[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

Sounds like the car was immobilized...I would just keep driving it for now and keep my cell phone on me...J

 

[DSGT]

With a plea of total ignorance, in what scenarios is the immobilizer supposed to kick-in and prevent the car from starting ? Is it controlled by the main ECU, or is there a separate part in the ignition switch system that does that ?

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

It is controlled by the body computer...It reads a chip in the key head and allows engine starting via communication with the engine ECM..Normally you would get a break in attempted on the display and that lock icon would light up...Not really sure what happened here, but it sounds like the BCM had the car immobilized in some lock out mode...Cars just do crazy stuff these days...In hindsight I should have told him to try that as that is what we always do when a car acts immobilized like that...Jason

 

[astepabove]

in the future what would you recommend as a test for the immobilizer issue assuming the dashlight didn't show ?

I had no lock or key light on the dash (granted I have the aucar dash now and not oem Maserati one ) but all the other Maserati specific codes/light show on that dash in general. As an example the headlight error one shows as soon as I turn off the headlights.


My original post and thoughts at the time was it was a immobilizer issue which is why the first thing I did was change the cr2032 car battery on both my car keys and try to start the car with both even though I remembered later the chip in the key is a little glass pill that I don't think actually touches the electronics on the key.

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

Dang, that makes me think that cluster doesn't even have that warning...The key fob battery is for the RF of the key fob and doesn't control starting...J

 

[DSGT]

The key fob battery is for the RF of the key fob and doesn't control starting...J

So then if you have just the metal part of the key you can use it not only to open the door, but also start the car, even if the fob is “dead” ..? That’s good to know ! ( weird it doesn’t have a microchip though ..😟 )

I remember a few threads here where folks were so put off by the high dealer cost of replacing or replicating these keys and the programming, they were trying to figure out if a locksmith can just duplicate the metal part. Looking at that metal key, I can’t imagine any locksmith would have a blank as unique as this one which can be cut to make a duplicate. Or a machine shop making you one. And no doubt Maserati made sure they’re the only ones who can produce those kind of blanks..as well as the proprietary machines who can carve them in equally unconventIonal ways ..

Anyway, that’s a bit of a tangent off this particular issue, but not too far off topic .. ☺

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

It's a laser cut key, but a lot of locksmith guys can cut the metal part no problem...The "pill" or chip is in the key fob case...J

 

[DSGT]

Ahh, so it’s the chip and its programming that sets you back $ 800 .. interesting nonetheless that some locksmiths would be able to duplicate that fob design .

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

That would be a tall order...You can just get a key cut that will start the car and open the door...No remote locking...They just clone the ID out of your currently working key fob..Jason

 

[IamStig01]

Ahh, so it’s the chip and its programming that sets you back $ 800 .. interesting nonetheless that some locksmiths would be able to duplicate that fob design .

So basically - you can take the battery out of the key fob, open the door the old fashion way with a key, and start the car and drive away. The only thing the battery then does in the key fob is open the door and the trunk. Good to know.

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

Yes, if a manufacture based a car starting on a little battery in a key chain then you would have a lot of pissed customers...Even smart key type cars can be started this way...You need to know where to place the key..Read your owner's manual..J

 

[DSGT]

Our MBZ‘s key fob would not start the car if the battery ( it was also a 2032 ) was very weak or dead. Same symptom ; not a single sound, no cranking ..and would not move beyond the second position / MAR. But it had a very different design, you had to insert the fob’s narrow blunt end into the ignition port and then turn it to start the car . Put 200 K miles on that car using that fob on an average of 6 times a day, so I had to change those batteries quite a few times when the car didn’t budge . I always carried a spare battery in the glove compartment ; the fob had enough power to open the doors ( even if it didn’t it had a metal key insert I could have used ) but just not enough to engage the ignition to fire it up. Pretty stupid design if you ask me . You can get stranded because of a watch battery .. 🤨

 

[Sock Tucker]

Sounds like the car was immobilized...I would just keep driving it for now and keep my cell phone on me...J

That’s what I was thinking, something glitched with the Acar stuff or CANBUS emulator and the car immobilized.
Its possible the battery was fine, but resetting it a few times got the emulator to function again.

 

[Sock Tucker]

Ahh, so it’s the chip and its programming that sets you back $ 800 .. interesting nonetheless that some locksmiths would be able to duplicate that fob design .

Depends where you go, mine came with a key code on a card I assume somebody can program into it at a locksmith.

 

[[email protected] Enzo`s Atlanta]

Our MBZ‘s key fob would not start the car if the battery ( it was also a 2032 ) was very weak or dead. Same symptom ; not a single sound, no cranking ..and would not move beyond the second position / MAR. But it had a very different design, you had to insert the fob’s narrow blunt end into the ignition port and then turn it to start the car . Put 200 K miles on that car using that fob on an average of 6 times a day, so I had to change those batteries quite a few times when the car didn’t budge . I always carried a spare battery in the glove compartment ; the fob had enough power to open the doors ( even if it didn’t it had a metal key insert I could have used ) but just not enough to engage the ignition to fire it up. Pretty stupid design if you ask me . You can get stranded because of a watch battery .. 🤨

I'm not familiar with that setup, but there is generally a way around it...Jaguar used a docking station to start the car for example if the fob battery was dead...Land Rover had you place the key next to steering column cover...J

 

[DSGT]

Yeah, no idea if there was a workaround, but I didn‘t have to look for one ..once the battery replacement worked, that’s all I needed to do all the other times after that . Problem is those batteries don’t give you any warnings , like opening doors gets more sporadic, or the range / distance from the car starts getting shorter ..they just die on you ! 😠
Funny, that was a diagnosis by phone success story : I called my mechanic when I got stuck during a trip, told him what the symptoms were and he told me if I’m within a walking distance of a drug store to get a new fob battery and try that . Luckily I was indeed in a shopping center at the time . He said ” no guarantee that’s the problem but I’ll bet the $ 1.50 you‘ll spend on that battery there’s a good chance .. of course it helped to come up with an educated guess and get it right after having worked on MBZs ( among all other German cars ) for many decades .
Still, weird fob. Counterintuitive to stick part of the damn plastic thing into the ignition - I was only used to metal keys when I bought the car and fobs which only opened doors or trunk remotely .

 

[Catmanv2]

Be worth checking the ignition switch. Seen this on a 4200 before.

It didn't start after the fuse change, first time, so would be logical to say that none of the actions tried fixed the issue.

C

 

[astepabove]

yea at this point everyone is just kind of guessing so I will just continue to monitor it and see what happens, the good news still is I started it up this morning again and same first move to "on" and car fired up and within 5 secs voltage was showing as 13.9 / 14 on the dash so no battery issue currently.

I was thinking it was something electronic or immobilizer based to begin with and not mechanical as I've owned multiple cars with failed starters and or alternators at some point and they all had symptoms before even if short noticed. Maybe the cold temperatures here ( 30 degrees at night) and the just above water original battery voltage was enough to freak out the immobilizer unit and both lock out ignition and create that constant battery draw. It definitely killed that original battery as it never got above 12v(usually staying at 11.4-11.6 with my multimeter when it was unplugged or inside the car) . The new battery when I fully charged it with my home trickle charger Sunday showed 13v+ and when it was in the car also had 13v+ .

clearly nothing logical about this entire scenario that happened lol

 

[astepabove]

Yeah, no idea if there was a workaround, but I didn‘t have to look for one ..once the battery replacement worked, that’s all I needed to do all the other times after that . Problem is those batteries don’t give you any warnings , like opening doors gets more sporadic, or the range / distance from the car starts getting shorter ..they just die on you ! 😠
Funny, that was a diagnosis by phone success story : I called my mechanic when I got stuck during a trip, told him what the symptoms were and he told me if I’m within a walking distance of a drug store to get a new fob battery and try that . Luckily I was indeed in a shopping center at the time . He said ” no guarantee that’s the problem but I’ll bet the $ 1.50 you‘ll spend on that battery there’s a good chance .. of course it helped to come up with an educated guess and get it right after having worked on MBZs ( among all other German cars ) for many decades .
Still, weird fob. Counterintuitive to stick part of the damn plastic thing into the ignition - I was only used to metal keys when I bought the car and fobs which only opened doors or trunk remotely .

Yea a lot of the newer key fob cars are like this, that's why not knowing how the Maserati system works I assumed it was a variation of that issue. On BMWs it works basically exactly like you said for the push Button start cars if your battery is COMPLETELY dead on the key fob the doors have a 50/50 chance of unlocking but if you are able to get in the car you have to hold the keyfob up to a specific place on the steering column and the car will still be able to pick it up. Obviously it's then ideal to change the key battery asap.

 

[DSGT]

So this segment gets fully inserted in the ignition port . Appropriately called the “panic“ button , because if the car won’t start …you panic