Arrived in the Algarve but now Broken Down again

[Steve and Denise]

Is this the same problem you had from day 1 Zac ie you have had two new starter motors fitted and all the time it has been your alarm/metetrack ?
I think I would be looking for some answers!

 

[Augusta08]

What is the point of an immobilizer if you can bypass it with couple of crocodile clips and a length of wire?

 

[The Dotties]

I await the outcome of this zac, and until it’s resolved I don’t think I’ll set non start on my van, although to be fair I’ve never had any issues with it.

 

[zac]

Is this the same problem you had from day 1 Zac ie you have had two new starter motors fitted and all the time it has been your alarm/metetrack ?
I think I would be looking for some answers!

No i don’t think so as although this has very similarly symptoms to the previous issues. It always started after leaving it for a bit. This was left for a day and still nothing.

 

[MisterB]

If it started it might not be the starter, but an immobiliser issue as some have suggested, but at least things seem to be getting better

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[zac]

I await the outcome of this zac, and until it’s resolved I don’t think I’ll set non start on my van, although to be fair I’ve never had any issues with it.

Won’t help i am afraid as i haven’t set mine since i left the uk on the 13 dec. i never use it abroad only at home when not using the van.

 

[zac]

What is the point of an immobilizer if you can bypass it with couple of crocodile clips and a length of wire?

It took the mechanic quite While to bypass it, he was under the van for ages. I only knew how to bypass it as i has strict instructions from vanbitz giving the issues i was having last year with the starter motor. I would never know how to do it other wise.

 

[Steve and Denise]

What is the point of an immobilizer if you can bypass it with couple of crocodile clips and a length of wire?

I once had a conversation with a guy selling wheel clamps, he said no way could I remove the clamp without cutting the lock off, so I bet him £50 I could.
Ok your on he said it was on a Nissan Bluebird,
By then quite a crowd had gathered,
I took out a small knife and stabbed the sidewall of the tyre then removed the clamp no problem as the tyre was flat,I won

He then said well the average man in the street would not do that, my reply was the average man in the street would not want to pinch your car.

I did not take his money as he needed a new tyre, but did prove my point.

 

[Steve and Denise]

No i don’t think so as although this has very similarly symptoms to the previous issues. It always started after leaving it for a bit. This was left for a day and still nothing.

Has this device been on from new.
It sounds from your description it relies on data connectivity and in some areas this can be very poor to say the least.

 

[zac]

Has this device been on from new.
It sounds from your description it relies on data connectivity and in some areas this can be very poor to say the least.

It was not fitted when i first picked up the vehicle and drove back and it wouldn’t start ie same symptoms as now. This leads me to believe there has been 2 issues with this one being the metatrak as this was fitted 1 month after i brought it. I think you are partially correct as it will rely on a mobile signal to send the commands back and forth but it was not being used so shouldn’t of been doing anything.

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[Silver-Fox]

I once had a conversation with a guy selling wheel clamps, he said no way could I remove the clamp without cutting the lock off, so I bet him £50 I could.
Ok your on he said it was on a Nissan Bluebird,
By then quite a crowd had gathered,
I took out a small knife and stabbed the sidewall of the tyre then removed the clamp no problem as the tyre was flat,I won

He then said well the average man in the street would not do that, my reply was the average man in the street would not want to pinch your car.

I did not take his money as he needed a new tyre, but did prove my point.

Ahh practical Northerner.

What’s not to dislike ?

Best non starter is a hidden switch on the earth side of the ignition in my opinion.

If the switch goes west just reconnect the two ends of the wire ?

 

[Jaws]

I'm sure I've read similar problems on here with Metatrack when parked near pylons or hospitals or something?

Telephone masts !!
I have gone on a few call outs to a location north west of Thetford that has a small parking area beside a mast.. Fortunately it is on a slight hill, and a bit of push has got the vehicles rolling.. Get about 100 yards away and all starts working again !

 

[Phill D]

glad its resolved at least for your trip home... safe trip zac

 

[Spriddler]

Unfortunately i am still too young to retire or no spare money too more like. I can but dream though

It's essential to dream. For all my working life it was mainly dreams that got me up in the morning.

 

[Guigsy]

Telephone masts !!
I have gone on a few call outs to a location north west of Thetford that has a small parking area beside a mast.. Fortunately it is on a slight hill, and a bit of push has got the vehicles rolling.. Get about 100 yards away and all starts working again !

There are literally tens of thousands of phone masts in the UK. There are often masts on multistorey car parks and on shopping centres. If being close to a phone mast really caused issues with immobilisers, why wouldn't you see dead cars everywhere?

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[Hagstrom]

Is it an assisted shift "automatic" gearbox? Our Merc sometimes doesn't start, with the same symptoms as yours, I think, because the engine computer is confused. I check the handbrake is on, my foots on the brake and I shift auto lever from P to D and back again and it starts.

PS Theres a wild camping spot in Telemark, Norway, under radio masts, where the breakdown truck is constantly busy going out to campers that won't start. They start normally after being towed out.

 

[Silver-Fox]

There are literally tens of thousands of phone masts in the UK. There are often masts on multistorey car parks and on shopping centres. If being close to a phone mast really caused issues with immobilisers, why wouldn't you see dead cars everywhere?

It depends what is attached to the mast.

 

[Khizzie]

Ahh practical Northerner.

What’s not to dislike ?

Best non starter is a hidden switch on the earth side of the ignition in my opinion.

If the switch goes west just reconnect the two ends of the wire ?

Spot on...

 

[Spriddler]

Spot on...

I just leave my old motorbikes with the ignition set to 'Full Advance'. First prod on the kick-starter would launch any crim over a nearby hedge

 

[Don Quixote]

Glad your sorted and enjoy the rest of your break. Thank God for "funsters"

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[jumartoo]

Have a good time for the rest of your holiday and a safe trip back Zac and Salli.

 

[Khizzie]

I just leave my old motorbikes with the ignition set to 'Full Advance'. First prod on the kick-starter would launch any crim over a nearby hedge

Haha I do the same., sometimes I forget.. Ouch!

 

[Treeeev]

I just leave my old motorbikes with the ignition set to 'Full Advance'. First prod on the kick-starter would launch any crim over a nearby hedge

That reminded me of when I was at school. We used to park our bikes in the same place everyday. One day, a group of kids at school who knew nothing about motorbikes decided that they would try and start my mates Matchless G80 (500 cc single) powered sidecar (as they thought with 3 wheels it was the safest option). What they didn’t know was that it could have a vicious kickback, (I’d seen it launch my mates dad well into the air when it kicked back). My mate also always parked his bike on full advance. They didn’t know anything about bikes, so they just kicked it over with a big handful of throttle resulting in an almighty kickback. How it didn’t break their leg or ankle, we‘ll never know ???

They never tried to touch our bikes after that ?

Cheers

Trevor

 

[Jaws]

There are literally tens of thousands of phone masts in the UK. There are often masts on multistorey car parks and on shopping centres. If being close to a phone mast really caused issues with immobilisers, why wouldn't you see dead cars everywhere?

Oh ok.. I just made it up then because you know far more than me who earned a living at it for 20 years

Or it could be someone does not know the difference between a low power relay mast and a high powered nodal mast, or the that some masts still use circa 430 megs for inter nodal coms to feed the relay towers ( and guess what almost all car alarm fobs are on )
High power nodal masts are NEVER put in built up areas, and many are using 400w output which completey swamps any signal you may get from a little key fob that MIGHT put out 2mW

Or like I said at the start.. maybe I just made it up LOL

 

[Mike800966]

Electromagnetic compatibility is the proper name for for it ( EMC) Defence and hopefully aeronautical type manufacturers spend a fortune trying to ensure that their equipment will still operate under strong RF Fields.
Problem is that these days there are so many sources of these fields both on and off vehicles that at the end of the day it all comes down to how much damage can it do it it doesnt work and how much will it cost to guard against it.
Driverless cars come to mind
Mike
PS I wasnt far out when I suggested putting 12v onto the solenoid coil to operate the starter, mind you if it had worked the OP might have had kittens under the 'van!

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[Spriddler]

That reminded me of when I was at school. We used to park our bikes in the same place everyday. One day, a group of kids at school who knew nothing about motorbikes decided that they would try and start my mates Matchless G80 (500 cc single) .......

You're right. My 500cc 1947 AJS is exactly the same bike as the G80 Matchless 500cc except for the tank badge and it has a kick like a mule if not careful.

 

[zac]

Spot on...

This is what i am now going to do as i simply will not trust the metatrak from this point on. I need to call then when they are back to get a refund on my subscription that i just paid for as technically it didn’t run out till the 20th jan so hopefully that won’t be an issue as otherwise stick with it for 3 more years

 

[tonyidle]

Best non starter is a hidden switch on the earth side of the ignition in my opinion.

You would have real problems finding any form of ignition on the average motorhome .

 

[PhilG]

Sounds like a poor connection on the excitor wire on to the starter motor solenoid. its a small single spade connector that can get dirty easily or break. Everything lights up , but you don't even get a click, because the click is the starter solenoid, and there is no contact. Its the red wire on this picture, and if its not broken , it could be corroded, even pulling off the connector and pushing it back on might be enough to restore the contact. If its the wire onto the other spade connector you would get a click , but try that one as well
Had it happen 3 times over the years. Other possibility is a broken earth wire/ strap but that will be from engine to chassis somewhere

 

[Silver-Fox]

You would have real problems finding any form of ignition on the average motorhome .

Maybe on the ignition switch ?

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