Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega Electrical and Audio Help => Topic started by: Lagondanet on 27 April 2017, 07:08:49

Title: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 27 April 2017, 07:08:49
Car wouldn't start last week. Has a new battery.
Went to local VX garage who said it needed new immobiliser unit which was fitted.
After fitting they said it started but only on each second attempt and to correct it would need new ecu which are no longer available and cost £1000++++ anyway.
Not very helpful.
I picked the car up on Tuesday night and it started fine then and also yesterday.
Today however wouldn't start and seems back to problem of last week notwithstanding new immobiliser.

Can I ask for your advice please? Anyone capable of fixing this near me? I am just off M1 exit 12 Toddington, Bedfordshire.
Thanks.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: VXL V6 on 27 April 2017, 07:29:26
Does the dash lamp with a picture of a car with a spanner through it flash when you crank the engine?

What are the codes?
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 27 April 2017, 07:35:04
No the 'spanner' lamp does not flash stays solid.

Codes? Remember you are talking to a complete pleb when it comes to my knowledge of cars and how they function.  :-[
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: TheBoy on 27 April 2017, 08:21:14
Look up the "Pedal Trick" under code reading in Maintenence Guides section :y

I think the immobiliser issue was misdiagnosis  >:(, and you have either a fuel/injector issue, or crank sensor problem.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 27 April 2017, 08:23:43
Thanks. Will do. Crank sensor was replaced in January.

Last week 18th AA extracted this:

'Patrol found the following fault code/s:System : Engine control - 34F / Motronic ME 3.1.1P1614 - Immobilizer. Error Message : Incorrect signal.P0420 - Catalyst system efficiency (bank 1). Error Message : too low..P0430 - Catalyst system efficiency (bank 2). Error Message : too low.'

Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 27 April 2017, 09:09:21
The pedal trick for me just seems to be returning 1614?
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Dave DND on 27 April 2017, 09:37:39
I think the immobiliser issue was misdiagnosis  >:(, and you have either a fuel/injector issue, or crank sensor problem.


I have to agree here - the immobilisers seldom give any cause for concern, and if they did fail, it would not be a case of starting every second turn, if they fail, they fail.

Really does sound like crank sensor to me - and the fact that you have previously been playing in this area with a replacement just confirms my suspicions. The aftermarket ones are poor and any wiring in the locality seems very fragile.

I`d start here again
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 27 April 2017, 09:53:20
Thanks. My local VX garage are not very helpful on this issue. There are other VX garages in the area but they are similar.
I need to find an alternative.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Kevin Wood on 27 April 2017, 10:27:17
The DBW V6s can suffer from a failed crank sensor without generating a fault code, so this would be my suspicion too.

If it starts some times, and the spanner light doesn't flash when it fails to start, then it's an indication that there's nothing wrong with the immobiliser. It probably had a spurious immobiliser code and the dealer failed to do a proper diagnosis.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 27 April 2017, 10:36:20
I hoping to have it taken to Serek @ SOS in Huntingdon to do a proper job.
Thank you all for your help. Much appreciated.

 :y
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Bigron on 27 April 2017, 17:39:03
You beat me to it! I was going to urge you to see Serek.....

Ron.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 28 April 2017, 13:44:27
You beat me to it! I was going to urge you to see Serek.....

Ron.

It's with him now.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lazydocker on 28 April 2017, 16:01:19
I fear this is another dealership taking advantage of unsuspecting customers :'(
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Migv6 le Frog Fan on 28 April 2017, 17:20:07
Its difficult to find one which doesn't do that these days.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Nick W on 28 April 2017, 17:33:36
I fear this is another dealership taking advantage of unsuspecting customers :'(


Too incompetent and/or lazy to do some proper diagnosis is just as likely.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: tigers_gonads on 28 April 2017, 18:16:41
I fear this is another dealership taking advantage of unsuspecting customers :'(



Yup  >:( >:(

To the OP

Check that the code chip in your key hasn't come loose.
Maybe remove the chip and tape it into the loom around the immobiliser ring as a test on a temporary basis.
If you have a spare key, use that for a bit  :-\

Other then that, I say crank sensor then pop around to your dealer and teach the bastid the error of his ways  >:(
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: TheBoy on 29 April 2017, 10:34:18
I fear this is another dealership taking advantage of unsuspecting customers :'(


Too incompetent and/or lazy to do some proper diagnosis is just as likely.
"The machine says...."

And we know imobilser codes never clear themselves.
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lazydocker on 01 May 2017, 13:48:19
I fear this is another dealership taking advantage of unsuspecting customers :'(


Too incompetent and/or lazy to do some proper diagnosis is just as likely.

As per my comment in another thread...

Dealerships don't employ mechanics and therefore there isn't anyone there who knows how to do proper diagnostic work ::)
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Lagondanet on 08 May 2017, 11:04:17
Serek, the Master, has fixed my car. Picked it up on Saturday. He checked the ecus. It was, as some of you said, the crank sensor. The one fitted in January was VX but duff. No codes were showing.
Cannot recommend him enough.
 :y
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 08 May 2017, 12:23:20
Job jobbed. Possibly a duff batch/dubious supply as that's not the first genuine sensor to fail in short order recently  :-\

Hopefully this one will see you right ;)
Title: Re: Help needed!
Post by: zirk on 08 May 2017, 13:05:45
Taking it back for a refund then.