Immobilisor help needed - '99 Impreza

[pepper]

Hi,
I'm hoping someone can help. My 1999 AWD Turbo had been sitting idle for about 3 weeks. I now can't seem to start it due to the immobilisor not unlocking (and the alarm keeps going off if I press unlock on my key fob...). I am sure the battery is not flat, so does anyone have any suggestions to help - please!!??
Thanks,
Mark

[Nicol@]

If you ask on scoobynet you might get a quicker reply.

[pepper]

Thanks Nicol. I'll give it a try...

[tuttle]

Sounds like a shorting switch/relay.Does the alarm have its own independant battery?
Has the battery been flat recently? If yes,try this: disconnect leave for a few mins, pump the brake pedal afew times( to discharge any capacitance) & reconnect.This will prob also reset ecu.

[Pepper]

Thanks Tuttle. I don't think it has a separate battery, but will investigate also. The car has been idle for 3 weeks+ (in the cold) so its possible the battery is not fully charged. I will try the disconnect route also.

[geoff82]

Alternatively there may not be a problem with your car at all. Is there a mobile phone base station (tower) near to where you keep your car.

Unfortunately Subarus are particularly susceptible to interference on mobile phone frequencies which can mean the immobiliser stays immobile. The only cure is to push it about 100m down the road so its out of range.

I found out the hard way at a motorway petrol station and was sat there for an hour wondering why the immobiliser would not deactivate!

[_Al_]

Probably totally different on the scoob, but my MR2 did this last week. Turned out one of the sensor switches wasn't making a circuit very well. Cleaned it and she's fine now...

[zax]

My old Impreza did this often when near many types of radio transmitter. But the alarm system had a manual keypad override so workaround was to unlock manually with the key, jump inside and enter the PIN. In those cases though, keyfob wouldn't do anything at all.