Steve 96C4S

I just hate the immobilizer on my 993! Granted, I'm extremely forgetful, but still... So this time, I go to the gym and thought to myself, "I'll just take my key in today instead of the immobilizer device. That way, if my battery dies like it did recently, I'll at least have my key!"

Oooh, I thought I was so smart. I know what you're saying - how stupid! You know the rest of the story. I forgot the car doesn't work like my BMW or most cars on the planet. I locked the door with my car key, go off to the gym, come out after, try to open the door, and the alarm goes off, loudly, and I embarrassingly shirk away from the car mad as hell I forgot about this and call my wife to bail me out again with our spare key. The last time she had to rescue me from the gym she brought my extra key, but... it was the BMW key! We had to go home and then come back again.

I think you should be able to lock the door on this car with a key, and open it with that same key, like most cars. Unfortunately that's not possible, unless you memorized some obtuse sequences of turning it this many times that way, this many times this way, in some ancient, secret ritual till it opens. At least that's what I've heard. I doubt many of us could or have memorized that.

Sure, duh on me... but, it's just annoying! The last time this happened my key battery died while I was at the gym and I was stranded that day. This happened somewhere else once where I spent an hour tracking down a store that could sell me a battery while I hoofed it on foot from store to store.

So, do I need to take my key, the immobilizer thing that unlocks the door, AND a spare battery everytime I go to the gym or elsewhere? If the battery dies, you need another to open the door with the immobilizer thing.

Rant over. Has your car ever left you stranded due to the immobilizer and you just couldn't believe it?


Steve R

ceboyd

DOH!

95 C4 993

Twice for me. Once at the car wash bay and another time at the bank Im glad I was only a few blocks from the house and my girlfriend was home to bring the spare immobilizer. I now carry extra batteries in the car.

The over ride switch in the glove box did no good. I really need to have someone look at my alarm system and figure it out. My stereo guy looked at it for a bit and said he would need to take a real look at it when I brought it in next because he couldnt figure out the over ride-just in a few minute look after having my XM installed. Between my auto windows, immobilizer, and alarms, I couldnt do a Macgyver to save my life in those situations again.

rattlsnak

so you locked your car with key, and it armed the alarm, but you cant unarm the system with your key? Im having the same issues with my car, but i dont have an immobilizer. hmmm... is that normal operation for a drive block car?

Steve 96C4S

rattlsnak: Yes, I locked the car with the key, left my immobilizer remote IN the darn car under the mat instead of leaving my key under the mat and taking the immobilizer device and went into the gym. I came out, tryed to open the door with that same key, and of course, I was totally screwed, the alarm went off for many minutes as people stared at me in disgust. It was a VERY crowded parking lot right in front of my gym. How embarrassing. I really hope I don't forget this again!

TO 95 C4 993: Yes, I keep spare batteries in the glove dept too after previous disasters but it sure didn't help me today!

Live and learn I guess.

Steve R

95 C4 993

TO 95 C4 993: Yes, I keep spare batteries in the glove dept too after previous disasters but it sure didn't help me today!

Live and learn I guess.

Steve R[/QUOTE]

Install a battery kill switch. I know the feeling of the alarm going off but its a much better feeling when you can shut if off in 10 seconds-especially at a bar at 130am in the morning!!!

ceboyd

hmm... I guess I should get some batteries.. I just realized that both my keys still have the ORIGINAL batteries from 10 years ago.. DOH!!!

Ed Burdell

I wasn't stranded, but I sure had to wriggle out of the alarm mess once. First and only time I actually engaged the steering wheel lock. Came back out, key wouldn't turn, car wouldn't start, but the alarm sure did. Ten minutes of fiddling with it and sanity was magically restored to the universe, but I have absolutely no idea what incantation I stumbled upon to get the car to fire up.

That was three months ago. No problems since...

friar93

I'm confused.... both my keys dont even have batteries(just empty holes, sad I know). I just use the remote control to lock/unlock the car. Are you saying the battery in the key is for something besides just that little LED light?

AOW162435

Friar,
The batteries in the illuminated keys are for that purpose only. If you have an early-'95, the immobilizer issue is non-existent. And that's a good thing

Andreas

mborkow

there is an overrider switch in the glove box!?

my car has little plugs over the door locks so i would never even consider locking the car with the key (i'd have to pry those plugs off first and i am not sure what is behind them anyway...)

dbf73

anyone remember the battery type/size? My car (and manual) are in the shop right now and I want to pick up a coupla spares while I'm thinking about it.

whidbey

My duracell batterys say 21/23 security batterys there about half the length of a AA battery hope that helps.

David in LA

happened to me once at a gas station. filled the tank and car would not start. replaced the battery and still no luck. called for a ride (and to bring spare remote/key) and of course it started w/my old key right before my ride arrived.

Dudley

On a recent trip to Canada, I did a bit of laundry. I also washed and dried both my key and imobilizer - yikes. I thought for sure I was stranded. Nope, imobilizer worked - just had to stand closer to the car.
When I finally got home I changed the baterry and put a spare battery in the car.

I found the batteries at Radio Shack.
Part # 23-144. Battery Type 23A 12V

Equivalent to:
Alarm Cell A23, Alkacell 23A, AWI L01, Citipower 23A, Duracell MN21, Duracell MN21B, Duracell MS21, Energizer AG23, Energizer E23A, Eveready A23, Eveready A23BP, GE/Sanyo 23A, Gold Peak GP23A, Gold Peak GPA-23A, Golden Power MS21, I.E.C. 3LR50, Kodak K23A

http://www.radioshack.com/sm-12v-alk...i-2049663.html