Immobilizer Issue

Guys, I've got an as yet elusive immobilizer issue that's becoming prevalent enough that I'm starting to get concerned about reliability. Not throwing any codes. Just simply every once in a while the immobilizer prevents the engine from firing. Cranks but no start. My service adviser though it might be a battery FOB issue. My tech rolled his eyes on that one but replaced all the batteries anyway FOC. Hasn't made any difference. There "might" be a correlation between which FOB I'm using, but need to test more to catch the trend. I doubt it. I want to drive the car to Myrtle Beach this week but am not sure I should, or rather, pretty sure I shouldn't. What do you guys think? I've been kinda expecting electrical gremlins to crop up eventually based on the apparently very ****ty stereo installation. I'm taking it into a shop soon, finally found a good one nearby, need to sort out the rear camera and mic which haven't been working since I took delivery. I'm wondering if the bad stereo work might have nicked or pulled or otherwise tweaked something that could be contributing? Not sure where to go with this, but pretty sure I don't want to spend a few grand on a new immobilizer until a last resort. Open to any and all ideas. Thanks, guys.

 

Oh man, great lead and thank you very much. I'll have it checked out tomorrow. Someone before me did have some shoddy work done, nothing damaging but clear signs of corner cutting as we were sorting through and getting it 100% this spring. The battery is, get this, a Rayovac. I had no idea Rayovac even made car batteries. Wouldn't surprise me at all if it was installed cheaply as purchased.

 

Thanks for that. I drive it almost daily and am trying to drive it enough to get a code out of it, any kind of clue, but until today wasn't worried about actually getting stranded. I'll ask FOW for a tow service recommendation in the event it becomes necessary. I do not know the age of the battery, but I don't like having a Rayovac. What would you guys recommend? Not looking for the gold standard. What's the best priced reliable option? Thanks so much guys. I might just replace the battery now as it's one of the only things I'm not 100% on in the car currently.

 

So the key thing does make some sense. Okay. I'll stick my normal key away and use one of the two backups exclusively in addition to checking the security of the battery and connections.

Recommendations on a battery are welcome. I really would rather just replace, I think.

 

Thanks, guys. Looks like the local NAPA shop sells interstate. Closed. Will call in the AM and see if they have one in stock.

 

Not at NAPA. Found one at Battery Warehouse. Scheduled appt with FOW.

 

Six starts later and I'm cautiously optimistic we've exercised the demon. Thanks, guys.

 

Nope. I still have a problem.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk 2

 

For anyone searching this sort of problem later, the next troubleshooting step is to swap the ECU's. The immobilizer is a separate little module that can only be ordered from Ferrari with new FOB's at an astronomical price. We hope to not get there. Another potential cause is a malfunction in one of the ECU's, most likely due to the dreaded epoxy cracking that seems to plague so many models. This problem can apparently occur from moisture damage from cracked epoxy on the encoded ECU. The other ECU is not encoded until swapped, but is once swapped, so you get one crack at this, no pun intended. We swap, see if it goes away.

Query the hive mind, why can't we do with Ferrari ECU's and TCU's with cracked epoxy what we'd to with any other electronic device similarly damaged, stick it in a bag of rice for a couple of day, re-epoxy and replace? Why buy a new one without attempting repair? Or do people indeed attempt repair?

 

In what other ways would the DME problems manifest? What's a DME? The service adviser at FOW said they do see epoxy probs on these from time to time. A long time ago, I read the solution to the epoxy issue was a different epoxy, green in color? My build date is Dec '04, very early.

I'm trying to isolate behavior based on FOB but have nothing concrete to report yet. The problem is very intermittent, and when it happens, it might start perfectly the second attempt or take several. The FOB I was routinely using has been shelved for the time being to build a case against FOB #2 and so on. When it happens, I've been told by FOW to step out, close and lock the car for a couple minutes when this occurs, see what that does. Resets the process but if the process is flawed consistently, I'll be getting in and out a lot. Maybe I don't actually have to get out of the car, just lock it for a couple minutes with me in it. I'll ask.

 

So since symptoms wouldn't normally be limited to the immobilizer malfunction, that's more evidence that my immobilizer is the problem? Scary. Very expensive.

Dumb question, you think there's any chance of a wiring issue to the immobilizer? The stereo installation on this car is very suspect. I have no idea if the question even makes sense, no idea what any of this stuff looks like under the skin. Just putting it out there.

 

The immobilizer is about $6k and comes with three fob's. Ouch. FOW says this kind of problem can go on for a very long time before becoming a dead stop, that I have the choice of just putting up with it. It does start first time more often than not, and just as often will start the second attempt. It's still pretty rare that I get flustered trying to get it started and I've never not gotten it started. I guess it's a safe bet it's not going to be getting any better though. I guess I'll get them to swap the ECU's at some point here, see what that does.

 

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