I've tried so far to troubleshoot this issue:

1. Pulled fuses underneath the dash (Large DME cube style fuses, just right of the PIWIS port), reinstalled, car started right up. Thought I was a genius for a minute. After test drive, parked the car and same issue, "IMMOBILIZER ACTIVE" popped up again and back to square one.
2. Pulled center console fuses (#26 & #40 fuse), reinstalled, no change.
3. Replaced key fob battery, assuming maybe it was the pill shaped immobilizer in the key fob, no result again.

Here's what I plan to try:
1. Find DME Relay fuse and pull, reinstall, see if it resets the immobilizer. (I don't know if there's an immobilizer fuse?)
2. Go grab a 10mm triple square from home depot, get to the battery, and touch battery terminals to reset everything in the car maybe?
3. Pull the trigger and either buy a new immobilizer and have it installed, or key reprogramming.


I ride my bike to work so I rarely need the truck for anything, so I'm not in too big of a rush, which is why I haven't had it towed to the stealership yet. I have gotten the truck to start a couple of times by resetting fuses, but no permanent solution as of yet, which tells me it has to be something minor. Towing to the dealership will be the worst case scenario, my last objective. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Do you have a spare key? First thing I would try is seeing if it will start with a different key.

 

Nope, bought it with only one key. I guess this is a good time to have another one made and see if I can get the new one programmed & old one reprogrammed at the same time, since I'll be charged 1 hr labor regardless. I really hope it's the key though. No idea where the immobilizer is and what that would even cost to replace.

 

Ok I bought a new key fob w/ blank key from Sunset Imports ($140 vs $285 at Manhattan Motorcars), once it gets here ill go get it cut & programmed at my local dealer & see if that fixes everything.
By the way, if you guys need OEM parts that Suncoast or ECS don't typically have, definitely consider Sunset. Great customer service/sales guys over there.

 

"Immobilizer Active" is the message you'll get if it doesn't recognize the key being used, so it's likely the key lost its programming. It's possible that it won't reprogram either, but the new key should do the trick if that's all it is.

 

Thanks Tim, I really, really hope that's what it is. So once the programming is lost on an old key, it can't be reprogrammed? I might as well keep the old key as an entry spare. I love the truck and have had zero electronic issues since I bought her and can't understand why or how this could've happened.

 

Sometimes they can be reprogrammed, and sometimes they can't. If it's a problem with the internal transmitter in the key, it's not likely to work again.

 

Ok it ended up just being the key. Apparently the key was dropped hard in the past and finally the immobilizer inside the key crapped out. To get to the dealership, I literally punched my old fob with my middle knuckle and the truck started right up. No joke!

I called Manhattan Motorcars a couple of times and they were saying they could cut my key AND program it there, however when I called this morning they said they send all their keys out to get cut. On top of that, they were charging a full hour's labor ($190/hr) for a 20 minute programming of the key. Not that that's all that big of a deal, but I called Englewood Porsche and they said they only charge 1/2 hour's labor for a key programming ($74 total). I got there, nicest people in the world, Marcy in Parts/Service is second to none in customer service. After a quick programming to my new key + switching key blades, 8 engine cover clips and a free car wash, I got out of there under $100. In one word, amazing. Any of you North Jersey / NY guys ever get tired of your dealership, I would highly recommend you consider going to Town Motor Car / Porsche of Englewood.

Thanks for your help too Tim, it really helped and I probably saved a ton of money here. Also, apparently when you program a brand new key, the old one is just a paperweight; there is no "reprogramming" unless you're keeping your original keys that came with the vehicle when bought/registered.

 

You're very welcome. Old keys can be reprogrammed to the same vehicle if they haven't lost their programming, but they cannot be programmed to a different vehicle after they've already been programmed once. In your case, the transmitter was broken, so it wouldn't have mattered anyway.

 

having the immobilizer message more and more frequently and starting to get key not found. batteries were replaced so I'm off to Town Motors in the morning.

 

There's a pill shaped sensor in the key & I guess sometimes it goes bad. It can't be fixed, only a new key fob + programming will fix the issue.

 

Wow, good to hear it was just the transponder!