12 replies to this topic

[minimat]

my spi cooper has the old style single button fob alarm does anyone know the easiest way to bypass this?
The problem i have started when the car would not start at the petrol station the other day,i got it going by turning the key so the ignition lights were on then manually operating the main relay inside the relay pack on the servo.
Dodgy relay i thought,however since then the alarm seems to self arm itself as you are driving along meaning that if you turn it off it will not start again as the starter is imobilised! (i thought it cut the fuel pump as well but it seems not)
The radio has also gone funny so im thinking it may be an earth prob possibly the one on the bulkhead behind the ecu as this is also near the relay pack which seem to be connected to the alarm.
I have tried a replacment alarm module which worked fine on my car on fri but did not work when i tried it again on sunday!
I had the car running with the alarm unplugged by manually switching the main relay again.

[SMP]

Does your alarm work?

I have exactly the same problem on mine - although it's random.

My alarm doesn't work - when I press the button on the fob the little red light on the fob lights up but nothing else happens. Red light on the dash doesn't do anything - no indicators flashing - nowt. So I don't use it.

Sometimes when I go to the car it won't start - pump primes, lights on but no starter turning - no clicks. Usually if I try turning the key in the ignition enough times it starts.

I was going to strip the relay pack and check the connections and clean the relay contacts. After that I will wire in a few leds so that I can see what's happening to the signals to and from the relay pack. It might be duff ignitions switch??


Steve

[minimat]

The alarm does work although the button on the fob is a bit worn so i didnt use it but since the non start incident on friday it has been self arming itself as you drive along!
I don't think the alarm itself is at fault but is playing up as a result of another problem elsewhere as when i fitted a different alarm the problem was still there hence my theory about a bad earth somewhere.
The stereo has started to play up as well and the car would now stall and be difficult to restart sometimes.
Got a pro ex Rover mech looking at it tomorow eve (friend of a friend)who is mini mad apparently so i will wait and see what happens.

[DaveRob]

Their is a way of disabling the alarm .......... but lets face it ......... its not something to be discussed on an open internet forum. If you do a LOT of research and have some test kit and the patience you can work it out for yourself. I know this isnt the answer you wanted but unfortunatly Neither I nor, I hope, anyone else who dosnt know the person who wants to do this like a blood relative should consider telling anyone how to disable an immobiliser...especially on an open forum.

I hope a moderater reads this and maybe posts a sticky about NOT discussing the ways to disable our security systems.

Sorry but Im sure you understand

Rob

[minimat]

I saw my friend last night whos dads mate was looking at my car and she said that he has fixed my car and removed the alarm system which i am happy with as it was nothing but trouble and you can't get replacement fobs anyway!
She could not tell me what else had been done but hopefully the stalling and weird radio performance have been rectified as well as it seems that these problems all started around the same time so could be connected,i am picking the car up tomorow so her dad will be able to tell me more.
I know we cannot write on an open forum about by passing alarms as you never know what type of people are reading this.
As far as alarms in general are concerned they can be a real nusciance when they go wrong and no one seems to take any notice when they go off anyway,an aa man in our club says that for security you cannot beat a hidden switch somewere in the car to cut power to prevent starting and i couldn't agree more!

[coopertrooper2001]

I remember reading something a long while ago about factory standard radios screwing up the alarm.

Try removing the radio and see if that helps.

[minimat]

The alarm has been bypassed and removed the poor running and stereo interferance was caused by a knackered coil,i found this out when it broke down on the driveway,plenty of fuel but a really weak spark,i fitted a secondhand coil and it fired up straight away and the stereo works fine again.I wonder if it was interfering with the alarm as well?
The coil was only a couple of years old purchased from minispares it had not done many mile's really,there does seem to be a lot of poor quality ignition part's around now(the first one i had from them was faulty and i had to send it back)
On another note i notice sprocket does not answer on this forum very much anymore,shame as he seemed very knowlegable and helpful.

[giz]

sorry to bring up an old thread but these are the exact symptoms of what is going on with my brothers spi.
is it likely that the coil is to blame?

the other thing thats happening is when the car desides it wants to start the starter motor sounds like it isn't engaging properly but still spining

Edited by giz, 24 December 2008 - 07:48 PM.

[SMP]

Could be two problems there giz - some might think how unlucky is that - but on an old mini (they're all old now!) it is very likely.

The problem of not starting at all could be down to the relay pack - that's what mine turned out to be. After identifying that the relays were working (by watching them with the cover off the pack) I cleaned the contacts on the starter relay with some fine wet and dry - presto - car starts fine.

If the starter is making noises but not engaging I'd whip it off and give it a good clean up. Check that the solenoid on the starter is working and clean then check the wire connections on the back of the solenoid are clean etc. You could check the teeth on the starter and the flywheel but to be honest if they're knackered they tend to make grinding noises when starting.

Should have added before all that - have you checked the battery connections are good?

Cheers
Steve

Edited by SMP, 24 December 2008 - 10:27 PM.

[minimat]

It could be the same problem i had if the symptoms are the same,put a coil on anyway as they are cheap enough just make sure it is a good quality one!Starter spinning but not engaging sound's like a knackered starter motor though.

[King_Rodney]

i managed to turn the alarm off and it starts fine now
it hasent reactivated itsef so thats good,just means i dont have a alarm.

[King_Rodney]

its happend again!!!
my rear lights had gone so i changed the fuse and the alarm came back on and now i carnt turn it off!!.

[minimat]

Sounds like you need to go through the electical system checking any earth connections and multiplugs are clean and tight,I think my faulty coil was interferring with my alarm but never really found out for sure as it had already beenj bypassed by thr time i replaced the coil(which also cured the stereo problem),check this as they are high voltage and can do funny thing's ,Do the spark plugs as well make sure they are the resister type.(BPR6ES)