355 - New 'must have' addition to your toolkit | FerrariChat
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355 New 'must have' addition to your toolkit

Discussion in '348/355' started by Racing Snake, Oct 2, 2022.

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  1. Racing Snake

    Racing Snake Rookie

    Dec 20, 2006
    44
    Lincolnshire, UK
    #1 Racing Snake, Oct 2, 2022
    Just been out for a trip into Lincoln (UK) for the day, as I parked up and switched off, I found I couldn't lock the car.
    Odd? but then I couldn't lock it, and I couldn't then disable the immobiliser!
    I thought the fob had died, although the red light was still coming on... so I popped into poundland :D to but a new battery and mini screwdriver set. Swapped it over, no difference.

    So caught a taxi back home (with the wife and dog) to fetch the pin code and red fob.
    Whilst on the way back I was searching through and I found this thread:
    355 Immobiliser help | FerrariChat
    Interesting.... I used google streetview and saw I was indeed parked directly opposite a massive set of phone masts - maybe there is a cross over frequency with the fob? dunno.

    Armed with that, I thought thats fine, I'll use the PIN code (which I have now thanks to @gobble ).

    In the unlikely event it was actually interference, I thought what if I could block the stronger mast signals, so I grabbed a roll of silver kitchen foil.
    Got back to the car (opened manually with the key), tried the red fob, nothing.... somewhat grasping at straws I put a doubled up sheet of foil over my hand as I held the fob right next to the antenna.

    Bugger me, it worked!!!
    Pressed it twice, lock and unlock (and disarm immobiliser), and off I go.
    So, I've now added a square of foil to keep in the car 'just in case' it ever happens again.
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  2. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Feb 20, 2015
    14,264
    Sydney
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    Ian Riddell
    #2 Qavion, Oct 2, 2022
    I can’t say I’ve heard of anyone outside the UK having this problem. There must be a frequency allocation problem in the UK.

    There are better materials for shielding than aluminium, but certainly nothing more readily available/cheap.

    Thanks for the tip.
     
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  3. Philipnz

    Philipnz Karting

    Apr 12, 2015
    222
    Whitianga New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Philip Hart
    #3 Philipnz, Oct 2, 2022
    This happened to me in NZ with my 360. I returned to my car at a gas station and couldn't mobilise the car. Changed battery and still the same. I called the tech and they said probably too close to transmitters. The gas station was on a hill so I pushed the car to the slope and coasted down the hill. Once away from the gas station it started.
     
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  4. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Feb 20, 2015
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    Sydney
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    Ian Riddell
    #4 Qavion, Oct 2, 2022
    Funnily, when looking for best materials for RF shielding, I came across advertisements for “tinfoil hats” :rolleyes:
     
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  5. SoCal1

    SoCal1 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 14, 2011
    8,630
    SoCal LA/OC/New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Tim Dee
    #5 SoCal1, Oct 2, 2022
    Yes great idea!!!
    They are not RF isolated well at all. I can not take my 348 or 355 to work it will not start next to the RF towers, I have to park it so I can roll down the hill few thousand feet before it will start. You can also try turning off the battery and turn it back on. That works sometimes to reset everything enough to get it started. Boy I been doing this a lot over the years LOL Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
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  6. Mike Morrissey

    Mike Morrissey Formula 3
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    Nov 2, 2018
    1,143
    Denver, Colorado
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    Mike Morrissey
    #6 Mike Morrissey, Oct 2, 2022
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2022
    I keep the immobilizer key instructions along with my code in my cell phone. Although I’ve used the procedure in the past, there’s no way I’d remember it. Here’s a copy if anyone needs it. My metallic sun shield might also help in a high RF environment. Thanks for this post, good things to keep in mind. :)

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  7. Racing Snake

    Racing Snake Rookie

    Dec 20, 2006
    44
    Lincolnshire, UK
    #7 Racing Snake, Oct 6, 2022
    I did try this one, but no cigar. always worth a shot though!

    Thanks Mike, now saved in my phone alongside the code :cool:
     
    Mike Morrissey likes this.
  8. Mike Morrissey

    Mike Morrissey Formula 3
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    Nov 2, 2018
    1,143
    Denver, Colorado
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    Mike Morrissey
    #8 Mike Morrissey, Oct 6, 2022
    The fun story about my PIN code and immobilizer. (this might help others).. When I purchased my car, it only came with two FOB’s, not the red master. The previous owner said that he found it and wanted to charge me close to $1000.00 for it, stating that the dealership would want even more to reprogram the system.

    I had the original factory sealed envelope with the PIN code, so I contacted Mark Waldvogel, Ferrari Fobs, “gobble” here on FChat. He sent me a new red master FOB with my code programmed, however it didn’t work.

    Mark worked with me, even using a FaceTime chat to watch me try the code with the ignition key procedure. I was doing it correctly, however the code did not work. Mark suggested that I look further for another code.

    I had been through all of the documentation that came with the car, but initially found only one PIN code. I decided to try looking again. Leafing through the books, out popped a tattered piece of carbon paper with a different code, found in the airbag book. Ahhh, I tried that code with the ignition key and it worked. I then used the red master FOB that Mark made for me and reprogrammed the system to the original code. Man, I was on cloud 9 for quite a long time.

    Thank you again to Mark Waldvogel. [email protected]
     
  9. Skippr1999

    Skippr1999 F1 Rookie
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    Dec 22, 2009
    4,508
    #9 Skippr1999, Oct 7, 2022
    When doing the sequence, do you leave the key in position “O” for 20 seconds between each series of digits?
     
  10. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    13,548
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    #10 yelcab, Oct 8, 2022
    A ****ty excuse for an owner.
     
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