Eddie Vanbitz

[zac]

Try buying a £25k Harley Davidson and park anywhere near a mast, you cannot get the alarm or the immobiliser off! Once 18 of us went over to Zeebrugge all filled up with fuel except ONE guy so we had to stop at a fuel station in Belgium, anyway he filled up and 13 of the bikes wouldn’t start, we had to shove em down the road INTO someone’s private garage to shield them from the cop shops mast up behind the fuel station!! The guy said it isn’t the Fiat set of Harley’s in his garage!
I guess with that much tech being used now, one will cancel the other, be it alarms, immobilisers and even remotes. You just have to have plan B to get the things going again, my non starter will unlock via Bluetooth with my app on the phone nearby, but I haven’t had to use it yet, it’s flawless up to now (fitted in sept last year and I believe it’s the newer version, but I could be wrong).

It sounds as though you have the autoarm enabled where it blocks the engine everytime you turn off the ignition and as long as you have the fob with you it auto disarms (i think thats how it was explained), not sure about the bluetooth part as i dont remember this bit but thats not too say thats not correct either. I really dont want mine armed everytime i stop and turn off the ignition as you then have to have said fob with you at all times (which you will anyway but will likely have it on the same set of keys as the van which then means anyone steals the keys gets away with the van). I guess again its personal choice as i only ever purchased this to arm when at home as to me thats when my MH is most likely to be stolen as its left at the side of my house for weeks or months at a time sometimes.

Forgot to add i did have a brand new harley ultra limited a few years ago but it never had any starting issues just cost me a fortune when i come to sell it 6 months after buying it with depreciation 22k down to 16k and i spent 2k on a reverse gear for it as well. bad choices.

 

[WESTY66]

It sounds as though you have the autoarm enabled where it blocks the engine everytime you turn off the ignition and as long as you have the fob with you it auto disarms (i think thats how it was explained), not sure about the bluetooth part as i dont remember this bit but thats not too say thats not correct either. I really dont want mine armed everytime i stop and turn off the ignition as you then have to have said fob with you at all times (which you will anyway but will likely have it on the same set of keys as the van which then means anyone steals the keys gets away with the van). I guess again its personal choice as i only ever purchased this to arm when at home as to me thats when my MH is most likely to be stolen as its left at the side of my house for weeks or months at a time sometimes.

Forgot to add i did have a brand new harley ultra limited a few years ago but it never had any starting issues just cost me a fortune when i come to sell it 6 months after buying it with depreciation 22k down to 16k and i spent 2k on a reverse gear for it as well. bad choices.

I’ve had more ultras than u can shake a stick at, the Roadglide ultra Is far superior

 

[zac]

I’ve had more ultras than u can shake a stick at, the Roadglide ultra Is far superior

To be fair they are more like cars now but it was an amazing bike. Always wanted one after renting some in florida.

 

[WESTY66]

It sounds as though you have the autoarm enabled where it blocks the engine everytime you turn off the ignition and as long as you have the fob with you it auto disarms (i think thats how it was explained), not sure about the bluetooth part as i dont remember this bit but thats not too say thats not correct either. I really dont want mine armed everytime i stop and turn off the ignition as you then have to have said fob with you at all times (which you will anyway but will likely have it on the same set of keys as the van which then means anyone steals the keys gets away with the van). I guess again its personal choice as i only ever purchased this to arm when at home as to me thats when my MH is most likely to be stolen as its left at the side of my house for weeks or months at a time sometimes.

Forgot to add i did have a brand new harley ultra limited a few years ago but it never had any starting issues just cost me a fortune when i come to sell it 6 months after buying it with depreciation 22k down to 16k and i spent 2k on a reverse gear for it as well. bad choices.

No I haven’t got auto arm, I had it turned off, I arm it myself as and when I feel the need

 

[zac]

No I haven’t got auto arm, I had it turned off, I arm it myself as and when I feel the need

Mine must be a earlier version as I don't have any Bluetooth options

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[Aji]

Mine must be a earlier version as I don't have any Bluetooth options

My version is 2.8.5

 

[zac]

My version is 2.8.5

Same as mine but I don't see any Bluetooth options in it

 

[Aji]

Same as mine but I don't see any Bluetooth options in it

Yeah, same here.

 

[faraway]

I have a non-starter with Meta Trak. Quite soon after I got it, I had a problem in an area where I did not have a signal. They supplied me with a “pebble”, talked me through setting it up on the phone and I have not had a problem since.

 

[gerry mcg]

Ive had 4 (make that 5) occasions when the non starter has auto armed with no reason And ive been in touch with Ash about it a few times

once was at an autoroute aire on (a16 i think) in 2019? when we stopped for lunch,
twice in the summer of 2020 at same Aire in the Alps (Les Saisies) (once at the barrier, and once at the dump point) and once at a car park at Macrihanish 2021 on Argyll.
and once literally at the garage (Jan 2022) after the cam belt change - it drove onto the ramps, but wouldn’t start after.

i wonder if it was perhaps related to radio interference? The Aire in the Alps definitely had a mobile phone mast, Macrihanish has an airport, definately high powered Radar, probable mobile phone mast, and who knows about hte Aire on the A16… it has been fine this year.

the episode at the garage after the cam belt change was right after a DIY starter battery replacement, and i am going to put that down to an inadequately tightened starter battery terminal connection - as it sorted itself as soon as the cab floor was lifted at the battery compartment, and ive had no issues since i tightened the starter battery terminal connections (they did not appear to be loose Tho)

at Macrihanish, i had the remote fob to unblock, however the battery was flat - so i learned that one needs to replace the remote fob batteries annually and keep a spare -

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

Try buying a £25k Harley Davidson and park anywhere near a mast, you cannot get the alarm or the immobiliser off! Once 18 of us went over to Zeebrugge all filled up with fuel except ONE guy so we had to stop at a fuel station in Belgium, anyway he filled up and 13 of the bikes wouldn’t start, we had to shove em down the road INTO someone’s private garage to shield them from the cop shops mast up behind the fuel station!! The guy said it isn’t the Fiat set of Harley’s in his garage!
I guess with that much tech being used now, one will cancel the other, be it alarms, immobilisers and even remotes. You just have to have plan B to get the things going again, my non starter will unlock via Bluetooth with my app on the phone nearby, but I haven’t had to use it yet, it’s flawless up to now (fitted in sept last year and I believe it’s the newer version, but I could be wrong).

Thought Harleys always end up on a tow truck as they have a built in non starter called the engine?

 

[Sprocket779]

I've also had at least 5 occasions where non starter has immobilized without input from me via app.
1st time most stressful/dangerous....stuck in middle lane after extended stop in traffic jam on M11.... eventually recovered off motorway to home after 5 uncomfortable hours on hard shoulder verge. No reason to suspect non starter system as no commands to system for at least 3 days before issue.
Metatrak put it down to signal/software issue due to different telecom masts on journey ???? Not a convincing answer at all

 

[zac]

I've also had at least 5 occasions where non starter has immobilized without input from me via app.
1st time most stressful/dangerous....stuck in middle lane after extended stop in traffic jam on M11.... eventually recovered off motorway to home after 5 uncomfortable hours on hard shoulder verge. No reason to suspect non starter system as no commands to system for at least 3 days before issue.
Metatrak put it down to signal/software issue due to different telecom masts on journey ???? Not a convincing answer at all

I was told that this was a rare occurrence but this is of course not true. It's happening to a lot more people than what they are leading people to believe. Surely this should be looked into by metatrak as a matter of urgency. Being stranded is no joke and it's always in places you would not want too. Making an excuse about it being a glitch or just one of those things is simply not on. If the product is not finished then it should not be sold as such. I think it needs a lot more quality control.

 

[Brains]

I was told that this was a rare occurrence but this is of course not true. It's happening to a lot more people than what they are leading people to believe. Surely this should be looked into by metatrak as a matter of urgency. Being stranded is no joke and it's always in places you would not want too. Making an excuse about it being a glitch or just one of those things is simply not on. If the product is not finished then it should not be sold as such. I think it needs a lot more quality control.

eddievanbitz
A simple solution would be to have a LED on the dash that flashes when the tracker is armed (or perhaps flashes when its unarmed).
No need to label it, so the scrotes will not know know what it does.

 

[Sprocket779]

Good idea, however if the system can arm itself without any input from the app....and have no indication or history shown on the app the same could occur with a dash mounted led, therefore in the same situation.... believing (wrongly) all is well with the non starter

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[WESTY66]

*Ahem*
I believe it is possible to bump start the engine even with the non starter enabled.

Can you let me know how to do it just in case??

Fiat 3.0L comfortmatic

 

[WESTY66]

Neutral, ignition on, roll the van downhill, touch brake and move it into gear... I can't remember exactly..
(I've got a 2.3l comformatic)
It doesn't help if you are stuck where it is not possible to bump start.

Every day is a school day

 

[Brains]

*Ahem*
I believe it is possible to bump start the engine even with the non starter enabled.

I await confirmation from an expert, but I suspect that is highly unlikely.

If it were that easy, those 'non paying members of the caravan club' who regularly target motorhomes would simply hitch up the tow rope and disappear. It would just be too easy.

 

[zac]

I am not sure why anyone would want to put their 50k+ Automatic only (not referring to manuals) MH through the trauma of jump starting which I am sure could potentially damage the gear box and cost 1000s to fix if it did. All for the sake of a device that does not work as intended, something wrong somewhere.

 

[gerry mcg]

Comformatic gearboxs are robotised manuals. I'm not suggesting bump starting proper automatic gearboxes

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[zac]

Comformatic gearboxs are robotised manuals. I'm not suggesting bump starting proper automatic gearboxes

ah right so there is no risk to bump starting one? i have no idea as i always thought auto's were a no no not that the "Robotised Manuals" ie comformatic auto is different. I still would not want to bump start one because of a device which has suddenly decided to arm itself on it's own. It needs someone with a bit of clout to tackle metatrak as they are certainly not listening to the people that buy their products.

 

[Spriddler]

Try buying a £25k Harley Davidson and park anywhere near a mast, you cannot get the alarm or the immobiliser off!

According to the insurer of my classic Brit bikes very few stolen m/bikes are ridden away. Most often a couple of guys in reflective jackets with a van with a magnetic removable sign on it 'Acme Motorcycle Recovery' or some such spoof just lift the bike into the van and are away in 60 seconds. The parts appear soon after on eBay or at autojumbles. A hefty chain through a wheel and around a lamp post is the best one can do.

 

[zac]

Pedant alert.
'Jump' start refers to starting a flat battery with another electrical source ;
"bump" start is rolling the vehicle and using the engine compression to start the engine. When something like the starter motor is siezed / disabled

Sorry i am referring to bump start not connecting leads to a battery to "Jump" start it. edited other post to make it clearer.

 

[Tighchris]

My van suddenly refused to start as I was about to park it after a long journey. After almost two hours of trying everything AA swore it must be the MetaTrak non starter even though it was showing green on the App. He managed to start it using a wire from the starter motor to the “negative “ ??? point under the bonnet but still said it was the non-starter. I was not prepared to believe it as my technical knowledge is very limited and many on here thinks it is the best. Having read this thread is making me think again. So does this mean the non-starter can be bypassed so simply. Also when I got home I phoned MT and they said they had never heard of it activating by itself. They turned it off and on again remotely and it has never happened again.

 

[gerry mcg]

Also when I got home I phoned MT and they said they had never heard of it activating by itself.

That is clearly a false statement by MT, as I have had at least 3 conversations with them regarding the very issue

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[zac]

My van suddenly refused to start as I was about to park it after a long journey. After almost two hours of trying everything AA swore it must be the MetaTrak non starter even though it was showing green on the App. He managed to start it using a wire from the starter motor to the “negative “ ??? point under the bonnet but still said it was the non-starter. I was not prepared to believe it as my technical knowledge is very limited and many on here thinks it is the best. Having read this thread is making me think again. So does this mean the non-starter can be bypassed so simply. Also when I got home I phoned MT and they said they had never heard of it activating by itself. They turned it off and on again remotely and it has never happened again.

Metatrak are talking absolute rubbish as I have had multiple phone calls with them around this with the last one being this year as mentioned when travelling in March to Newark. Bypassing it is not as simple as it sounds if we are talking taking it apart so its not something i would be worry about, i have no idea if bump or jump starting bypasses it as someone mentioned earlier.

 

[gerry mcg]

.

 

[zac]

edited as too much info on how it works.
I just want to concentrate on having it fixed to work as it should

 

[WESTY66]

I believe the non starter disables the starter motor via a solenoid activated by SMS etc.
That is why one can bump start it.
You can bump start a vehicle without a functional starter motor

There is probably more to it than that though

Good job the clowns that did this to a van trying to start it with a non starter didn’t know!

 

[DavieA]

But they do now !

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