A car problem...

**Trumpess** · 23rd October 2008, 05:18

Originally Posted by MSTRS

Battery etc have been checked and are all good.
Holden specialist technician believes the immobiliser was triggered by an incomplete circuit between the key and ecu. He thinks the key is OK, so I have replaced the metal contact shroud around the ignition switch.
Now it's finger's crossed that has fixed the problem.

I have the same kind of car as you MSTRS.
I havent had to replace the metal surround on the ignition yet.
If you still have problems, I would get a second opinion on the key.
As soon as the battery in the key units starts failing it plays merry hell on the car. I have had to replace my key unit twice now since owning her, and unfortunately only a dealership can do this as the new key unit needs to be retuned to the computer chip. A right pain in the arse if you ask me!

Also, just thinking about the fan coming on when you turned the key, if who ever used the car last can remember, when it was turned off, was the fan going at the time? The reason I ask, maybe that was the last thing the computerchip remembers before something failed. So when you turned her over, the car was starting off where she finished because of the failure.
I have noticed a couple of times with mine, when the car was stopped with the fan going and say half an hour or so later when she was restarted the fan would start on ignition but would stop almost immediately once the computer chip sorted itself out. Dirty contacts maybe?

I hope you find your problem and hope its not costly. Good luck.

**FROSTY:Me** · 23rd October 2008, 06:02

Mate Ive had this happen a few times before with cars on the yard. Its almost every time turned out to be a worn out key. The good news is that nowadays its only about $120 to get a replacement key.
Hey Trumpess. Good news for you too. You DONT need to go to Holden . The bigger locksmiths now have uncoded blanks and can cut/code a key for you .

**Trumpess** · 23rd October 2008, 06:09

Originally Posted by FROSTY

Mate Ive had this happen a few times before with cars on the yard. Its almost every time turned out to be a worn out key. The good news is that nowadays its only about $120 to get a replacement key.
Hey Trumpess. Good news for you too. You DONT need to go to Holden . The bigger locksmiths now have uncoded blanks and can cut/code a key for you .

Thats excellent news Frosty .... thanks

**MSTRS:Me** · 23rd October 2008, 07:54

Originally Posted by Trumpess

I have the same kind of car as you MSTRS.
I havent had to replace the metal surround on the ignition yet.
If you still have problems, I would get a second opinion on the key.

Originally Posted by FROSTY

Mate Ive had this happen a few times before with cars on the yard. Its almost every time turned out to be a worn out key.

Point noted, thanks. The current (sic) key seems to be fine, in that the little metal contact is still ball shaped and not flat/worn on the contact point. And it operates the central locking as well as it ever did.
The ignition contact strip was the older 2 piece type and had appeared to have lost its 'spring', so now it has the newer complete circle type.

**bull** · 23rd October 2008, 08:35

Try justcommodores.com.au for all your commodore questions mate - has always served me well.

**MSTRS:Me** · 23rd October 2008, 08:48

That looks the shizz. I'd better bookmark that one. Not like the site I mentioned in my first post.

**FROSTY:Me** · 23rd October 2008, 09:54

Originally Posted by MSTRS

Point noted, thanks. The current (sic) key seems to be fine, in that the little metal contact is still ball shaped and not flat/worn on the contact point. And it operates the central locking as well as it ever did.
The ignition contact strip was the older 2 piece type and had appeared to have lost its 'spring', so now it has the newer complete circle type.

Sorry to sound like a pedantic prick--ohh hang on I am a pedantic....
Trust me here mate I've had keys that look just fine and fire up all the instruments and do all the lock/unlock functions. But no go on starting the car.
One total B%$%$ would even start the friggin car but then it would die again. Then I used the spare key and bingo she's alive again.

**Tony W** · 23rd October 2008, 16:53

CAS problems can be intermittent. My family's VL and VR would sometimes not go particularly when warm. New CAS in each fixed them.
Just keep it in mind.

**MSTRS:Me** · 23rd October 2008, 17:00

The CAS's on the earlier Buick motors have a rep for being unreliable. Not so with the Ecotech versions. It was not the CAS, although it was suspected at the beginning of this saga.

**barty5** · 24th October 2008, 06:38

had this happen on our VZ we had finally after 22000ks and a list of other electrical faults 5 of which they never fixed i managed to get holden to give me a swap in to a new SS-V Ve model no probs at all with this one after 30000ks. VY and VZs had a lot of electrical probs

**MSTRS:Me** · 26th October 2008, 16:10

@#$%#@^!!!
Just done it again. Tried several times. No go. Used the key to lock, unlock. Still no go. Left it and talked to a Holden mechanic who told me to find and pull the fuse on the BCM, or failing that, disconnect the battery for a while to clear the ECM. Since I had to unlock the car to pull the bonnet release, I thought 'No harm in trying to start once more'. Damn thing started fine.
Maybe it is the key playing up?

**notme** · 26th October 2008, 17:34

Silly question, but have you tried the spare key?

**MSTRS:Me** · 26th October 2008, 17:36

What's a spare key?

**notme** · 26th October 2008, 17:39

Ah.

cos it does indeed sound like the ECU thinks the engine should be disabled.....only real way to see if the prob is on the car or key side is to try another key.

does the key (well, the plastic housing) look munted in any way?