Yesterday after I started my car (1996) the immobilizer light on the dash started blinking. I checked the owners manual and it says that the immobilizer system has failed and, no surprise, go to the dealer for repair.

I drove the car a few more times and the light didn't blink, so I'm not ready to go to the dealer yet.

However - I would be interested in knowing what happens if the immobilizer fails. Am I stranded, or can you still open the door, start the engine etc.
If the failure mode is to strand me in the middle of nowhere, then I'm more inclined to go to the dealer and get it 'fixed' before it hangs me out to dry.

Thanks

 

I don't think you have the same immboilizer that I do, I have a chip that slots into the dash to disable drive block, it is a porsche one but the american cars all seem to have the remote. I have been stranded before now, and it's not fun, I would get it looked at before you get to that stage. Luckily there was a reset procedure for mine I'm not sure if there is one for yours.

 

This immobilizer stuff is really confusing to me also. I'd love to hear an answer calibrated for my feeble brain.

Rufus had a flashing immobilizer light (previous owner had removed the bulb). In my case, the ECU was not properly reprogrammed by Ruf to use the immobilizer (is the immobilizer a USA thing?). I sent the ECU back to Ruf, and they reprogrammed it, and now everything is normal. But I'm still a bit confused.

 

IMHO the immobilizer is more trouble than its worth!

 

I still think its worth having the immobilizer, these would be easy cars to steal without it.

Get Porsche to do the work, you should get a guarantee with their work.

 

My car had the same blinking icon the day I picked it up - flashed all the 100Km on the way home .... which I wrote off as "driver error". I believe that the remote button was not pushed correctly with the key in the 'run' position, or pushed twice ( nervous newbie ).
Regardless, this has never repeated since religiously following one tap on the remote after turning the key to the run position - with a pause prior to engaging the starter.
It is likely that the car is fine .... but your button finger may need to be reprogrammed

BTW, for all its merits, I don't yet fully trust the immobolizer either ....