Hi all - wondering if someone could provide some guidance on immobilisers for my (new to me) 348. The car has what appears to be an old immobiliser and came with fobs to activate / deactivate which is probably 30 years old. I have not used it as I’m worried about its reliability after all this time. My current plan is maybe to get it replaced with a new immobiliser for peace of mind - just wondering whether others have bothered with updating old immobilisers and if so, whether there is a model or brand people would recommend for a 348? Thanks in advance
I think most people don't think they are worth the bother (unless required by insurance) and just rip all the wiring out. This is not always easy due to installation variations. The immobilisers are ticking time bombs, but I wouldn't go looking for trouble. As long as you have a wiring diagram for them, you can just bypass them. 348 immobilisers don't have the complexity of 355 immobilisers as there is no circuitry in the Motronic ECUs. Do you know what is immobilised? Fuel pump? Starter motor? Ignition?
unfortunately I don’t know how it is set up at all - I assume I would have to get an auto electrician to have a look. I hear you on not looking for trouble…
I’d have a (good)stereo alarm shop help you. Typical auto electrical guy isn’t going to know much. Lots of aftermarket variables, super simple but can confuse most technicians who don’t have lots of experience with aftermarket electronics. Just my opinion since I was in the business for years. I agree with most people here. Remove it, cars aren’t usually hot wired anymore, just pulled up on a flatbed.
If you can find the immobiliser ECU, it should have a brand name and model number on it. Usually a manual can be found for them (online), showing a typical installation.
It’s ( U.K. car fitted by importers Marenello concessionaire) at the foot of the relay / fuse box . The lid is the passenger foot rest .Hinges down . Seems reasonable to assume this is the factory recommended place for the box due to proximity to the relays ? Obviously your market box may vary ? Principle of interrupting the starter relay and fuel pump relay is identical. Image Unavailable, Please Login This system doesn’t have a fob for activation as such , it automatically activates after 30 secs of ignition off . You need to insert a small key fob into a female receptacle on the steering column , which then beeps ( well the box does ) when it disarms . Then you have a 30 sec window to start it . If you inadvertently forget the fob , the dash lights up in the normal way you have power but nothing happens when you turn the key , no “ click “ of solenoid , not sound of starter turning , no hum of fuel pumps . So I guess it’s interrupting those relays ?
We've had various reports on what happens when the key is turned on (in relation to the fuel pumps). A few have said that cranking is required, so you may not hear the pumps anyway. I guess you'd have to look at the back of the relay panel to see how it is wired in.
Thanks all - I will have a look at the relay panel this weekend to see if i can work out the brand etc and go from there
99% of the time they interrupt the starter wire from the column to the starter. Anything else has the chance of causing an issue while being driven. Usually it’s easiest for the installer to reach that wire near the ignition key harness. “Usually”
