Funny that gangle, mine does'nt want to lock at my local BlockBusters either !

It might be the same BB.

I have to put the key fob up to the front screen and then only sometimes it arms itself.


Arron.

[Edited by Arron - 12/1/2003 3:28:47 PM]

 

I was coming home from seeing TSL (and the family) and stopped at Newport Pagnel services for some fuel.

Filled up at pump 1 and couldn't get the fob to lock the doors and activate the alarm.

Not to worried sometimes the alarm is a bit tricky for some reason, but it is fine when I sit in the car.

So I lock the car using the key... well it was an experiance for me!

Pay and then go out to the car, unlock it with the key and press the fob button... nothing.

The light on the fob shows it is transmitting but the alarm is refusing to disarm.

After a couple of minutes I decide to get the car of the forecourt so I start pushing it.

One of the guys from the petrol station comes out and is nice enough to give me a hand.

He says as we are pushing it, "loads of Scoobies' alarms fail here it is to do with that thing.", pointing at the radio mast.

He push the car over to some skips and he suggests trying it again as the skips sometimes shield the cars... press the button and the car is able to start!!

So thanks to the Shell guy for helping me move the car, for telling me why it happened and for knowing the spot I needed to get the car to so I could deactivate the alarm.

If your fob doesn't work look out of the telecommunication masts first!

Maybe we need tin foil hats for the cars as well!

 

There is one particular area where my car autolocks due to the very same reasons you list above...

Need to be very careful not to leave the keys in it!

 

Ive had this same thing, In two different places. First one was outside my loacl block buster, just managed to lock the car, but couldnt get back in the thing, didnt want the alarm going off. So I waited pressing and re-pressing the button.... Second time I just locked it without the lalrm as I coundt arm it, but.... I couldnt disarm the immobliser when I came to drive off. Took the hnadbrake off and rolled down the hill about 20-30 yds and hey presto...It worked. Dodgy happenings...

 

LOL at this thread, if anyone's ever in the area, avoid Tesco at Potters Bar, huge telephone mast in the car park, had to explain to girlfriend over the phone how to turn alarm/imobiliser off using the key pad

Chris

 

It's really bad in the Lytham St Annes area. Any time you stop your car its potluck whether you'll be able to start it again. Maybe its intentional - if you're young enough to enjoy a WRX then you shouldn't be living in Lytham St Annes...!
I've also had it in the Southbound services on the M1 (the one before Milton Keynes).
The way I protect myself is to press the fob button before turning the engine off. If the red light on the dash doesn't blink then I move down the street a bit.

 

I've heard that's a bit of a black-spot for Sigma alarms (I know Fulham71's got stuck there before now )

There's loads of threads in "Security" over this issue. According to my local alarm dealer, that's why Sigma have a keypad - cos their range is often being interupted by aerials!

 

Mark
I had exactly the same problem at the same place
MY dealer did an upgrade under warranty & have had no problems since touch wood !

 

My car ceased locking properly (with remote fob) in my local petrol station. Changing the batteries in the fob resolved that - back to normal now.

 

Mine did this too at the M&S end of Milton Keynes shopping centre. I got out to buy a ticket and couldn't lock the car. It's de-locked so I thought I'd have to go home as I can't leave it unlocked. Then it dawned on me that I couldn't drive it away either! At this point I cakked it! I managed to switch of the immobiliser eventaully by holding the key fob right under the dash by the steering wheel. I drove it 100 yards to another parking space and it was fine.

I think it must have been due to the radio mast at the police station nearby.

Dibs

PS What is the upgrade that was done under warranty?

 

International Motors will not honour any warranty claim to replace the Sigma alarm with a shielded system that is meant to overcome this problem. That being said, Sigma will provide free-of-charge the new ECU, which you probably cannot fit yourself. I am having this "upgrade" fitted to my P1 this weekend, but the Subaru dealer will charge me the labour cost since I did not buy the car from them. (fair enuff).

What I do not know is whether this fixes the problem (I live near a mast that makes getting into the car a pain in the 4rse every morning!).

 

I had a new alarm ecu fitted to mine under warranty
& as I say it seems to have solved the problem touch wood !

 

Same thing happened to me at Bletchley near Milton Keynes at the Motorists Centre. Eventually was able to turn off the alarm using the keypad, that was before I learned about the old keyfob under the chin trick !

By the way did anyone see Top Gear when Jeremy Clarkson pointed the keyfob of his Merc SL at his head and it increased the range of it !
As he said it makes you wonder what it does to your head.

 

Had a warranty ECU upgrade as well, dealer just charged me labour, about £35.
Make sure you take "both" fobs with you as they have to be reprogrammed.

Allan

 

Good to see you at TSL MATTeL. Same thing happened to me on the way home at Newport Pagnel. Had a coffee and a burger and then spent half an hour trying to get the car started. Ended up running round the car sticking the alarm fob on under my chin, up my nose and on my tongue and it eventually worked. Must have looked like a nutter though....

How you getting on with the remap?

 

Its police stations for me.

Sudbury Suffolk my mates have an office near the police station.
Car will normaly lock but refuse to unlock, sometimes wont lock either.

Yesterday I was sneakily parked in AXA carpark in Ipswich (wife works there), anyway as it was lunchtime I was on the carpark roof so I parked well away from all the other cars, but the car wouldnt lock and I couldnt get it started.
I looked over my shoulder and I was in direct line of the police station
Later (once I had nipped into town to make my appointment) I got the wife to sit in the car as I pushed it across the carpark. As soon as I was out of direct line to the police station it started.

I have similar problems at the Tesco near the Suffolk police headquarters so I know its the ****ers!

 

Had this at Tesco, police stations (the one in Rotherham is next to Tesco !!Ended up being towed home from that particular escapade)
On the M1, think that was at Newport as well. Blackpool was a nightmare, basically I have now figured out the best place to point the fob at for maximum effectiveness. Still makes me panic though.

 

Hi my local TESCO is now a dead zone too (Trowbridge) and it seams to be more and more common. I replaced the batteries but still no good.

I complained to the dealer I got the car from and they said there is nothing they can do, it is just one of those things you will have to put up with! They do close the next week thought! I wonder if that had anything to do with it? (Lancaster of Pangbourne)

I will now chase it up again through my local dealer.

Cheers Carlos

 

Me too

Tesco's, Police Stations, Industrial estates after coming out of customers

The ba5tard about it is that you don't know until it's too late and you've removed the key and got out.

Thought it was just me and it's made my day that it happened to you MATTeL

Mikey

 

Bloke at Shell garage on A34/A44 junction (Oxford) asked why so many Scoobs fail to start at theirs the other day - was wondering what he was talking about!

Mike

 

We went out for a scooby run in the summer and stopped for a drink at the Cat and Fiddle pub on the infamous road, We had to push 4 scoobys to the edge of the car park to get them started. Same thing radio mast behind the pub.

 

Guy's,can anyone tell me how to turn off the alarm/immob using the keypad, I have an STi8 and am going to Leicester soon to pick my lad up from university and obviously need to stop at a petrol station to refuel. Not wanting to look an absolute Tw&t on the forecourt (if it fails to start) I would ideally like to know how to immobilise the immobiliser (think its spelt that way??).

Ady

 

Turn ignition on and press 4 digit pin into keypad and start engine.

 

Thanks Talizman for the info. Lets hope I don't need to use it.

Ady