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[Wreckless]

My TJ only came with one immobiliser fob. That's OK for now, and provided I don't lose or break it everything will be fine. However, experience has shown that I will lose or break it, probably at the most unhelpful time and place.

I've had a read up, including Warwick Wendy's epic tale of woe and I know that I can't just get rid of the immobiliser. So I braced myself for a fleecing and went into my local stealer and asked them to get me a spare fob. The price came to about £100 including programming, which is no more extortionate than I would expect, and they could get it all sorted this week. Excellent.

Then I got a call saying that thay can't get me a new fob, because they have been discontinued. The only thing they can offer now is to fit a complete new alarm system for something like £350. Plus VAT. Plus fitting. Plus more VAT. This is not something that I consider to be a good plan.

So, armed with the power of the internet, especially the useful info from Mike Pavelin and isle of man, I seem to have a few options:

1 Be really, really careful not to lose or break the fob
2 Try to find a fob from somewhere else
3 Get a US spec PCM
4 Roll over and give my tyre and petrol money to the Jeep dealer

Option 1 is OK for the short term and option 4 would be the absolute last resort if I ended up with an immobilised Jeep. Option 2 would be good, but looks unlikely (I've posted a wanted ad here, and emailed May & Scofield - any other ideas?), so option 3 looks like the best long term option especially as the immobiliser is a nuisance anyway.

Looking on US Ebay I can get a remanufactured PCM for a bit over £200, possibly more if I don't send back the original part. I don't really want to spend that much, unless faced with option 4. Any ideas for other suppliers? Or any other options?

Thanks.

[Panic mechanic!]

I have waggers' old jeep which he fitted with a US PCM got to admit had no problems with it and its just plug and play.

[isle of man]

Think I have a new fob kicking about - let me confirm later and get back!!

[Wreckless]

That would be cool, thanks.

I guess I'll just need to get a dealer to program it - unless anyone knows different?

[isle of man]

***LUCKY BUGGER***

Indeed have a brand spanking new one here - P.M me you address and it will be posted (not sure when you will receive it in the current weather conditions) and you will owe me some of my beloved Peroni if ever we meet!!!

[big g]

A truly noble gesture

[Wreckless]

Indeed have a brand spanking new one here - P.M me you address and it will be posted (not sure when you will receive it in the current weather conditions) and you will owe me some of my beloved Peroni if ever we meet!!!

Blimey, that's a result. Thanks! 

[MOCAJ]

nice one peter 

[daggie]

Peter is a gentleman & a scholar

[Bubba]

very true

[Panic mechanic!]

A truly nobhead gesture

corrected it for ya mate..... sorry had to be done 

Mr H is a good guy.

[isle of man]

Should have landed with you by now??

[Wreckless]

Not had any post for a couple of days. The snow seems to be melting fast now though, so they should catch up soon!

[Wreckless]

Arrived today, thanks!

Just need to get it programmed and I should be sorted.

[isle of man]

Goodo...

[Wreckless]

Took it into Frosts today and after 20 minutes of fiddling they tell me that they can't communicate properly with the car's electronics and are unable to program the fob. Apparently they can connect to some parts of the system, but not the bit they need. They didn't want to try to reprogram the existing fob in case they left the car undrivable, and any further investigation would take an unspecified amount of time. I didn't get the feeling that they really know what they're doing. 

[JamesH]

I seem to recall guidance from Dr Mike on here (or possibly another forum) on the process needed that was so simple and step by step I think I could have followed it.

[Mike Pavelin]

They have to use their DRBIII with the May and Schofield security card inserted, it may be that they will have to downgrade the software version on the DRBIII as well for it to work properly, I haven't done one on a TJ for years, they should check with Chrysler technical to confirm.

[Wreckless]

I don't know what the dealer did, but they appeared to have managed the impossible and immobilised the immobiliser so I didn't need the fob at all. For a couple of weeks anyway, until the Jeep's battery flaked out and reset everything (must remember to dig out the radio code while I think of it!)

I can't see that pursuing things with Frosts is likely to end up with anything apart from a large bill. I think it's unlikely that "this bloke on the internet says you need to downgrade your software" will cut much ice.

Don't really know what to do now. 

[isle of man]

Buy the American PCM - end of problem!!!

[Mike Pavelin]

I can't see that pursuing things with Frosts is likely to end up with anything apart from a large bill. I think it's unlikely that "this bloke on the internet says you need to downgrade your software" will cut much ice.

Don't really know what to do now. 
[/quote] Take it back. If they claim they can't do it, get them to call Jeep technical, they'll ntalk them through which software version to use. If they won't, call Jeep customer services and explain that Frosts messed up your immobiliser and you want it sorted..