Immobilizer locked, how to start the engine

Today, almost every modern car has an immobilizer. The purpose of the device is to prevent unauthorized driving by blocking the ignition, starter, fuel supply, and other electronic systems.

But it is important to understand that the immobilizer does not protect against theft, it only blocks the engine from starting. Therefore, for the maximum guarantee that your car will be where you left it, it is worth paying attention to mechanical anti-theft devices.

The immobilizer is certainly a useful and reliable protection system, but there are situations when malfunctions occur in its operation, namely, unauthorized blocking of engine starting.

What to do in such a situation? How to disable the immobilizer? We will answer these and other questions in this article. The material will also be useful for owners of Lada Priora, Kalina, Grant, VAZ 2110/2114/2115, Chevrolet Niva, and other cars.

How does an immobilizer differ from a regular alarm system?

The main difference between an immobilizer and an alarm system is its shorter range of action and a more advanced, one might say, intelligent principle of protection. All this significantly reduces the likelihood of car theft.

For example, in order to intercept a signal coming from the key fob of a conventional security system, an attacker can be located at a considerable distance from the car - several tens of meters.

This will not work with an immobilizer; to intercept the signal you need to be directly next to the car, and this limits the possibilities of car thieves significantly.

Another advantage of the immobilizer is the almost impossibility of copying it, because for this you will need a special master card, which cannot be said about alarm key fobs, which in our time, by knowledgeable people, can simply be duplicated.

Let's sum it up

To get maximum reliability of car operation, it is better to use a modern technological immobilizer. This device will help you guarantee a high degree of vehicle safety and protection against theft. However, sometimes the immobilizer becomes a real problem for the car owner himself. Therefore, it is necessary to know the emergency ways to disable this device in your car.

Read the section in the instructions dedicated to this component of your car. Remember that complete information about the functioning of the immobilizer specifically in your model will only be in the instructions that were given to you in the showroom along with the car. Have you had any problems with this unit in your practice?

Device types

Now there are three main types of immobilizers:

1. Protective while moving (engine blocking while moving);
2. Contact (the most common);
3. Contactless.

The first type of immobilizers is characterized by a greater range of action, thanks to a more powerful board and antenna. Its task is to block the engine while the car is moving.

The device is actively used not only by various financial and other organizations, but also by individuals.

The bottom line is that if instead of the rightful owner, as a result of violent actions against him, there was another driver, it would be possible to block the engine while driving at a great distance. The main thing is that the control key fob remains with the owner of the car.

True, this can also be done with mobile systems via a smartphone or GPS control systems, for example, car satellite search modules.

The second type (contact immobilizers) requires the presence of a special reading board in the ignition switch and a key with a chip in which a unique code is stitched.

The disadvantage of such devices is that losing or getting the key into the wrong hands can lead to unpleasant consequences. Therefore, some car owners are forced to spend money on installing additional security measures, such as fingerprint scanning devices or a small keyboard for entering a code.

The third type is contactless immobilizers. They are more reliable in terms of protection than contact ones. The fact is that the basis here is a special chip that sends a signal from a short distance (up to 0.1 meters) to the receiving board.

The chip can be mounted in any unattractive thing, and the board can receive a signal through an antenna placed in any place known only to the owner of the car. Those. if the chip falls into the wrong hands, you also need to know where to put it in order to start the car.

Nowadays, most new car models come with standard immobilizers. They are installed at the factory, and therefore these devices are maximally integrated into the electronics and design of the machine.

But if they do not meet the car owner’s safety criteria, you can additionally install another immobilizer as an anti-theft device.

How the immobilizer works, design features

To figure out how to unlock the immobilizer, you need to understand what it consists of and how it works. Let's look at the example of a contact type device.

The main structural elements of the immobilizer: electronic control unit, control system with a coil, actuators, programmed chip (transponder).

1. The basis of the ECU (not to be confused with the main electronic unit) is a microcircuit into which a special action program and exchange code are sewn. The latter queries the key to determine whether it belongs to a specific car.
2. The task of the coil in the control system is to quickly read all the information from the key. It is built into the ignition switch.
3. The task of the actuators is to interrupt and send signals to the electronic systems that control the fuel supply, ignition and starter. It is also possible to use them to activate an additional electromagnetic system with the help of which the mechanical elements of the car are blocked.
4. The chip is a transponder, located in the ignition key. It has a unique code stitched into it that the ECU recognizes. If the code does not correspond to a specific car, then the electronic unit will not give the command to start the engine.

Some immobilizers can work without the driver's participation, protecting the car from robbery, but this applies to expensive models.

Due to their compactness, modern immobilizers are installed so hidden that it is almost impossible to identify them, much less their type, which gives them another plus.

How it all happens

Let's look at the example of Lada Kalina, Priora, Grant, Niva Chevrolet cars that have a standard APS 6 immobilizer installed.

As we know, the ignition key has a transponder chip with a unique code, this applies to both the training key with a red mark and the working one.

When you insert the key into the ignition using a coil located nearby in a circle, the code is read from the transponder chip. The information is immediately transmitted to the APS block 6.

This block compares the received code with the code that is located in the computer in permanent memory.

If the codes match, then the APS gives permission to start the engine. Otherwise, you will not be able to start the car.

Principle of operation

The immo's task is to prevent an attacker from starting a car in order to steal it. The device body is small in size and is located in places that are difficult to break into. If a standard alarm can only scare away a thief, then the immobilizer does not allow the car to start if the person does not have a special electronic key (tag).

There are 3 groups of protective devices:

• contact;
• code;
• contactless.

Contact and code immobilizers give away their location to an attacker due to the presence of a reader or device for entering a code. To start the motor, you need to enter a code or touch the chip to the contact pad. These devices will only prevent the engine from starting during initial startup. This protection mode resembles the operation mode of a secret button. Installing a secret button is cheaper than the cost of these devices, so they have not gained much popularity.

Modern Russian cars are equipped with standard contactless immobilizers, in which a chip with a code is located in the ignition key. The protection device works as follows:

1. The driver inserts the key into the ignition switch; when the key is turned, current from the on-board network is supplied to a coil of copper wire wound around the lock.
2. The generated electromagnetic field pulse, propagating in space, induces current in the microantenna, which is located in the ignition key body, and charges the capacitance that supplies voltage to the chip containing the code.
3. The complex electromagnetic signal generated by the chip is transmitted back to a coil wound around the ignition switch. The code in the form of an electrical signal is sent to the immobilizer, which carries out the recognition procedure. If the immo confirms the authenticity of the code, it sends a command to the electronic engine control unit (ECU) to start the car engine.

This type of protective device tests the chip once when the engine is started; more advanced immobilizers have a “WAIT-UP” relay that does not block engine operation when the vehicle is not moving. This anti-theft system tests the chip at specified intervals.

If the car starts moving and there is no chip with a tag inside it, the engine will be turned off.

Such systems operate at 2.4 GHz, are miniature in size and are located in a wiring harness to hide them from intruders. The tag is equipped with a battery, and it is tested by the anti-theft system at a specified frequency. The encoded chip should be stored separately from the ignition key. This increases the vehicle's protection from possible theft. If the driver is forcibly removed from the car, the engine will stall after a preset time.

How to understand that the problem is in the immobilizer?

To understand that the problem is in the immobilizer and not in anything else, you need to pay attention to the instrument panel.

If 6 seconds after turning on the ignition, a warning light in the form of a car lights up on the instrument panel and flashes for 20 seconds, while groups of signals are heard twice with a period of 10 seconds, then the problem is caused by the immobilizer.

This applies to the car brands listed above where the APS 6 unit is installed.

Anti-theft device and what can happen to it

Cars have always been in demand among car thieves, so automakers have seriously thought about how to protect buyers from trouble. A special anti-theft device was invented and developed - an immobilizer, which electronically deprives the car of the ability to move.

Car immobilizer in the form of a key fob

However, sometimes the system crashes, causing the device to become blocked. In such cases, whatever one may say, the system requires mandatory unlocking, otherwise your car will never move. Let's try to figure out how to disable the immobilizer so that you can freely hit the road.

Engine start blocked? Don't rush to conclusions

There are situations when many car owners blame a blocked immobilizer, but in reality the problem is different.

Please note the following points:

1. Battery discharge. Modern immobilizers have a protection function that prevents the engine from starting when there is low voltage or no voltage in the on-board network. For example, you start the car, the starter made an attempt to crank the engine and that was all over - the protection system worked. Most likely you need to charge the battery. Or start it from the cigarette lighter. Also pay attention to the terminals, they should not be oxidized and should be in close contact with the wires; it is also important to know how to lubricate them correctly.
2. The battery in the key fob is low. Many people forget that there is also a battery there (not the training key, but the working one), as a rule, it is CR2032. Replace it and you won’t need to unlock the immobilizer, everything will work without it. Many will say that the battery only affects the standard alarm and door opening, and the chip in the key is non-volatile. But as practice shows, replacing the old battery with a new one solves the problem.

3. Circuit breakers. Check them and replace if necessary.
4. Limit switches. Distorted signals may arrive at the control board due to oxidation of the contacts on the limit switches. As a rule, they are located in the area of ​​the engine and luggage compartment. They need to be checked and, if necessary, cleaned and treated with alcohol.

You will not be able to do without the help of specialists when:

1. Problems with the key itself. Most likely you will have to register a new key at a car service center. If you have the knowledge, you can do it yourself.
2. The immobilizer software has failed. The only way out of this situation is by flashing the device. And since you don’t have a PIN card in your hands (since 1998 they have not been issued to car owners), you will have to contact a dealership, where they will check all the documents for ownership of the vehicle and only then re-flash it. This applies to those cars in which the immobilizer is supplied by default from the manufacturer.

Installing the emulator

Instructions for using the immobilizer bypass module using the Starline device as an example:

1. A location for installing the block is selected. It is necessary to remove the decorative cladding if necessary. Immo crawlers from the manufacturer Starline are characterized by small dimensions, making their installation possible almost anywhere.
2. The device is being installed. Self-tapping screws or plastic clamps can be used to secure it. Fastening elements are included in the package.
3. The housing of the microprocessor module opens up and you need to install a spare key equipped with a radio tag. It is necessary to take into account that the control element must be in working condition, since it will always communicate with the blocker. The flat immobilizer transceiver must be inserted inside the module. The device must be fixed as firmly as possible to prevent it from moving when moving.
4. The next step is to connect the crawler. The red contact is the positive power output. It must be connected to the line on which voltage appears when the ignition is on. The best option would be to connect this conductor to a lock.
5. The black cable is a negative signal and should be used as a control output. When a negative pulse is applied, the RFID tag is read from the electronic key. The contact element must be connected to the input of the automatic engine start system. If it is absent, the black cable is connected directly to the negative terminal of the battery or ground. Any bolt connected to the vehicle body can be used as a ground.
6. The bypass module is equipped with several gray contacts. Their connection is carried out in accordance with the electrical diagram, which is included in the package. Connection points may vary depending on the design features of the car. One version of the card for connection is shown in the photo.

What to do if the immobilizer has blocked the engine from starting

Unlocking the immobilizer can be done in several ways, much depends on the type of device installed in a particular brand of car.

Common methods:

1. Using an infrared transmitter;
2. Using the central locking button.

Unlock using IR transmitter

The method, if the immobilizer has blocked the engine, is suitable for types of devices in which the central locking and immobilizer are controlled by an IR key, for example, like in Mercedes cars.

In this case, you will need a four-digit code, which is entered during the unlocking process by pressing the on-board computer button (hereinafter referred to as BC) while holding down the gas pedal. The button is located on the windshield wiper switch at the end (not on all cars).

Algorithm of actions:

1. Activate the immobilizer and turn on the ignition;
2. A flashing light on the instrument panel will indicate that engine starting is blocked;
3. We remove the blinking of the lamp by squeezing the gas pedal;
4. Find the BC button. Without releasing the gas pedal, press it as many times as the first digit of the code;
5. Take your foot off the pedal and the lamp will start flashing again;
6. We press the pedal again - by pressing the BC button we enter the second digit of the code.
7. Let's release the pedal;
8. We repeat the same steps two more times.

A constant light on the lamp, regardless of whether the gas pedal is depressed or not, will indicate that the immobilizer is unlocked and you can try to start the engine.

If the code was entered incorrectly, the immobilizer will block the engine again. Nothing bad happened, you have two more tries. If they were not successful, then after 15 minutes you can repeat them.

How to unlock using the central locking button

To unlock the immobilizer using the central locking control button, you will need to enter an emergency code.

It is important to understand that using the steps listed below you can only start the car, but not decode the computer and the solenoid valve.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Turn on the ignition. The light on the instrument panel will flash slowly.
2. Turn the ignition off and on again. The light will flash faster, other lights will appear and go out after 3 seconds.
3. After pressing and holding the central button on the key fob, the lamp will flash more slowly.

4. Carefully monitor the blinking process, it is important to count the flashes and when their number is equal to the first digit of the code, release the central button on the key fob.
5. Press and hold the button again. We release it as soon as the number of blinks matches the second digit of the code.
6. We repeat this two more times.

That's it, the immobilizer is unlocked and you can start the engine. But when the ignition is on, a lamp flashing every 3 seconds will indicate that the protection is disabled.

The immobilizer will be locked again, after which you will have to enter the code again if:

1. You turn off the ignition for more than 10 seconds.
2. Disconnect the battery.
3. The device will be blocked for 5 minutes if the code is entered 3 times in a row with an error.

Disconnection methods

There are several ways to remove the engine start lock by disabling the immobilizer.

Code deactivation

Emergency shutdown of the immobilizer is provided for by the standard factory procedure. The instructions were developed by manufacturers of domestic cars and are included in the vehicle documentation. If you carry out this process, the anti-theft system will turn off until the next time the ignition is turned on. The system allows the engine to start within 5 seconds after it is turned off.

For example, when locked, the Priora will start if the driver has activated the immobilizer emergency shutdown function in advance and written the access code into the system memory. The driver performs the manipulations by turning the ignition on and off, pressing the accelerator pedal according to a given algorithm.

Let's figure out how to bypass the immobilizer and what you need for this.

Using a spare key

When placing a spare key in the car, you can disable the anti-theft system yourself. To do this, you need to find a place as close as possible to the pump circuit of the chip, and attach a spare key with an encoded chip there. When you turn on the autostart system or start the engine with a simple key, the system will always detect the presence of a chip in the car and start the engine.

Use of special programs and devices

You can disable the immobilizer on a Man car only using a programmer and a computer. Using special software, the chips of the electronic engine control unit are interrogated, information about the presence of an immobilizer is cut out from them, and the car’s brains stop responding to its signals.

Linemen

As usual, immobilizer scanners are installed at service stations. They can also completely disable the protection system, but this must be done by good specialists, since here they will have to interfere with the operation of the electronics.

The essence of the work of the crawlers is that through them, bypassing the immobilizer, the necessary contacts are closed, thereby allowing the engine to be unlocked.

Common types of crawlers:

1. For RFID systems;
2. For VATS systems.

In the first case, the crawler is a device simulating a key, a control relay and an antenna. It is designed to work with RFID modules.

A transponder with an imitation key is installed in the car interior, as close as possible to the immobilizer module. Both regular and additional antennas can be installed to enhance the signal.

In the second case, it is important to understand that in the VATS system the engine itself is not blocked, but the electrics and fuel system are blocked.

A resistor is connected to the blocking circuit, which should have a resistance no higher than 5% than that of the analogue located in the ignition key.

How to make a crawler yourself?

Any immobilizer bypass imitates a signal received for unlocking. You can make the device yourself using a control relay, a complete tag, a second key and a wire.

1. The key and tag perform the task of simulating engine unlock signals.
2. An electromagnetic coil is made from wire, with the help of which access to the on-board network is provided.
3. The control relay automatically sets the unlocking response time.

Everything should work by default when the module is active or automatically.

What to do if the immobilizer does not see the key?

The immobilizer will block the engine if a failure occurs when reading the program code from the key or the required signal is not detected.

This may occur due to a design or technical error that is not related to the operation of the device's central board.

To solve the problem, try using a second key, perhaps the battery on the first one is dead, and also pay attention to the external antenna of the immobilizer, it may produce a signal weaker than necessary.

As a last resort, you will have to reflash the immobilizer module; before that, it needs a full diagnosis.

We will dwell on this topic in more detail below.

What to do if the engine is accidentally blocked?

If for some unknown reason the engine was blocked, then most likely you did something wrong and the immobilizer activated another function, which caused the blocking.

A lot depends on what kind of protection system is installed. But in any case, you need to pay attention to the information on the key fob.

If the StarLine immobilizer is installed, then if a problem occurs, the IMMO inscription on the key fob will be activated, and the light will blink frequently.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Remove the key from the ignition switch;
2. Press the central locking button.
3. Try starting the engine again.

Or:

1. Leave the car;
2. Set the alarm in security mode;
3. Wait a few seconds.
4. Remove the car from the alarm system.
5. Start the engine.

Unlocking the immobilizer on Lada cars

Lada Kalina, Priora, Granta, Niva Chevrolet cars are equipped with a standard APS 6 immobilizer. The problem of engine start blocking may arise due to its malfunction.

If the immobilizer is faulty, then, as mentioned above, 6 seconds after an attempt to start the engine, a flashing indicator in the form of a car will appear on the instrument panel for 20 seconds and groups of signals will be heard.

A group of signals can contain from one to four sounds, each of which indicates a specific malfunction:

One signal (duplicated after 6 seconds) - the code in the key chip cannot be read due to a failed transponder or communication coil.

To check the immobilizer coil, you need to measure its resistance, which should be in the range from 6 to 8 ohms. To do this, remove the decorative casing around the steering column.

There, find a block with white and blue wires and measure the resistance on them with a multimeter.

If everything is in order with the coil, then you need to ring the circuit further from the ignition switch to the APS 6 control unit. To do this, we place a plug between the contacts of the white and blue wires.

We remove the main block from the immobilizer unit (to do this you will have to disassemble the front panel) and use a multimeter to test the circuit through pins 1 and 11.

If you suspect a transponder chip in the key, then disassemble it and make sure that the chip is present and the integrity of all elements, including contacts.

Sometimes, if damage is detected on the board, soldering it helps to unlock the immobilizer.

If the problem persists, you will have to purchase a new remote control and train it using the master key (with a red mark).

If the master key also fails to start the engine, then the situation has become more complicated. Check if there is a chip in it and how it is designated. For the above mentioned car brands it should be designated PCF7936AS.

Next, you need to check the condition of the key with a specialist, and he will tell you whether this one can be fixed or whether you need to buy a new one.

If a new blank training key was purchased, then you need to clear the ECU memory from the program code that corresponds to the old key and retrain the system again. If it is not possible to clear the memory, you will have to purchase a new ECU, which is not so cheap.

Also, a malfunction may occur in the APS 6 immobilizer unit itself. To verify this, you will have to install another unit that is guaranteed to be in good working order.

But it is important to know that the newly installed unit will need to be trained using the red mark key.

If the APS unit is faulty, it is usually replaced with a new one, since repairing the old one is not very effective.

For greater clarity, the pinout of the APS 6 block contacts is shown below.

Two beeps (repeated after 6 s) - there is no connection between the engine control system controller (ECM - located in the ECU) and the APS control unit.

Controllers January 7.2 and M 7.9.7 are most often installed on the ECU of VAZ series cars.

In this situation, you need to check the W-line by dialing. This line connects pin 18 on the APS 6 immobilizer unit and pin 71 on the ECU controller (January 7.2 and M 7.9.7). To do this we use a multimeter.

There may also be no power supplied to the APS control units and ECU. For controllers January 7.2 and M 7.9.7, check the voltage 12V:

• on pin 12 from pin 30 of the ignition switch.
• on pin 13 from 15 of the ignition switch contact.
• on pin 44, 63 from pin 30 after the main relay.

The APS 6 power contacts can be found in the pinout diagram shown above.

If voltage is supplied to the blocks, then we proceed to the next stage of testing - a malfunction of the internal circuits along the W-line to the KSUD and APS 6 blocks.

To do this, you will have to replace the units being tested with ones that are known to be good. You will have to teach the APS 6 immobilizer unit again using the red key.

As for the ECU, it must be clean without codes for other keys written in it. And we also train him. If the serviceability goes away, then the problem was in one of the blocks.

IMPORTANT: If only one block was replaced, then training can be carried out with the old key with a red mark, since information about it is stitched into two blocks at once (APS and ECU). And if two blocks are replaced at once, you will have to purchase a new training key with a red mark.

Three signals. The key is not for this car, although it can be read or is not in the APS memory.

If, when using a regular key, the immobilizer light is constantly on and three beeps are heard, then the system is not trained and it simply needs to be trained with a key with a red mark.

If, when using a training key with a red mark, the indicator also flashes and 3 signals are heard, this means that either it or the APS unit are considered foreign.

In the case of the APS 6 block, it needs to be trained with its main key, the one for which the code is registered in the KSUD memory.

If the system considers the key to be foreign, then you will have to clear the KSUD memory, purchase a new one or a chip for it, and retrain the entire system with the old key. In this case, it is better to contact specialists.

Four beeps and the immobilizer indicator is flashing - the ECSC has already been trained for another system, and it does not give permission to start the engine.

To solve the problem, you will have to programmatically clear the memory of the ECU controller from the old key and retrain the entire system again. Or purchase a new KSUD and also train it.

Firmware for other keys

When the immobilizer has been unlocked, you can “bind” other keys. The general process is described below; it may differ slightly for each type of device. Information should be found in the instructions.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Make sure that the immobilizer light on the instrument panel is not on;
2. Turn on the ignition and immediately turn it off;
3. Press the central locking control button on the IR key (the door locks will work).

You will have 15 seconds to:

1. At intervals of 1.5 seconds, press the IR key button 2 times, the central locking should work. The IR key itself must be directed to the central control unit (signal receiver).
2. This way we program other keys for the current immobilizer.

How to register a new key in Lada Kalina

1. The car must be in neutral gear and the handbrake;
2. Close the doors with central locking;
3. Turn on the ignition with the master key (with the red mark) and wait 6 seconds.
4. Turn off the ignition and insert a new key.
5. Turn on the ignition again and wait for 3 beeps. They will be there right away. Then 2 more, they will come later. Total – 5.
6. Turn off the ignition and remove the key.
7. We insert the red master key and wait for the signals as in step 5.
8. Turn off the ignition, but do not remove the key.
9. We are waiting for a single signal. The immobilizer lamp should flash even more frequently.
10. Turn on the ignition and turn it off after 2-3 seconds. The car should flash its low beams and beep. The lamp will stop flashing.
11. Remove the master key without turning on the ignition.
12. Wait about 10 seconds.
13. We insert the new key, turn on the ignition and wait 6 seconds.
14. We start the engine.
15. Turn off the ignition, remove the new programmed key and check the remote control.

Video

The “Disable Immobilizer” channel spoke in detail about the features of self-assembling a car engine blocker bypass.

Do you have any questions? Specialists and readers of the AUTODVIG website will help you ask a question

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