Had Immobiliser problem with Fabia Estate 1.4 2002 (No key code) and it's cost an absolute fortune to get repaired - So in my mind not clever or amusing !.

Any more than any other car though?

Immobilisers are always a PITA, no matter what the car/bike.

Admit that the car is old and this could be expected?, but "simply clever" must really refer to cars up to a certain age ?.

to be fair, the 'Simply Clever' campaign was launched well after your car was made

You're quite happy to take the lower insurance premiums due to the car having an immobiliser without giving it a second thought.

Had Immobiliser problem with Fabia Estate 1.4 2002 (No key code) and it's cost an absolute fortune to get repaired - So in my mind not clever or amusing !.

Cant be any worse than the Pug 306 which has a keypad that is hardwired in and cant be removed.

Had Immobiliser problem with Fabia Estate 1.4 2002 (No key code) and it's cost an absolute fortune to get repaired - So in my mind not clever or amusing !.

 

And?

 

Find me any car as old as yours that doesn't have a problem of some kind.

And?

Find me any car as old as yours that doesn't have a problem of some kind.

Ever read my Clio thread? That's newer and its cost me about 1 1/4 times its value in 5 months

Immobiliser - engineers.

 

Simply Clever - marketing.

 

Two departments with very different objectives.

Cant be any worse than the Pug 306 which has a keypad that is hardwired in and cant be removed.

I had that setup in a couple of Peugeots and Citroens and it could actually be removed very easily as long as you still had the pin code. Type in the pin, start the engine, unplug the multi connector from the back of the keypad with the engine running and that's the immobiliser disabled! I ran my old Xantia like that for years after I got fed up of typing in the pin every time the engine was started.

I had that setup in a couple of Peugeots and Citroens and it could actually be removed very easily as long as you still had the pin code. Type in the pin, start the engine, unplug the multi connector from the back of the keypad with the engine running and that's the immobiliser disabled! I ran my old Xantia like that for years after I got fed up of typing in the pin every time the engine was started.

there Is a way round the keypad on psa cars hold down c and press 1111 (been a few years so I forget)

Had Immobiliser problem with Fabia Estate 1.4 2002 (No key code) and it's cost an absolute fortune to get repaired - So in my mind not clever or amusing !.

The keycode would have been supplied on a keytag with a 2002 car.

I had that setup in a couple of Peugeots and Citroens and it could actually be removed very easily as long as you still had the pin code. Type in the pin, start the engine, unplug the multi connector from the back of the keypad with the engine running and that's the immobiliser disabled! I ran my old Xantia like that for years after I got fed up of typing in the pin every time the engine was started.

That I didn't know but at the time I doubt may did as it was a some years ago. But the problem was the keypad stopped working due to a broken PCB so could not be deactivated.

I should have said the Immobiliser cant be removed as it is hard wired in. 

I am in no way knocking Skoda reputation as I owned a Felicia for 18 years (That was a joy to own) and the only large repair bill ever had was for new clutch and have never had any experience with cars that have an immobiliser system.

I have now learnt the "hard way" that buying any used car of any age?, could possibly develop an immobiliser fault and if no simple fix available, then this can result in an expensive repair.

Of the "old school of thought" I would prefer to pay higher insurance premium for a car that does not have immobiliser system, than be under the constant worry of every time ignition is started that at some time you might then be left with a non runner or have to keep entering SKC to get mobile again or fork out ££'s. I'll be saving up for a new car as from now !!.

Just tried to eat my grill badge and found out it's not made of cake will be the next moan!

Tried that and must admit it was delicious !

I am in no way knocking Skoda reputation as I owned a Felicia for 18 years (That was a joy to own) and the only large repair bill ever had was for new clutch and have never had any experience with cars that have an immobiliser system.

I have now learnt the "hard way" that buying any used car of any age?, could possibly develop an immobiliser fault and if no simple fix available, then this can result in an expensive repair.

Of the "old school of thought" I would prefer to pay higher insurance premium for a car that does not have immobiliser system, than be under the constant worry of every time ignition is started that at some time you might then be left with a non runner or have to keep entering SKC to get mobile again or fork out ££'s. I'll be saving up for a new car as from now !!.

And gets stolen more easily?

Understand your point, but as the car I have is worth approx' £900 and it's costing me £900 for repair, then perhaps would not have been too worried if it had been stolen.

there Is a way round the keypad on psa cars hold down c and press 1111 (been a few years so I forget)

Yes on the early keypads there was a key sequence you could press which would 'temporarily' disable the immobiliser, for example if you were dropping the car in for a service and didn't want to tell the garage your pin. Unfortunately PSA discovered that so many owners were running their cars with the immobiliser permanently in this disabled state that they removed this feature from the keypads in later cars, such as my '97 Xantia. The only way to disable the immobiliser on that was the 'unofficial' way of unplugging the keypad.

 

That I didn't know but at the time I doubt may did as it was a some years ago. But the problem was the keypad stopped working due to a broken PCB so could not be deactivated.

I should have said the Immobiliser cant be removed as it is hard wired in. 

 

At the time I'd heard a few horror stories of these failing on PSA cars, in some cases requiring the car to be towed in to a dealer for a complete replacement ECU, which is part of the reason I disabled my keypad before it had a chance to fail. On the diesels there was a bodge where you could chop the protective metal plate off the injector pump and run a 12v feed direct to the solenoid, thus completely bypassing the immobiliser ECU. On the petrols there was no such option, and a dead immobiliser meant a dead car.