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Car thinks it's stolen?

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Old 08-24-2008, 02:03 AM
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Unhappy Car thinks it's stolen?

Guess this is where I would post this. I was going to take my car in for some dealer work on Fri. morning so I uninstalled the AP. Everything went well and I turned the key to off to finish the uninstall and then put the AP in my bag. Then I tried to start the car and nothing happened. Not even an attempt to start. I was thinking it was my battery so I charged that but still nothing. Then I noticed my vehicle security light (car with a big key icon) blinks really fast when I try to start it. Does it think I'm trying to steal it or something? I've tried every way to reset the ecu and it has no effect. The AP says it can't connect to the ecu. Any thoughts? If I can't figure it out by late Sun./Mon. morning I'm just gonna have to get towed to the dealer I guess. TIA
Old 08-24-2008, 02:05 AM
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Short version....uninstalled AP...car won't start..security light flashes when attempting to start it...battery is good/ecu reset does nothing PLEASE HELP
Old 08-24-2008, 09:03 AM
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Have you disconnected your battery for ~30 mins then tried again?
Old 08-24-2008, 09:06 AM
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Yep.

oh oh.

thats all I gotta say
Old 08-24-2008, 10:30 AM
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Is there an ECU recover feature on the AP...sounds like you bricked it somehow.

Get a hold of Jeff ( MM ) he has recovered his a few times in testing.

If that doesn't work PM me and I might be able to help you.....Mine has done this same thing. The dealer will likely tell you you need a new ECU....so don't go there
Old 08-24-2008, 11:16 AM
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oooh, this doesn't sound good; pcm might be bricked.
don't worry, not the end of the world; there's a recovery tool on there.

Last edited by Jedi54; 08-24-2008 at 11:20 AM.
Old 08-24-2008, 11:23 AM
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As long as it is fixable by something short of a seance burning $100 bills. Thanks for helping me out.
Old 08-24-2008, 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by j8635621
As long as it is fixable by something short of a seance burning $100 bills. Thanks for helping me out.

That's what the dealer will tell you My quote was $1600 ...yea right!
Old 08-24-2008, 12:24 PM
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Try to reload a map.
Old 08-24-2008, 12:25 PM
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He already said the AP says "cannot connect"

That's not good.....


S
Old 08-24-2008, 03:07 PM
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oh snap
gl
Old 08-24-2008, 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted by 05rex8
oh snap
gl
Looks like I'm gonna need it. Back to driving the beater Taurus for now
Old 08-24-2008, 06:22 PM
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Yeah, I've never had that happen and that is the first time I have heard of it happening to anyone.

Over the course of the beta, I bricked my PCM a few times to verify the function of the AP's recovery function and it always worked.
It sounds like your battery voltage was low during the uninstall and it wrote over your main PCM memory, not just the reflash area.
If the PCM is not toast, it will probably need to be setup using the dealer eMDS to reset the immobilizer data.

It is very important that your battery be up to full when you reflash the PCM, as is outlined in the instructions that ship with the unit.
Old 08-24-2008, 06:26 PM
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how do you verify the battery is up to full? o_o; short of having trickle charger attached to it I'm not quite too sure how this would be pulled off =s
Old 08-24-2008, 06:40 PM
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Volt meter if you don't have a charger.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:06 PM
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So I'm just out of luck and need to get it towed to the dealer is what you are saying? Is the recovery function an automatic thing? Car always started like a champ so I never even figured the battery was low.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:12 PM
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check your fuses
Old 08-24-2008, 07:27 PM
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Hmm. I just realized you are not an MM customer.
I don't know what Steve might have done in your particular calibration, but I do remember him mentioning in another thread that he had some problems with a customer's car not "remembering" any of the changed settings in his tune.
There might be some issue with his software.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:31 PM
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I have a tune from Steve, but I run your tune 90% of the time since I get better mpg.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by j8635621
I have a tune from Steve, but I run your tune 90% of the time since I get better mpg.
Ahh.
Well, I don't know what Steve is doing with the numbers with his calibrations, but I've never had this scenario (or anything like it) occur.
I'll check with Cobb on Monday, but you might want to call them as well.
I'd also get hold of Steve.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:36 PM
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Will do. Hopefully it's a stupid fuse or something easy. Doubt it but I can only hope.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:38 PM
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It just sounds like the immobilizer data is gone.
Did you try one of your other keys?
Old 08-24-2008, 07:42 PM
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IIRC, if the car thinks its stolen, it will still crank, just wont fire. Dash lights should light up, radio should turn on. based on what you posted above, nothing happend, so i assume guages didnt light up and radio did not work. that leads me to believe its a fuse somewhere.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:49 PM
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I've tried my other key and nothing is different. The gauges light up and the radio works. Everything works except the car does not try to start when I turn the key. Everything turns off for a split second like normal when I try to start it, but nothing from the engine. I hear a faint click but thats it.
Old 08-24-2008, 07:51 PM
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i assume its a manual, did you try push starting it? verify that its not a starter issue?


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