02 Beetle 2.0 Liter Immobilizer

RabbitGTI · Nov 9, 2017

Put it on the lift, changed the oil and mounted winter tires. Went to leave and it would start and die instantly. Found a YouTube video about disconnecting the battery lead for a couple minutes. It worked, the car started right up and I took it home. Why did it do this? I have noticed the five year old battery cranked a little slow on the first cold morning? Is low voltage a possibility or is it time for an immobilizer delete? I can't have my wife and daughters driving this thing if this is going to be a regular occurrence. Also, once it is running, can it die because of this? Thanks

tactdi · Nov 9, 2017

My daughters 02 Beetle would have immobilizer problems about every 6 months, same situation, would work fine for a while, then one day would start then stop. Either using VCDS to clear the immobilizer code or disconnecting the battery would reset the car, and it would work for another period of time.

From what I remember reading the immobilizer coil and/or its wiring needs servicing.

http://newbeetle.org/forums/1-8-liter-turbo/61381-immobilizer-problem.html

We never fixed the problem, she traded the car, once she started her job after graduate school.

pdq import repair · Nov 9, 2017

Do you have more than one key? If so keep them separate and see if one misbehaves and not the other. I have seen where locksmiths have made and encoded a new key and forgot to blink out the old keys before encoding. The car occasionally looks for that missing key and doesn't see it, causing intermittent immo issues. Also for immo reset it is best to not only disconnect the battery, but also connect the cables together for a while to draw all voltage out of all capacitors in all controllers, I usually flip on the lights or hit the brake pedal when cables are connected to each other to insure all stray electrons are dispersed to ground.

Battery voltage is a very real problem with ALL controllers in today's cars. Too weak of a battery can allow voltages to drop too low on cranking and piss off the controllers. Just think what happens to your home computer when it gets a momentary outage?

If in doubt throw in a new battery of good quality, especially with colder weather coming.

oilhammer · Nov 9, 2017

I have had several NB customer's have this issue. It is a little known issue with the Marelli sourced clusters they use (Golf/Jetta do not use this supplier).

The only way I have been able to "fix" it is to send the ECU out and have the immo blitzed.

I was told it has something to do with the timing of the signals through the cluster. Not sure if that is true or not, just what I was told.

RabbitGTI · Nov 9, 2017

pdq import repair said:
Do you have more than one key? If so keep them separate and see if one misbehaves and not the other. I have seen where locksmiths have made and encoded a new key and forgot to blink out the old keys before encoding. The car occasionally looks for that missing key and doesn't see it, causing intermittent immo issues. Also for immo reset it is best to not only disconnect the battery, but also connect the cables together for a while to draw all voltage out of all capacitors in all controllers, I usually flip on the lights or hit the brake pedal when cables are connected to each other to insure all stray electrons are dispersed to ground.

Battery voltage is a very real problem with ALL controllers in today's cars. Too weak of a battery can allow voltages to drop too low on cranking and piss off the controllers. Just think what happens to your home computer when it gets a momentary outage?

If in doubt throw in a new battery of good quality, especially with colder weather coming.

Thanks, just noticed slightly slow crank yesterday, so putting in battery today. And thanks oilhammer, it's a good solid spare car, so I guess I'll have the immobilizer immobilized.

pdq import repair · Nov 9, 2017

On the early models like those, with the correct software you can delete the immo through OBD, no need to send it out. We have deleted some when we have key recognition issues, or installing a used cluster and not knowing the SKCs of both clusters.

RabbitGTI · Nov 9, 2017

^^^ I've got VAGCOM, will that do it? If so, are instructions on Rosstech or Bentley site?

pdq import repair · Nov 9, 2017

No, it takes a specific SKC reader software to alter the eeprom of the cluster. Vag-tacho is a fairly well known popular brand, though I don't know if it will do an immo delete through OBD. In case of a used cluster from a donor car mileage can be adjusted to match the car with a good software too.

Call the local independents around you and see if they have ability. Otherwise it may be a send away situation.

RabbitGTI · Nov 9, 2017

^^^ Ok, thanks. I know a really good key guy in Milwaukee who made me some A5 keys. I'll email him.

CoolAirVw · Nov 10, 2017

Is the immo light flashing? If not then your throttle needs relearned.

RabbitGTI · Nov 10, 2017

^^^ Don't know if it was flashing or not when it happened. I just said *** and searched "2002 Beetle starts and dies" . Found the video that suggested disconnecting battery. I will VAGCOM it tomorrow and see what I find. I have done a throttle body adaption on an A5 when I reset the automatic transmission, so I kinda know what you are talking about.

boertje · Nov 11, 2017

Had an 02 that would occasionally have immob issues. Couldn’t have my daughter off to college with this problem so sent the ecu to Malone and he took care of that problem permanently.

02 Beetle 2.0 Liter Immobilizer

RabbitGTI

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tactdi

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pdq import repair

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oilhammer

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pdq import repair

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pdq import repair

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