[NutsNBolts]

^ Either it has to be towing or a very sophisticated heist with insider (company) knowledge. Immobilzer code works on a set of numbers which are allotted along with the keys. If you lose your keys, your duplicate will be made on this number only. So stealing is by someone who knows the set of codes or is supplying it to thieves for a premium.

[sgiitk]

Slightly OT.

If your battery goes kaput and you change the battery will the immobiliser also have to be reprogrammed/reset.

[clevermax]

The ultimate test it to try starting the car with a duplicate key.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Slightly OT.
If your battery goes kaput and you change the battery will the immobiliser also have to be reprogrammed/reset.

No, I don't think so.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by lalitk25

Seems Interesting.... I would say either thief had a duplicate key and after opening they towed it away otherwise I am ready to listen what could be another way of stealing a car with immobilizer fitted in?

There is no such thing as a theft-proof car. Thieves now are becoming either

a) Street-smart : They swap the target car's ECU with one of their own (to which they have a working key, of course)

b) Tech savvy : The big players know how to break into / bypass factory fitted immobilisers. These are the guys who are part of a larger gang and have the means to import equipment from other parts of Asia.

Its important to make the theft as difficult as possible (but again, if he's that determined, he will make away with your car). More information here.

[NutsNBolts]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Slightly OT.

If your battery goes kaput and you change the battery will the immobiliser also have to be reprogrammed/reset.

Even if the battery goes, ECU gets reset and previously stored info might be deleted. Basic algorithms don't change. Immobilizer will still work the same.

[k2max6]

A brand new Chevrolet beat,stolen in a matter of 10-15 minutes in Delhi.
IMO beat also comes with an ECU immobilizer and this is a fairly short time to make an impulsive theft.So has icats become of no problem atleast for the tech savvy thieves or it must have been a planned event?

Source : HT

[myavu]

Originally Posted by k2max6

IMO beat also comes with an ECU immobilizer

Beat don't have an OEM Immobilizer.

[S2!!!]

I drive a stock Ritz Lxi. Previously when I used to switch on my car and drive off, I noticed that after changing to the 5th gear at 50-60 kmph and dis-engaging the clutch, on a few occasions, for a second or so, my engine used to get immobilized. When I say immobilized, all the lights on the instrument cluster came on, engine went off, steering gets locked, speed drops (obviously) and immediately then it turned on again with a little throttle and the car would be normal in a second. I ignored the problem as it occurred rarely in the 2.7 years of ownership.

Last evening, the same happened although this time the engine did not turn on and luckily there wasn't much traffic on the road so I had enough time to turn off the ignition and turn it on again. My heart was in my mouth for a few seconds though.

I really need your help to know what could possibly be the problem. I dread to think of the outcome of my car immobilizing itself on a highway at a higher speed.

[pganapathy]

Originally Posted by S2!!!

I drive a stock Ritz Lxi. Previously when I used to switch on my car and drive off, I noticed that after changing to the 5th gear at 50-60 kmph and dis-engaging the clutch, on a few occasions, for a second or so, my engine used to get immobilized. When I say immobilized, all the lights on the instrument cluster came on, engine went off, steering gets locked, speed drops (obviously) and immediately then it turned on again with a little throttle and the car would be normal in a second. I ignored the problem as it occurred rarely in the 2.7 years of ownership.

Last evening, the same happened although this time the engine did not turn on and luckily there wasn't much traffic on the road so I had enough time to turn off the ignition and turn it on again. My heart was in my mouth for a few seconds though.

I really need your help to know what could possibly be the problem. I dread to think of the outcome of my car immobilizing itself on a highway at a higher speed.

The first thing you should check will be the battery. A loose contact or a damaged wire will give you the same symptoms as disconnecting the battery will switch the car off.

It could possibly be the immobiliser, but if that is the case, you need an electronics expert to diagnose it.

[S2!!!]

Originally Posted by pganapathy

It could possibly be the immobiliser, but if that is the case, you need an electronics expert to diagnose it.

The problem definitely seems to be of the immobilizer as the immobilizer sign (i.e. a car with a lock sign) appears on the instrument cluster along with the other signs. I guess the Maruti Service Centre should be able to help me out.

My only worry is that whenever I have taken my car to them with a particular problem, during inspection, that problem disappears. Hence, I was looking for a probable cause for this irregularity which I can clearly point out to them and ask them to work in that particular direction accordingly.

[kalpeshc]

I own a 2010 Hyundai i20 Sportz. Yesterday i noticed while driving that the immobilizer light came on. It was definitely not on when I started thr car and had turned on when I was driving. I stopped removed the car key but the light refused to turn off. I was able to start the car though. I did this multiple times i.e. Turn thr car off and on. After a long drive it switched off after 30 odd minutes on its own.

I had a long 4 hours drive on thr highway when the light remained off. The moment I came into the city in stop and go traffic thr light came on. It only turned off after 30 mins by the time I had reached the destination.

What is this issue?

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

What is this issue?

Among other things, this could be an issue due to a weak battery. Do check the same.

[kalpeshc]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Among other things, this could be an issue due to a weak battery. Do check the same.

Battery of the car? Have replaced it 6 months back. Battery of the key? Have not faced this problem during locking and unlocking.

Also this is the old i20. This does not have keyless entry.

Am right now at the service center. Strangely gscan does not reveal any error at all. Now the engine light also remains on. Except the car keeps on working absolutely fine!

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by kalpeshc

Am right now at the service center. Strangely gscan does not reveal any error at all. Now the engine light also remains on. Except the car keeps on working absolutely fine!

With the engine light ON and also the immobilizer light coming ON, get t re-scanned using an OBD 2 rear or whatever Hyundai calls it. There would be some codes stored in the ECU for troubleshooting.

If not disconnect the battery (-ve terminal) for 15 minutes and reconnect. Observe if the issue repeats. If it does, then there is some issue with the immobilizer system.

[kalpeshc]

So apparently it was because of a loose wire from the ECM. Once the wire was fixed again the problem went away. Gscan returns no error now.