Immobiliser immobilised

[Paul @ Kippen]

Guys,

My Aero has only ever had one key fob which I have nursed solicitously these 5 years or so.  Resoldering connections as necessary and finding the little ways to tweak it when it acts up.  However, last Thursday, after filling up at the local T***o it just wouldn't play ball.  All that the usual fiddling managed was for the green light to come on permanently.  Took the batteries out to prevent burn out and ended up with a dead thing.  Even bought new batteries.  Had to call out the Very very nice Man in his yellow van to tow me home.  - Oh,  the shame !

Saturday's fiddling with a meter didn't seem to show much, power to the board OK and to just about every point on the circuit board.  More by luck,  in fact completely by luck, it started flashing as desired.  Took it outside and Hey Presto it works again. So the car is again usable, but I have a certain nervousness every time I go to use it.  Will it,  won't it ?

I do possess a 'spare' ECU, VSS chip and matched remote but am planning to fit it to my most recent aquisition, a 2.3 LPT.  I'm pretty sure that I can fit the 'new' VSS chip to the Aero and use the matching remote but will need to disable the 'bit' in the 'new' ECU so that it will run in the LPT.  This one didn't come fitted with VSS so no loss of functionallity.

Does anyone know how to access the code ( I presume Tech II is required ) and which 'bit' needs disabled ?

Paul @ Kippen.

[Audax]

I'm 99% certain that you can't disable VSS with Tech-2, at least if it is an option it is well hidden. You can remove the VSS bit with software like T5Suite although I'd get a spare ecu to experiment with first. I have got a loom including power supply rigged up somewhere for using with T5suite and the BDM adaptor but you do have to solder some headers onto the board too, read the flash, edit it and then reflash, of course the flash chips in 9000 control modules are all getting on a bit and if they won't reflash then you have a problem! Hence why I'd suggest getting a spare ecu to test with.

[millster]

Here's the question I have because I've seen these worries crop up time-to-time and have never understood them.  All 9000s have keyless entry, but not all have VSS?  Why do I ask?  Because from day one of my ownership, the fob for my 9K has been finicky.  The first time I put batteries in it, it worked for about 3 days just pretty as can be and then started to get to a point where it would only unlock the car if I stood on my head with my arms propped at an obtuse angle whilst singing at the top of my lungs (you get the point).  Eventually it would stop all together.  However, if I stuck the key in the tumbler and turned toward the bonnet, she unlocked as expected and fired when the key was turned in the ignition. 
I have a completely loaded CSE.  Every option it could have, it does which includes the extra alarm sensor in the central lamp assembly. That, the blinky red LED and the Saab security stickers and the fact that I once reached into the car having left the windows down and locked the doors and pulled the lock stub up with my hand.  Predictably the alarm triggered and in my haste to silence its surprisingly loud protests I tried first to start the engine.  No go.  Getting out of the car, shutting the door and turning the key to lock and then unlock silenced the alarm and allowed me to start the car.  Mind you some time did elapse between silencing it an my nerves settling enough to make me want to try to start it so I've no idea if there was a time delay or not.

Anyway, my point is that I reckon the VSS isn't totally fob dependent.  Given that mine has only worked 5% of the time I've owned the car and I've never been stuck save for the one time I did it to myself, it seems that way to me.  Or I'm missing something...

[Audax]

Not all 9000's have remote locking and not all with remote locking have VSS. Your car sounds like it doesn't have the immobiliser component, or is it an aftermarket system?

I'd suggest that anyone who has a 9000 with VSS gets someone to sort them out 3 keys or better yet gets hold of an ECU that doesn't have VSS set as I've seen many an alarm system over the past few years fail without warning, it seems like the electronics involved are starting to get to the end of their lives and I've known a few cars get scrapped because of it.

[millster]

Mine is stock as they come (on the alarm, at least).  Could be that it's lacking the immobiliser and I guess in that respect I'd be a lucky one.  That's curious, though because it has the sticker that advertises the security system and has acted before as if it was immobilized.  Eh, may have just experienced an electrical glitch at that moment. 

[racingsnake]

Hi Paul,

Could the problem with the remote be just a sticky switch, I had one with the same symptoms and that was caused by a sticky switch. I fixed it initially by swapping the boot switch with the lock switch. If that is the cause then I can post you a spare switch as I recently came across some that work as replacements.

If you are going to find someone with a tech II then they could add any spare key fobs you have to that car, it only takes a couple of minutes. That key fob would then be good for either car but you will have to press the button five times each time you use it with the other car car as it will be out of sequence with that car.

Cheers

Richard

[alang]

When I was having trouble with the immobiliser my local indie offered to disable the VSS with a Tech 2, leaving the remote locking working as I understand it.  Only thing is the insurance co might not like it, but than I have two 9k's without the immobiliser (or remote) and one with so it only makes it like many others.
Millster, I think the ones with the immobiliser have the small flashing LED in the speaker grille at the end of the dash top.

[Audax]

When I was having trouble with the immobiliser my local indie offered to disable the VSS with a Tech 2, leaving the remote locking working as I understand it. 

I take it that they didn't do it though? I'm fairly certain that it can't actually be done with Tech-2, I'm sure I tried in the past and it wasn't possible.

[alang]

No, I didn't do it as I found the problem (fuses and door lock) before I had it done.   Alternative was to fit the non VSS ECU from the parts car.