Immobilizer sucks...
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From: Dahlonega, Georgia
I just don't understand the ongoing angst regarding the immobilizer....My 993 has been my daily driver for almost seven years. I use the immobilizer 4-6 times a day. Lock it when I leave it, unlock it when I come back, get in and go. The only problem I've had with it is when I ignored the signs of a dead key fob battery and got caught out, but even that wasn't really a big deal. A quick trip to Rite Aid for a battery and I'm back in business. I just don't get it.
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Joined: Jun 2010
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From: Driving somewhere in Utah
I just don't understand the ongoing angst regarding the immobilizer....My 993 has been my daily driver for almost seven years. I use the immobilizer 4-6 times a day. Lock it when I leave it, unlock it when I come back, get in and go. The only problem I've had with it is when I ignored the signs of a dead key fob battery and got caught out, but even that wasn't really a big deal. A quick trip to Rite Aid for a battery and I'm back in business. I just don't get it.
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From: Somewhere in a galaxy far, far away....
my take on why i hate the immobilizer.
First all, the clunky cheap 1980's plastic key box "fob". (Yes, i now have the suncoast key fob upgrade, but im just sayin')
Second of all, having to always depend on the keyfob battery to unlock to doors in order to start the car sucks especially when you have a power door related issue or an issue that all of a sudden pops up.
I had a drivers side door actuator fail while i was driving across country. Having to always unlock the door manually and then having to cycle the key fob and then sometimes cycle the fob while in the ignition was horrible.
And hotels with valet... painfull!
Now my doors are fixed, but it is a system that shows its age on an otherwise timeless car.
First all, the clunky cheap 1980's plastic key box "fob". (Yes, i now have the suncoast key fob upgrade, but im just sayin')
Second of all, having to always depend on the keyfob battery to unlock to doors in order to start the car sucks especially when you have a power door related issue or an issue that all of a sudden pops up.
I had a drivers side door actuator fail while i was driving across country. Having to always unlock the door manually and then having to cycle the key fob and then sometimes cycle the fob while in the ignition was horrible.
And hotels with valet... painfull!
Now my doors are fixed, but it is a system that shows its age on an otherwise timeless car.
Pro
Joined: Sep 2009
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I just don't understand the ongoing angst regarding the immobilizer....My 993 has been my daily driver for almost seven years. I use the immobilizer 4-6 times a day. Lock it when I leave it, unlock it when I come back, get in and go. The only problem I've had with it is when I ignored the signs of a dead key fob battery and got caught out, but even that wasn't really a big deal. A quick trip to Rite Aid for a battery and I'm back in business. I just don't get it.
Gordo
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From: SLC, Utah
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From: Dallas, TX
Only sucks if you leave your trunk open, door open, cabin light on, turn signal on, engine hatch ajar or your battery can't hold a full charge.
Seems to me if this is all we have to bitch about on a 16 year old car that has vintage cutting edge theft deterrent features I would say the engineers got it right!
Try sorting out the ignition kill system on a 2001 Jetta,, or better yet any new car today and you will learn to love the system on the 993!
Andy
Seems to me if this is all we have to bitch about on a 16 year old car that has vintage cutting edge theft deterrent features I would say the engineers got it right!
Try sorting out the ignition kill system on a 2001 Jetta,, or better yet any new car today and you will learn to love the system on the 993!
Andy
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Became more frequent over the next year or so.
Sometimes one of the parking lights would stay on after locking the car.
At times it took several tries fobing the ignition to engage the starter.
(Fresh fob batteries, etc).
Dealer replaced ignition switch, which helped temporarily.
Back to dealer; finally determined (best guess) that the ignition keyway was so worn that it was sending some kind of transient signal to the immob module and caused it to fail.
New module, new ignition keyway from factory (which required replacement of integral steering wheel lock).
Gordo
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,006
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From: Medina, OH USA
4(?) years ago had infrequent difficulty getting the fob to lock/unlock doors.
Became more frequent over the next year or so.
Sometimes one of the parking lights would stay on after locking the car.
At times it took several tries fobing the ignition to engage the starter.
(Fresh fob batteries, etc).
Dealer replaced ignition switch, which helped temporarily.
Back to dealer; finally determined (best guess) that the ignition keyway was so worn that it was sending some kind of transient signal to the immob module and caused it to fail.
New module, new ignition keyway from factory (which required replacement of integral steering wheel lock).
Gordo
Became more frequent over the next year or so.
Sometimes one of the parking lights would stay on after locking the car.
At times it took several tries fobing the ignition to engage the starter.
(Fresh fob batteries, etc).
Dealer replaced ignition switch, which helped temporarily.
Back to dealer; finally determined (best guess) that the ignition keyway was so worn that it was sending some kind of transient signal to the immob module and caused it to fail.
New module, new ignition keyway from factory (which required replacement of integral steering wheel lock).
Gordo