Not the most technical question ...

[cowhead]

Hi guys, I'm a visitor to the Mini site and I'm here to ask a favour. A friend of mine has recently bought an L Reg Mini Cooper 1.3i and he's totally obsessed with it - (first proper car after his crappy nova!).

He's having a few probs which have occured at the same time. First one is that one of the engine mountings has broken (fair enough can be fixed) second is a bit more tricky. His key fob "blipper" thingy isn't working and he only has one key. This has resulted in the alarm going off now every time he opens the door and the immobiliser has kicked in and wont let him start the engine to drive it anywhere to get it sorted. None of the local dealers here can sort it and obviously Rover aren't being particularly helpful.

Do any of you know of a way that he can reset either his key blipper thing or sort the problem out another way. He's a member of the AA - will they be able to sort it?

Cheers in advance for your advice.

Cow

[Cooperman]

Phone Jamie or Owen at the Rover Centre in St. Albans - 01727 834004. They'll know what to do. By the way, Jamie is the guy who just won the RAC Revival Rally.

[cowhead]

Thanks mate - I'll get him to do that.

[cone]

if the unit has just gone out of sync , there is a way to reboot it. if not it'll have to go to a dealer. its the car that is programed to the plip any good dealer should do it while you wait , about 60 quid - oop north anyway.

[guru_1071]

your other option would be to give tim at minimail a ring, he sells a box that replaces the imobilser and alarm and tricks it into not working. handy if plippers are lost or ecus are swopped. you can then fit a aftermarket alarm.

you can also snip a couple of wires on the plug going into the ecu to disable the imobiliser but this is a little 'hardcore' and a bit of a lottery unless you have the plug diagram, very desperate or a profesional car thief!!

or you could go and see the cone!

[GTRMikie]

I assume he has tried a new battery in the blipper!

[cowhead]

Yeah he's tried all that, apparently on a mini forum he was told to point the blipper thingy at the dash and then replace the battery. Christ knows why that would help. He's also tried holding it against his head ... that was my advice

[cone]

take battery out of plip , press and hold one button for 5 secs- then press and hold other button for 5 secs , replace battery then press lock button at least 5 times VERY quickly . hope that works .
just had a thought - 'L' reg , has ur plip got one or 2 buttons ?

>> Edited by cone on Thursday 5th January 11:52

[guru_1071]

i can vouch for cone on the plipper thing, he saved the life of a mate of mine who took the batteries out of his rover 200 plip!!

i had a 'over the phone' consultation with the mighty cone who knows of by heart how to do the 'pull a face, count to five, press the button' alarm dance

[troopermussell]

Hey Guys, this is Si, Cowheads mate with the unhealthy Mini obsession! Thanks for all of your advice on the plipper situation. I ended up getting towed to the nearest Rover garage who "plugged" the car and plipper into their machine. The Plip was the original and had just died of old age, so an hour and £80 later she was back on the road.

Cheers

[cowhead]

No offence intended about the Nova thing buddy Glad you got it sorted.

See you on Monday!!

>> Edited by cowhead on Saturday 7th January 19:10