Five years plus and my Felicia Pick Up (diesel) starts first hit come rain and shine, then this morning, for no reason would not start! Went in to get the spare key - starts almost before I turn the key! Drove ten kms, returned home and tried the old key. Starts immediately. Tried again and starts. And again...all good😅

My questions: Is this common? Is it a sign that the immobiliser is on the way out? Is it an immobiliser transmit issue or a chip in the key issue? Can the chip in the key fail even?

I will be absolutely gutted if I have to ditch the truck simply because of an immobiliser fault - can one buy a new immobiliser even?

Help really appreciated and thanked!

If you had a modern VWŠkoda you would have intermittent system fails and hiccups or computer brain-farts a lot more often than once in 5-years.

Yes you want to be cautious as this has happened but a one-off might be caused by something else.

Firstly, is your "spare" key used as a spare in that it is very rarely used or as it better as a the other key(s) (or another if more than two keys) alternating use in some pattern with other(s) keys. Alternating keys evens out wear to the keys and lock barrels and confirms all work (and for those that mislay or lose them) where they are to be found when needed.

Is there anything on or hanging from the steering column (cowl, switch/barrel) or key or key ring (some people have far too many keys on a key ring) any decoration or item put and left, it can be surprising what can interfere and perhaps intermittently.

I don't know the old VWŠkoda immobiliser systems but generally these old systems are fairly straightforward (which is often much better than later more complex systems) so parts replacement (where available) are simpler if required. IIRC the ring thing (I forget what it is called) is (I think) more likely to go than the chips but others will know a lot better than I.

Why would you have to get rid of the truck because of an immobiliser problem, worse case you could replace the system, or wire round it, depends on your insurance on what is actually an immobiliser or if you actually need one to comply. A mate found this out recently with his 1996 car which he had not used because he thought he needed the electronic immobiliser for insurance and the auto-electrician kept letting him down on the replacement, turned out the battery isolator he had fitted counted anyway.

Of course I have no idea of any French laws (do they have many).

Thanks Nigel

Yes, maybe over reacting thinking I may have to ditch the truck! But I have heard of some older cars having to go for the most ridiculous of things and this girl is in such good condition, it will be a pity to lose her!

Both keys are quite new, maybe a year or so following the tumblers in the barrel letting go - luckily at home - and I could not find a new lock with the traditional flat blade, so my local key bar removed the transponder chip from each old key and with the deft use of a soldering iron, inserted them into the new keys quite neatly. But I shall heed your advice and maybe alternate their use.

Nothing hanging off the key ring other than a brass yale key for a front door. So maybe the start of something. Hopefully only the coil transmitter ring around the ignition lock so I shall hunt for a new one just in case.

Started four more times today on the first kick...

Edit: I tell a lie!! also on the key ring is a Verisure magnetic disc transponder... I wonder if, despite it never happening before, the immobiliser transmitter decided to latch onto this...?😀

Edited 15 April, 20251 yr by Haladams

2001 is a modern car, you can get around most parts and components no need to think of giving it up, I'd much sooner have a 2001 (well older and much older really) car than 2021+ car, the bits on my wife's 2015 Fabia Mk3 really annoy me, as well as the VW German engineering "quality" parts and components on it and they'd be better than the later years!

Blue/white Tac a Verisure disc above the ignition barrel and if you get a non-start you can remove the disk to a safe distance to get going and later put the Verisure disc back again for more testing to confirm if the Verisure does caused any interference - you'd not think it would but you'd then be very sure about it. Ooooow ! "I'll get me coat."

ETA: until nearly 3 years ago my every day (one and only) car for the previous 16 years was a 1973 MG Midget.

Edited 15 April, 20251 yr by nta16
ETA:

The Midget was a good solid car - the good old trooper Morris Minor in sport trim! I had one for a while - the only thing I hated was the noise of the starter motor🤣

OK, yesterday I tried several starts with a couple times it would not fire, each time using the one key - the one I used all the time that has the Verisure tag on the key ring. The other, ‘spare’ key fine for at least a dozen starts throughout the day.

Now, a question: is it possible that over time the magnetic Verisure tag can upset an immobiliser transponder if continually side by side?

Oh yes, the crash, bang, clatter of the inertia starter I'd forgotten that as swapped to a brand new uprated pre-engaged soon on in ownership of the car, early enough that I had to replace that one too, like for like this time, and I could see the drop in quality in the 'rubber' wire covering over those years, so much p1ss-poor rubbish rubber about on "classic" car parts then.

4 hours ago, Haladams said:

Now, a question: is it possible that over time the magnetic Verisure tag can upset an immobiliser transponder if continually side by side?

Perhaps the way to find out is to remove the Verisure disc from key one and see if that improves things, as conformation perhaps you put the disc with key two and see if that effects key two. I could be wrong, as I am many times a day, I'd not think Verisure use the highest quality and highly quality controlled stuff, volume and price over absolute quality. (if) Chinese stuff is sold so cheap you throw away (recycle?) what doesn't work or stops working.

My neighbour buys stuff from Temu and whilst some of it can be good, or not too bad, much is tat or worse but you can afford to buy a dozen of something to find the one(s) that work or stay working. I put up a solar powered LED light on his shed, three modes, screws and wall plugs, with remote control. Left it to charge up for a day in bright sunlight - it didn't work and hasn't since - but it was only just over £2. Another waste of recourses, time and possibly money but I'm sure as he's such a good customer he'll get a no-cost replacement or money back. He told me he got a voucher for £100 (!!) to spend on Temu a couple of months ago, that's a hell of a lot of potential tat.

I saw a lot of the race to the bottom with parts when I had my various "classic" cars as dailies in the 30+ years and I waited to see how long before the same would happen with modern car parts.

On 15/04/2025 at 12:33, Haladams said:

My questions: Is this common? Is it a sign that the immobiliser is on the way out?

Not common, if the immobiliser is ''on the way to grave'' you would have problem with the 2nd key also.

The solution is to go to a well-known locksmith which works with cars, will reprogramme the old or in worst case based on the 2nd will make you a new one.

By the way have you ever changed the battery in the first (the ''old'') key?

I should have mentioned that I taped the Verisure tag near the ignition switch and it did not affect the starting with my good 'spare' key, but a couple of times the normal key I use would not start. I am convinced that the tag next to the key in my pocket is the culprit...

6 minutes ago, D.FYLAKTOS said:

By the way have you ever changed the battery in the first (the ''old'') key?

The key does not have a battery...I think my original set of keys had a battery but it was for the little flashlight in the key. Since my barrel collapsed, the replacement had two keys different from the flat blade ones before where the locksmith drilled a small hole in the plastic, popped the little chip into the hole and hot melted the surrounding plastic over.

Just called my local VW service that also covers Skoda who agrees with you that if it was the central module it would show up more often. They says no problem, they can code a new or an additional transponder key. Apparantly this needs to be done on a VAG1552 machine, which they have.... OK, I guess it will cost me, but honestly, it will be worth it just to have the old girl in perfect shape again.

I will quickly ask around if there is a local auto key specialist nearby though.

The cost for a copy here in GR is about 25€.

It maybe in theory that VAG-COM or VCDS or any correct level scan tool that has a program on it for a VWŠkoda 1.9D Pick-up 2001 can program keys but personally I'd have it done on the VAG 1522 by the local VW specialist then they take on any issues from doing this, hopefully and very usually none but I have seen on here with a newer model it reported a specialist place having to pay for a Dealership sort as they had a rare foul up using their machine, we're talking computer programs here and we know these often go wrong or just don't work.

If the local VW specialists wants silly money for the work you could see if any s/h VAG 1552 might be for sale as you could use it for diagnostics on your car, garages here would literally throw away old machines like those after having stored them for many years and never used them.

I cannot complain. Without much of a wait, they hooked the car up to a box, verified the two (there are two..?)immobiliser modules are good and one key was dodgy. New one copied, 80€

No definitive comment on the duff key, other tham maybe a good idea not to bunch the Verisure magnetic tag to my keys…

Happy days😂

Well done.

Computer systems work (or not) in mysterious ways!

This Verisure seem to use reassuringly (or not perhaps) low tech for their entry systems, similar to what you might find on a pet's collar for their entry through their flaps and doors (and feeders) though now in UK all should be microchipped so tag discs no longer required. Going back a few decades for those low-tech proximity door entry systems, with data entries into spreadsheet systems, great for discriminating pay grades and (often self) perceived importance - until the cleaners need to get in everywhere. 😄

Keep your eyes out for cats, or dogs, burglars as they may have easy access to your property. 😁

Edited 17 April, 20251 yr by nta16