5 replies to this topic

[tomsbluemini]

Hi guys

Yes i know you're all saying "not again," but i'm having alarm problems again.

this time, when you press the "arm" button, nothing happens, but the immobiliser still comes on 30 seconds after turning the engine off and opening the door like it should, and you can still turn it off as usual...

rather than try and fix it, i've had enough... the standard alarm and I are just not meant to be

I really like having an alarm and immobiliser it would be nice If I could have one that flashed the indicators when you turn it on and off... I was thinking of trying to get an aftermarket one fitted.

I was really after some advice on what was the best aftermarket alarm/immobiliser to get that wouldn't upset the car at all, one that's fairly easy to fit, but yet still good etc...

Any advice greatfully received.

Cheers

Tom

[Sprocket]

Not sure if your car would have a coded ECU or not, The MEN number on the ECU will tell you this, if it ends in 1 its coded if it ends in 0 its uncoded. If its coded, you will have to retain the alarm system. I believe you can get it de activated, but you need to take it to a specialist i would have thought. Or you could replace the ECU with an uncoded one.

Moss sell an alarm system that can integrate their central locking and electric window kits to give you all the mod cons

Other than that, any decent known brand alarm should be more than up to the job.

You could use the original wiring

[tomsbluemini]

I've got 2 numbers printed on the top of the ECU, and they both end in 2... one has some letters at the start, and one has a # at the beginning and a barcode...

It's a 1998 MPi Cooper if it helps...

Tom

[Sprocket]

Ah yes, my mistake, This is MPI and it will have a coded ECU, you will need to get this uncoded by a specialist, there is no other way and no factory uncoded ECUs.

[tomsbluemini]

I'm not sure how this "coding" works...

How would it accept another alarm module from a later MPi??? If I found one that someone was breaking and put it in...

Tom

[Sprocket]

Key fobs are coded to the alarm ECU and the Engine ECU is coded to the Alarm ECU.

Changing any one from another car will prevent the car from starting. That is the whole point. No good some one elses key fob turning of your alarm. The engine ECU is coded to the alarm ECU so if the alarm box is swaped from another car, it will prevent the engine starting. Baisicaly if the ECU doesnt see a certain code, it stops working.

One way round the whole set up is to replace everything with a matched set, which is why you see people selling most MPi ECUs with the alarm box and fobs. For a theif, replacing all these devices iss not exactly a five minuit job and a bit risky.

You need to take the car to a specialist who can re code these devices to each other, or if you are fitting an aftermarket alarm imobiliser, get the Engine ECU de coded