If you have a third gen model you have probably like me experienced your car cranking but not firing. Upon grounding a diagnostic pin you may find that you get an error code relating to the immobiliser. If you have a TH onwards you can disable to factory immobiliser, prior to that you will need to have a second hand 3rd gen immobiliser reprogrammed to your car, the new immobilisers are no longer available. The downside is only people who own a MUTT II can reprogram them, here in SA its only Mitsubishi that can do it and for me they have made it difficult.

I have a TE, I put a KF Verada loom into it, instead of buying the factory $300 remote I had an aftermarket alarm fitted for not much more, than with this I received a proper alarm (using the factory immobiliser still as it cannot be bypaseed) and some new remotes.

The downside is the most helpful mitsubishi dealer near me wouldnt reprogram my new immobiliser due to the new alarm, another dealer wants to swap the key barrel over first and then reassess and two other dealers say that It cannot be reprogrammed.

It was driving me crazy because as it gets colder the issue seems to get worse, sometimes it would crank over the second time, sometimes it would take a few minutes.

I then stumbled across this article.

http://martybugs.net/articles/magna-stall.cgi

This basically says that around the key barrel is an antenna that has a connector that sometimes doesn't make proper contact due to small wire and a large plug. The fix is to cut off the plug and solder the wires directly together, and thats what I have done.

These are some photos that show the plug. (I take no credit for these photos or this article)

So remove this cover.
http://i937.photobucket.com/albums/ad217/peaandham_bucket/magna_dash.jpg (http://s937.photobucket.com/user/peaandham_bucket/media/magna_dash.jpg.html)

Number 2 is said plug.
http://i937.photobucket.com/albums/ad217/peaandham_bucket/magna_ignition.jpg (http://s937.photobucket.com/user/peaandham_bucket/media/magna_ignition.jpg.html)

I have cut it off, soldered the wires together and for the past week (touch wood) I haven't had a single problem.

great info mate. this should be a sticky for ''known problems'' section.
cheers

This is a known issue and has been for a while.
I just keep a few ignition ring antennas in the glove box.. lol

Really Mike? I would've done it sooner If I had heard about it sooner, I was constantly thinking it was the immob box itself that needed the work.

Good to see this is a sticky as now its 2.5 weeks and not a single issue so far :) (Touch wood.....again)

Yes has been around a while and personally I would not solder these connections either.

Is not a bypass either and no one is bypassing or getting a secondhand immobiliser, they are getting the ECU and switching off the immobiliser function.

Yes has been around a while and personally I would not solder these connections either.

Is not a bypass either and no one is bypassing or getting a secondhand immobiliser, they are getting the ECU and switching off the immobiliser function.

how do they switch off the immobiliser function?
does it require the MUTT II in order to do this?
thanks

how do they switch off the immobiliser function?
does it require the MUTT II in order to do this?
Either MUT-II or an OpenPort reflashing cable (more info about this option in the thread linked from my sig).

Either MUT-II or an OpenPort reflashing cable (more info about this option in the thread linked from my sig).

when i was working at subaru we had alot of wrxs come in on trailers either cos an incorrect code had been entered on the keypad or there was a keypad malfunction. the only way to remedy the wrx's immob. problem was to request the master code from subaru online directly or there was a plug which was made up by my old boss which when connected to immobiliser tricked it into thinking the code had already been entered in. essentially 'turning off the immobiliser' itself. there was no official way to turn the immobiliser off, not even with the subaru scan tool.
i think its a good idea to be able to have the option to switch it off. it is your car at the end of the day.

So I did this on the 30-5-15, as of today the 9-8-15, I have not had a single issue again.