Help - Car Immobilsed, Security system reset?anyone know a way

A problem - I was having a look at the suspension ecu (with the battery disconnected). When I put all the bits back together again the burglar alarm went off (I did not know I had one) and my keypad code does not work any longer - in other words, the car is immobilised.

Does anyone know a way out of this? I have no knowledge of the alarm system. It seemed to go off when I pressed the back button of the plipper. Is there another thing I need to do? I have the original documentation with the original security code written onto a little credit card size bit of plastic but that does not seem to work either/


Help very much appreciated.

Jamie

I think you will find that you need to turn on the ignition and hold pressed the button on the dash showing the red flashing light. When it has been held for a few seconds while it clicks, it will then allow you to start the engine normally and the headlights will no longer flash.
You may have set it off by closing the car and locking it with the remote on the key fob and then opening the car with the key in the lock itself.( An anti-theft precaution)

mmm...Info a bit sparse but the alarm may have been problematic (not unusual) and ceased to function before you acquired the car. Normally the car is locked by pressing the plip front button which operates the central locking, then pressing the back button engages the deadlocks and sets the alarm -dashboard LED flashes slowly. The alarm is cancelled by pressing the front button which also opens the central locking and is accompanied by flashing indicators etc in the usual way. I mention all this because you said you did not realise the car had an alarm, and I thought I had better describe how it is supposed to work.

When you disconnected and reconnected the battery the alarm was reset, a bit like rebooting a computer after a crash AND automatically armed. It would go off if there was a door open(ed) You cancelled the alarm by operating the plip. The red LED will have flashed rapidly and been cancelled by turning on the ignition.With ignition on the red keypad LED should be a steady red. Enter code red LED goes out and green LED comes on.The car should start. At this point I should mention that the procedure described by Techmanagain is the method used to cancel the alarm using the key only and is useful to know but you appear to have successfully cancelled the alarm with the plip anyway.

The alarm may or may not be faulty but as far as starting the car is concerned your problem appears to lie with the keypad/code. When you disconnected and reconnected the battery the code reverted to the master security code. When you entered the code you had been using did you get 4 beeps accompanied by flashing red LED ? That would indicate the code stored does not match the code entered. If you enter the "wrong" code three times the keyboard will lock out and you will have to wait for 30 minutes. You mentioned a security code recorded on a card. This could have been changed to a new code at some stage and that would be held in memory if power is disconnected. If the code you were using is the security code it should work. There is a chance however that it was a service code set up for strangers to be given while keeping the security code secret. Sometimes owners have sold on cars set on service mode and when the battery is disconnected the ECU reverts to security code which the new owner does not know and the car cannot be started. Better leave it at that for now so you can respond with more info. If both LEDS on keypad are lit it indicates a system fault.

Regards,

Robert

Thanks for the replies.

I think it's a system failure, in that both red light and green light are on all the time and I didn't get the beeps associated with entering a wrong number. If this indicates a system failure, is there a fix?

I should repeat, i was in the ecu box looking at the suspension ecu but may have knocked the plug going into the engine management ecu. MY plan was to go back into it tomorrow morning and have a look - any suggestions as to how to proceed?

Jamie

Many thanks to Robert and Techmanagain - I can report a happy ending. I had knocked one of the plugs and sockets so it had become partially detached - a big brown plug with a red plastic securer that lives in the front detachable ecu housing. Couldn;t see it in the dark last night.

At least I now have a working knowledge of the alarm system (which has still turned itself on).

Many thanks again

Jamie

The most likely reason is a poor connection in the immobiliser circuit. I agree with you that the place to look is around where you were working. Check all the ones you can find preferably with an assistant keeping an eye on the keypad LEDs. can't direct you to particular connectors apart from the ECU as there are model differences I think. For example my 1998 2.1 td had a circular connector perched up in the middle of engine bay level with the battery which seemed to connect wires from the cabin to the loom in bay , including the keypad. My 2.5 does not have that connector. There is also a keypad connector in the central console tunnel but I would leave that to last as I think you are right to suspect you have disturbed something in the engine bay.Good luck.

Regards,

Robert.

I see our posts crossed. Congratulations! Glad to see you got it sorted. If you have the manual that came with the car there is a useful section on the keypad modes available and how to set them. Also on the alarm. My alarm is behaving erratically at present, it sets itself at times and can go off at random intervals. Hope yours behaves itself.

Regards,

Robert.

fingers crossed!

Jamie

Hi Jamie

Roberts description is for the later version of the XM keypad alarm system. I can confirm your car has this later system as I looked at the ORG when we were working on the car the other day. Your immobiliser/alarm has one other feature not covered by Robert. There is an extra wire connection between the Plip receiver and the keypad and this is used to send a signal to bypass the keycode entry when the unlock button is pressed on the Plip. If the car is not started straight away this ignition release times out fairly quickly and the keypad has to be used.
There are different sets of instructions for each type of keypad/alarm/immobiliser. Check in your handbook. You need the instructions for the "S" type keypad and not the "D/N" type keypad. Middle keypad digit by the red/green lights gives keypad type. Citroen did not revise the handbook straight away but printed an addendum leaflet that I can copy if yours is missing.
There are some instructions for a locked system and also a time out feature which disables the keypad for 30 minutes after 3 incorrect keypad entries. During this period both red and green lights are lit.

John

Further to John's comments on the keypad by-pass the keypad is programmed as follows. Enter your security code - green LED lights - within 10 seconds type C 1 C
green light flashes 4 times accompanied by 4 beeps. Pad is now in AUTOMATIC mode and as John says unlocking the car with the plip does not require a code entry provided you start the car within one minute. I think you may get longer if you are sitting in the car with the doors closed. You will know if the green LED comes on when you switch on the ignition it is ok to start. If red you need to enter the manual code. I have mine set up in this mode and seldom have to use the code. If the key is used to unlock the car you have to enter the code. To reset to manual mode enter the security code then C 0 C. Four beeps and flashes as before confirms return to manual mode.

I had a locked keypad once in my previous car caused by a faulty key making double contact. In my case the red LED flashed rapidly together with a continuous beeping for 30 minutes rather than green and red on together. Another variation to be aware of.

Regards,

Robert

Interesting........is this just late models, or all models with keypad. I've never seen it in the handbook. It would be nice to not have to key the number in every time.

Hi Minijet

You need a car made with the "S" type keypad, that change happened somewhere around ORG 7000 I think. As far as I can tell the changes were to the keypad, the ECU software and that extra wire from the plip receiver to the keypad. So far I have confirmed that the keypad types can be swapped without problems. The extra wiring would be easy. The sticking point will be the ECU. It is easy enough to change the EPROM in the ECU but getting the updated code might be a bit more difficult. There is a later TCT ECU on French ebay at the moment and if it had been a later 2.5 one I would have been tempted to make the first bid.

John

I think it varies between models/years. But it should be possible AFAIK to set up any car so you don't have to use the keypad.

I prefer the extra security with mine.

Hi Demag and All

Switching off the XM keypad is simple. Start the car using code then unplug the keypad then switch off the engine. On next start-up the ECU will check for a keypad notice it missing and reconfigure for no immobiliser. It will stay in this state until the keypad is plugged back in while the engine is running.

If your XM came your way with the keypad unplugged DO NOT plug the keypad back in UNLESS you KNOW the IMMOBILISER CODE or you will disable the ECU.

John

Just by-passed the keypad using the C1C code. Thanks to John and Robert for the tip. It works, it makes life easier and I can't imagine why it's not more widely known.

Jamie