MK3 Fiesta in Wedgewood blue - All sorted!

[doubleyeller]

Hi folks, I've been a right tit! I unwittingly pulled the immobiliser chip out of the Fiesta while stationary with the engine running. The engine died immediately, and now the steering wheel is locked tight, and the key won't even turn to position one. Being skint, I haven't been able to arrange breakdown cover, so I had a very long cold and wet walk back down the mountain tonight. Anybody know what's wrong, and how to rectify the problem?

[Pillock]

Immobiliser shouldn't be anything mechanical. Did you turn the key back to 0 and now it won't turn back on?

I take it you've tried wiggling the wheel whilst you turn it? It's just an oldschool mechanical lock on them. Those chubb keys like to wear though.

[doubleyeller]

Yep, I tried the wiggling, and both the 2 keys. Also tried hammering to free off the lock. No joy!

[Captain Furious]

What do you mean by pulled the immobiliser chip out? Aren't they the ones that are embedded in the key?

 

Either way, as above the steering lock is just a mechanical affair so I don't think it will be related to an electronic immobiliser issue, sounds like you've just been double unlucky

[beko1987]

Got any wd40/oil/spit/piss?

[cobblers]

Yeah, that immobiliser doesn't interfere with the steering lock, I think it just cuts the starter motor and ignition. It's an aftermarket thing.

Wiggle the steering wheel as you put the key in and turn, sounds like it's latched against the steering lock.

[doubleyeller]

I have wiggled to my utmost! No joy!

Actually, the steering lock didn't come on as usual, so I turned the wheel, and jabbed the key into the ignition a couple of times. It came on, but is now stuck.

 

Another thing is, we removed the steering wheel in order to get it on straight, earlier in the day. Possibly related?

[Captain Furious]

Almost certainly related I'd say. Might be worth slackening the steering wheel nut and wiggling it back and fourth as well as side to side and the steering lock will probably release. Once it has you'll be able to remove the wheel and check behind it for any debris that might be jamming the lock or preventing the wheel going all the way home.

[doubleyeller]

 

Almost certainly related I'd say. Might be worth slackening the steering wheel nut and wiggling it back and fourth as well as side to side and the steering lock will probably release. Once it has you'll be able to remove the wheel and check behind it for any debris that might be jamming the lock or preventing the wheel going all the way home.[/quote

 

I see, well thanks for that 😊 looks like a fun day up on the hills tomorrow then!

[sierraman]

Just bust the steering lock. They aren't that strong but you'll need to put a bit of weight behind it and rag the wheel round and it should bust the tabs off the lock.

 

The car will run if you have the immob key taped to the steering column so once you have got it going just get a simple key cut.

 

Failing that if the key won't turn you'll probably have to rip the steering column fairing off and bypass the ignition switch. I'd have a good excuse thought up though if the cops stop you once you've done this...

[sierraman]

Did you get this sorted?

[omegod]

I'm guessing he took the nut off to pull the steering wheel off and has knocked himself clean out with it 

[twosmoke300]

Immobiliser shouldn't cut engine once it's running . Not a factory fit one anyway

[doubleyeller]

Did you get this sorted?

Yes thanks! I removed the wheel, and chiselled the lock tabs off with a lump hammer. Then it was just a case of hot wiring the ignition (piece of piss) and it's back on the road!

[fordperv]

what took so long, people were doing it in 30 seconds back in the day

[doubleyeller]

what took so long, people were doing it in 30 seconds back in the day

 

I had to figure it all out for myself. Tesco had run out of copies of "Joyriders weekly" to show me how it is done! I too was stunned to find out just how easy it really was to snaffle a car back in the day. I've got a handbrake/gearstick lock now, I'm hoping that and the immobiliser together will keep it from being half inched!

[Angrydicky]

I used to own a MK3 Fiesta (briefly, saved from the scrapyard) and it came with two keys, a black one and the red master key. Only the red one would release the steering lock, presumably the black key was worn out at over 100k. 

 

About the same time a friend had a reasonably tidy J reg Pop Plus that got nicked from outside his house, joyridden around Rochford and dumped in a ditch out Hullbridge way.

 

Everything from that era is easy to nick, but I think Fords, Vauxhalls and ARG stuff were the easiest. Snap the steering lock by forcing the wheel around, rip off the column cowling, bypass the ignition switch and you were away in literally seconds. That is why every pre-95 car owner needs to invest in some visible security, because with modern cars impossible to nick without the keys, old shite is sought after by joyriders and criminals such as ramraiders who want any car quickly without the hassle of stealing keys.

[cobblers]

Aye -  said wedgewood blue fiesta is my nans old one, and the only thing that kept it on her drive for the last decade was the fact that there was always something blocking it in.

It's incredibly depressing but like Angrydicky says, unless it's got a proper factory immobiliser with a chip in the key then it's really not safe to leave on the road. Car crime might have gone down but it's only because stuff is harder to take. There's still plenty of old school scrotes that know what to look for.

There's an aftermarket immobiliser on the fiesta with a big playstation memory card type key that slots in, but that wouldn't be a major inconvenience if someone was interested. That said it's probably not on the top of many peoples list

 

I'm happy to leave a brand new car on the road outside my house, but I daren't buy an old nova for £500 because I know it'd only last a few days tops. 

[trigger]

Since my Astra got nicked the other month there's been a H reg Polo nicked and burnt out, a Sapphire pinched and used for a ramraid and a VW T4 van all stolen locally since, anything that isn't new is a easy target for these cunts.

[Pillock]

My mum had one of those immobiliser keys on her Escort Dash (ironic name - a ragtop mk4 with a 1.4 engine that couldn't dash downhill with a following wind)

 

I remember it was called THE IMMOBILISER and it was a dealer fit jobbie, because no insurance company would touch a convertible parked in NG17 without it.

[Felly Magic]

They are trying to say that the Co Op break in at Rushmere, the get away car was possibly a white Sierra

[trigger]

Same Sapphire, it was found down Raeburn Road with two bottles of whiskey still in it, surprisingly not burnt out, unlike the Polo which was found on the same road and coincidently being the same road as the person we think stolen mine lives.

 

[doubleyeller]

Fortunately, I live in an insurance B rated postcode area, with a residential car-park hidden round the back of the building. It has the imobiliser and a handbrake - gear lever lock fitted. Could it still happen? Yes it could, but hey, that's what insurance is for!

[overrun]

Did you 'black box' it to get it away, doubleyeller?

[sierraman]

Car insurance is a bit of a problem where I live. The next postcode on is something like the 14th worst postcode for car theft. I'd imagine getting cover at all would be a problem if you were below 21 round here.

[doubleyeller]

Did you 'black box' it to get it away, doubleyeller?

 

I've beaten off the steering lock with a chisel and lump hammer. I just put some picture-hanging wire round the terminals and started it with a screwdriver to get it moving. Now that it's at home, I've done a proper job with crocodile clips, insulated cable, and crimpers. 

[barrett]

Instead of investing in a steering lock or whatnot I've made the bold move of living somewhere that isn't a total shithole, which seems to have done the job of protecting the fleet so far

 

(I'm sure my car will get nicked now)

[doubleyeller]

Instead of investing in a steering lock or whatnot I've made the bold move of living somewhere that isn't a total shithole, which seems to have done the job of protecting the fleet so far

 

(I'm sure my car will get nicked now)

Which is one of the main motivations behind my recent move from inner city hellhole to nice little town. It's odd, I lived in one of the very poorest areas in the UK, and I just never minded one bit, but there again, I never got burgled/mugged etc! Much less chance of your car getting snaffled where I live now, and consequentially I'm finding car insurance is far more affordable too!