Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[vmkrister]

The engine starts fine, but after 3 seconds it stops, most likely the immobilizer cuts in.

The car has been standing for a few months - before that it started without problems.

The sender works OK since I put new batteries in it and I can hear the door locks open and close.

I can´t enter the code in the radio - could that be an indication of the problem?

I have now disconnected the battery and am charging that separately.

Live in Sweden.

Hoping for answer.

Krister

[Jonny Jeep]

Hi Krister, welcome to the forum.

As your Jeep is a 98 I suspect it has A sentry key immobiliser system (SKIS) fitted. In that case you should have a symbol in the dash cluster that looks like a key in a circle with a line through it. If that light is coming on the key may not be being recognised. Do you have another key you can try? I have a pre SKIS Jeep so I'm not too familiar with it. It may even require a trip to a dealer to get the key recognised again.

Hopefully somebody with more knowledge on the system will be along soon.

[Lukemagnum]

The remote locking is separate from the immobiliser system. The immobiliser or SKIS (Sentry Key Immobilser System) is a module that 'talks' to the chip imbedded in your key. If you put the wrong key in it will start for a few seconds then stop, this can sometimes happen when the battery has been left to run down as the system can go out of sync. You will know when this has happened as the SKIS lamp, (a key with a strike through it) will light up on the dash. To re-sync it you have to turn the ignition on and leave it for about an hour, obviously you need the car in a secure place while doing this or prevent it being started by pulling the fuel pump relay etc. You may need to repeat it with the spare key as well.

Hope this helps.

[Bubba]

  interesting i thought this problem was a dealer fix

[Lukemagnum]

I was going to tag a bit more to my last post but I was on my iPhone with small buttons, big fingers and knackered eyesight.

I used this procedure a few years ago when it happened to the Brother in Law’s Audi (sorry for the 4 letter swear word Mr. Moderator). I was advised by a mate who worked for the AA to leave the ignition on for an hour.

From memory, I think it only took about 20 minutes, the system re-synced and the car started as normal, while syncing the SKIS lamp (VAG call it something else) was flashing and on completion it either went out or stayed on permanently, can't remember for sure.

I don’t know how many makes this will work on but my JGC has a Siemens SKIS module as does the Audi, it’s worth giving it a try as it doesn't cost anything.

Good luck and let us all know how you got on!

[Bubba]

cool i hope it does work cos its a real problem and for owners getting to a dealer and paying dealer prices may not be an option

[vmkrister]

I tried the one hour trick - unfortunately it made no difference... 

More suggestions, pleeeeeeeeeease!

Krister

[isle of man]

Get your dick out and wave it in the wind - alternatively one could book into the main dealer...

[Dave The Sparky]

Get your dick out and wave it in the wind - alternatively one could book into the main dealer...

Quite possibly both the best and worst advice ever given out on Birtys

[j33pky]

its obviously worked for Mr isle of man....but only to scare off children and attract flies..

[alienator]

LOL
I have same problem with my 01 Wrangler TJ, today morning I was ready to go Devils Pit trying to start and ...???wont start.After second time checked for fault codes and had 2 :  P1686 and P1687.Now just key symbol on dash and thats it "Game over".What is solution???Any ideas???

[alienator]

Sorry P1685  and  P1687

[Lukemagnum]

P1685 – Key not recognised.

Haven’t you heard of the money making scam dreamt up by the fat cats in the Chrysler boardroom?

They worked out that after 10 years most of their motors will fall into the hands of enthusiasts, who will work on their own cars because they get satisfaction from it and like to know it’s been done properly and not by a fitter who’s on a tight schedule to get it shifted out the door as quick as he can.

They had all the ECU’s programmed so that they regularly reset themselves so they won’t even recognise the keys that they came with, they then need to be taken back to the dealers for recoding, resulting in a nice steady income for them for the life of the motor.
 
As well as the Jeep, I've a BMW, with that I can diagnose, reset and recode replacement components using software costing less than £100. From what I can see, for the Jeep I’ll need a DRB scanner costing over £2.5k to do the same, if the Germans can do it, why can’t the Yanks, I thought they were on our side?

Anyway, enough of the ranting I've got other things to do now. Good morning everybody.

[alienator]

So is dealer only???

[nav18tor]

Or send the offending ECU back to the USA where a company will relieve you of $250 USD and remove all the SKIT stuff from the ECU and send it back

Try one of these

http://autocomputerperformance.com/chryslerdodgejeep.html

or

http://sosdiagnostics.com/Chrysler.html

I don't even own a Jeep, but when I do, I will know how to fix it

[vmkrister]

The Jeep behaves exactly as my Chrysler Voyager - until I have deactivated the immobilizer.
You are obviously on to it, Lukemagnum !

I have tried to connect the solenoid directly to the battery - and it seems to open OK. I have introduced an electrical fuel pump to the system - nothing helps...

No one who known how to bypass the system. I had the same problem with a Ford Scorpio, where I did not even have a key. That forum knew how to bypass the system!

Krister

[Mike Pavelin]

A 1998 Grand Gherokee 2.5TD does not have the SKIS system.

The UK spec ones had a May and Schofield alarm/immobiliser fitted, but in Sweden it could have anything.

[Lukemagnum]

You're never going to start the engine by linking out electrical components, basically the ECU is doing its job by preventing the injectors from firing as it thinks you’re a thief trying to steal it with the wrong key.

I have the equipment to reprogramme (re-map) your ECU to change its running parameters to change torque, power and economy etc but even that will not by-pass the security part of the ECU.

I’m not too familiar with Chrysler/Jeep systems but most cars made from the mid nineties use a similar type of security system to prevent theft.

Near to your steering column will be an immobiliser module - SKIS or whatever they want to call it, they all work the same way. This unit will recognise the chip in your key on starting, if it’s OK it will then send a command to the ECU to enable it. It does this using a ‘Rolling Code’ which was programmed into it at manufacture and cannot be changed, the ECU has the same matching rolling code in its memory.
 
When your Jeep was very first started the SKIS sent out code No. 1 and the ECU matched that with its code No. 1 to enable it. The next time code no.2 was used and so on. If these go out of sequence and the codes don’t match you will not start the car. Trying to change the ECU, starting the car with the ECU disconnected or even taking out the ECU with the battery connected can make these go out of sequence.

When this happens, some people think the ECU has a fault. What it actually needs is for the modules to be re-aligned using special software, I believe it does this by resetting both units back to code No. 1.  I've got the tools to do this on some makes but unfortunately I don’t have the software for Chrysler/Jeep, yet.

It’s due to this rolling code, that you can’t just take an ECU from a scraped car and expect to just plug it in and work on your own car, the rolling codes will be different. If you change the SKIM, ECU and Key from a donor vehicle with the same engine as yours then it will, or should work.

Most of my knowledge and equipment is for use with BMW systems which I know inside out, for that I can bypass the system by fitting a £10.00 device to the ECU called an emulator, which mimics the security code (I don’t know how it works but it does). I don’t know if this same device works on Chrysler or if one is available for Chrysler, but it still needs to be aligned with the ECU.

So unless you know a garage or someone with the Chrysler tool available then it looks like a trip to the main agents, unless you take the previous advice and send your ECU away to get the security part removed. Be aware though, that with it removed, anyone could start your Jeep by sticking a screwdriver into the ignition.
 
For those interested, I hope this gives an insight into the mysterious black box without getting too heavy. If you’re not, then you can go back to your feeler gauges, points and carburettors.

javascript:void(0);

[Mike Pavelin]

As I just said, If it's a 1998 2.5TD it doesn't have SKIS, can we clarify it is a European spec ZG and not an XJ?

[vmkrister]

Great answer from Lukemagnum. Thanks a lot! We´ll investigate that possibility further.

The Jeeps are called by different names in different countries, here in Sweden this car is named Jeep Grand Cherokee and can be fitted with the 4 or 5 cylinder VM turbo diesel engine. I do not it is a European spec ZG and or an XJ? How can I tell?? Will the chassis number tell? Guess they are all built in Graetz, Austria.

Krister 

[Mike Pavelin]

What's the VIN? we can decode it.