VR6 not starting

[alank950 0]

Hi Guys,,my VR6 is giving me bother starting.It fires ok and the rev needle lifts, then it just dies as if the key has been turned off again.I noticed it doing this on a very odd occasion over the past months although this time it wont start altol.I was told it may be the ECU unit or the factory immoboliser or coil in the steering colum..I was told to turn the key on and put my hand on the ECU and feel for vibration ,thats a sign its either ok or needs replaced..its a late 1995 model ,any ideas or help with this would be great..thanks

ps..i cannot get access to the car untill next Monday to test the ECU as its at my place of work as wee are closed for the holiday period..just trying to narrow down what the problem could be untill then.

[dumptyboy 0]

Possibly the ignition switch is needing replacing,it could be several things though! Has it been stalling or running lumpy whilst driving it or on idle?

[alank950 0]

No it has been running ok ,not stalling or running lumpy,,,the car is a good runner and this is the first issue i have had with it since i got it a few years ago..The car is starting ok for a second then it just dies as if the ignition has been turned off.I noticed it doing this more than a few times over the past year but then it has always started again ok at a second attempt except for now.

 

---------- Post added at 7:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 7:27 PM ----------

 

Just read on a thred here that it may be the immoboliser ,any body know how i can go about checking this.

[dumptyboy 0]

What type of immobiliser does it have buddy?

[alank950 0]

I am not shure what type of immoboliser it is,although i do remember it says on the key as i was looking a second key last year and contacted the makers..Its a push in key that is inserted into the dash ,i was going to have this removed incase a problem like this happened.

 

---------- Post added at 8:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 8:15 PM ----------

 

Anyone know where i can download vag com for win 7...

 

---------- Post added at 9:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 8:16 PM ----------

 

I CUT AND PASTE THIS FROM ANOTHER THREAD...ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THIS IS ABOUT?...see below

 

 

 

The blocked immobiliser is sorted by spraying a little WD40 on the brown 3 pin connector (shiny black cable) that plugs into the immobiliser box located inside the dash behind the headlight switch. The other box is the spoiler control.

[CazzaVR 0]

My money's on the immobiliser. Just remove the driver's undertray. Trace the black cable from the ignition to a little black box hidden in the dash (kind of behind the headlight switch). Remove the small plug & spray with WD or electrical contact cleaner. Refit. Remove. Spray again. Repeat several times. This will hopefully do the trick!

[alank950 0]

My money's on the immobiliser. Just remove the driver's undertray. Trace the black cable from the ignition to a little black box hidden in the dash (kind of behind the headlight switch). Remove the small plug & spray with WD or electrical contact cleaner. Refit. Remove. Spray again. Repeat several times. This will hopefully do the trick!

 

Thanks man i will give this a try ..

[swiftkid 1]

Just actually sent you a really long winded reply to your PM basically saying the same thing.

 

I ended up having to do this http://www.bba-reman.com/forums/Topic30638-1-2.aspx#bm30731

 

But really you shouldn't need to because you havn't been messing with wiring like I did with OBD2 conversion.

 

I'd maybe try get vagcom and plug it in, theres a free version VCDS-lite which you can download from rosstech.

[alank950 0]

What type of immobiliser does it have buddy?

 

Meta M36T2

[EJ Taylor 22]

mate, mines a late 1995, had the exact thing... tried everything, if what i think your sayin is correct, you start it, then the revs drop, either droping completely cutting out, as if the key has been turned of, or sometime its starts, revs up, drops rite down, then catches the revs and sits at idle, despite what everyone else says, and by no means am i undermining anyone, as what they say may well be the case, but mine turned out to be a dodgy ignition barrel/switch, as soon as i replaced it it starts perfect every time and i never had the problem again. if what ur describing is what im imagining, then im pretty sure thats a likely possibility... easy way to tell is take the plastic bit off, under your stearing wheel on the colum, find the plug that goes into the back of the ignition barrel, and try start it while pushing the plug with you hand into the back of the barrel, thats how i diagnosed mine. hope i helped bud

[alank950 0]

mate, mines a late 1995, had the exact thing... tried everything, if what i think your sayin is correct, you start it, then the revs drop, either droping completely cutting out, as if the key has been turned of, or sometime its starts, revs up, drops rite down, then catches the revs and sits at idle, despite what everyone else says, and by no means am i undermining anyone, as what they say may well be the case, but mine turned out to be a dodgy ignition barrel/switch, as soon as i replaced it it starts perfect every time and i never had the problem again. if what ur describing is what im imagining, then im pretty sure thats a likely possibility... easy way to tell is take the plastic bit off, under your stearing wheel on the colum, find the plug that goes into the back of the ignition barrel, and try start it while pushing the plug with you hand into the back of the barrel, thats how i diagnosed mine. hope i helped bud

I will give that a go ,thanks...

 

---------- Post added at 1:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:52 PM ----------

 

I will give that a go ,thanks...

 

I dont think the symptoms are the same though..mine just starts and stops again in 1 second and thats it.Thats all it did also the past few times it did this,although it did start again ok before when i re started.,this time it wont.

[EJ Taylor 22]

hmmm..... maybe it not... thing is.. u never know till u try... i personally solve things like this by process of elimination... no harm in giving it a go, let me know how u get on!

[alank950 0]

hmmm..... maybe it not... thing is.. u never know till u try... i personally solve things like this by process of elimination... no harm in giving it a go, let me know how u get on!

 

Yea ,process of elimination is what it takes,and also one can learn alot that way.i will post what i find out when i have any ideas what it may be.

[efil4sbuD 0]

I'm willing to bet that it's neither the ignition switch nor the immobiliser.

 

I reckon you'll find that it's the key detector ring that sits around the barrel. I had the same problem with mine where it fires for just a second then dies.

 

If it was the ignition switch I imagine that it would also die at other times whilst driving.

 

I got my replacement from eBay for not too much and sorted it out straight away.

 

You'll have to take the cowling off from around the barrel & lock and I think the ring just unclips and unplugs - not too sure now. I did have to modify the plug that my new one came with though. It had a small lug on it which I shaved off.

[alank950 0]

Thanks,all these suggestions help...will post next week what i find..

[alank950 0]

Guys ,OK!.Seems that the immobiliser has failed and to get access to the data to override the immobiliser or ecu requires a password..I have a mechanic friend who has run a scan to find out for me what the problem was.He just contacted me and asked me to try and find out how to source this password to get access into the cars data.Any ideas on a way around this or to find this password?..waiting on a call from the dealership as the mechanics were busy when i called today.I think even if i were to replace the ecu with another it still requires the password to reprogramme although i think the original ecu can be reprogrammed to operate with the immobiliser removed.still requires a password though within the car,nothing to do with the software.

Edited July 23, 2012 by alank950

[VR6Pete 0]

Guys ,OK!.Seems that the immobiliser has failed and to get access to the data to override the immobiliser or ecu requires a password..I have a mechanic friend who has run a scan to find out for me what the problem was.He just contacted me and asked me to try and find out how to source this password to get access into the cars data.Any ideas on a way around this or to find this password?..waiting on a call from the dealership as the mechanics were busy when i called today.I think even if i were to replace the ecu with another it still requires the password to reprogramme although i think the original ecu can be reprogrammed to operate with the immobiliser removed.still requires a password though within the car,nothing to do with the software.

 

Sounds like you need to contact Stealth Racing and send off your ECU to have the immob removed from the ECU, it's a fairly common fault, had to have mine done as part of my OBD2 upgrade as it didnt work.

[alank950 0]

Sounds like you need to contact Stealth Racing and send off your ECU to have the immob removed from the ECU, it's a fairly common fault, had to have mine done as part of my OBD2 upgrade as it didnt work.

 

Ok i will give stealth racing a ring .thanks

Seemingly there is a code to access this within the cars data system as i have heard it can be done.My mechanic was using a Launch X431 to run the scan.

[VR6Pete 0]

Ok i will give stealth racing a ring .thanks

Seemingly there is a code to access this within the cars data system as i have heard it can be done.My mechanic was using a Launch X431 to run the scan.

 

there is, but im sure if it was easy as entering a password everyone would be doing it using VAG-COM and stealth wouldnt offer this service :)

 

its easier to remove the imob in all fairness to prevent it happening again...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

That's the dealer only access for programming new keys. Shouldn't need to be in there unless the key itself is knackered and a new blank needs programming. It's usually always the coil reader as mentioned previously.

[alank950 0]

Rang Stealth and they will fix the issue if i send them of the ecu unit..