Advice needed: My Tata Harrier cranks but refuses to start

The immobiliser lock symbol keeps on flashing (once cranking is finished, check engine and malfunction lamp is also glowing). I can unlock using remote, using the request button, all other electrical working fine.

BHPian maddyg recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Dear All,

Writing this to seek possible approaches to the problem. I have 2021 black edition XT+. Ran flawlessly for 13+ months and now 23500km on Odo. Currently i'm away from from home(Bangalore) and at Goa for work. Car is refusing to start - starter cranks for 10 seconds or so and then stops - a message 'Engine Locked' is displayed. The immobiliser lock symbol keeps on flashing (once cranking is finished, check engine and malfunction lamp is also glowing). I can unlock using remote, using the request button, all other electrical working fine. This is happening from yesterday night, no unusual observations, the usage was typical.

Tata service in Goa suggested keeping the key fob near push start button, this worked once and then car started normal second time (with key fob in pocket). Didn't dare to take it out being a Sunday(the service centre do not function) , but this method also ceased to work now. Key fob near push button also does not makes a difference.

Service centre advice to tow which i wish is a last resort, wondering if there is any means to start the car so that i can take to ASS.

Literally stranded due to this problem. Would changing the key fob battery help ? KHT Bangalore suggested disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes. Haven't tried this yet.

The attached image is after pushing the start/stop once(cranked for 6 seconds approx).

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Had similar experiences with my 530d, where the starter would crank in a healthy manner & endlessly, but the engine wouldn't fire up. Turns out, it was radio interference with police radio signals! Who would've thought! Related discussion. Thanks to the suggestions from BHPians, I now keep an aluminium foil in the car. Whenever there is radio interference, I wrap the key in the aluminium foil, stick it to the steering console and voila! That 6-cylinder fires up like an eager horse.

Either something as unpredictable as this, or your key or your immobilizer gone kaput.

Here's what BHPian vigsom had to say on the matter:

Either communication between the key and the immobilizer is lost OR the immobilizer module is defective. Does the immobilizer light on the dash blink even before you crank the car? If yes, then I'd suspect the immobilizer module.

If the key fob battery had died down, it should have thrown a warning. No harm in changing the battery on the key fob but I doubt if that would work. I suggest getting the car to Tata Goa to rectify the issue OR call them over to your location with a scan tool to check what is wrong.

Here's what BHPian sridhu had to say on the matter:

Did the fob, by any chance, get wet?

Try opening it out, drying it, changing the battery & restarting

maddyg had the following update on the matter:

So today morning, tried changing the battery. Now the immobiliser is behaving as normal. Taking it to ASS, shall update soon.

Here are the errors in the scanning. ASS is sticking to the fob battery low, i made check voltage old battery , it was 3.03v. I suspect something else in play. Still at ASS, it will be great to know if anything else to be checked. Immobiliser functioning normal from morning. Tried at least 15 times. ASS says these are codes in memory from the previous attempt.

It appears immobilier chip is powered from battery as it need to get detected anywhere inside the cabin, not just near the immobilser antenna (near push button? - manual says its under the storage location)

Continue reading about the issue faced by BHPian maddyg on his Harrier for more insights and information.