Hi - I joined AMC last week and have been busily scouring the threads for ideas in an attempt to solve a mystery problem with my 1997 Magna TF.

Here's the lowdown: it essentially suffers from an intermittent failure to start. It might go without a problem for a month, and then have a horror weekend. Sometimes it happens if it's hot and just been driven and left for 10 minutes (e.g., supermarket carpark), sometimes when it's cold (after work, ready to drive home), etc. Occasionally, if it fails, you can leave it for 15 minutes and try again successfully. More often than not, it needs to be left for a few hours, or even overnight. You can imagine how much this sucks when you're in a paid carpark... Anyway, once it's not starting, it's not starting. You can't try again and have it work straight away. It doesn't happen at a specific time of day, or at a specific temperature, or after a particular length of driving time.

It happened last night and I noticed that the check engine lamp stayed lit when the key was in the ON position, and wouldn't go out.

Whenever the car has been in for a service, the problem hasn't reared its head. An auto-electrician reported no error codes on the computer. When I've had the RAA out, they haven't had specific electrical equipment to narrow down the issue. Prior to my buying the car, the ECU was replaced and was assumed to have fixed the problem. Since, the fuel pump was replaced in an attempt to fix the problem (waste of money, stupid LubeMobile!).

I'd like to disconnect the immobiliser to try and isolate the problem - can anyone tell me how this is done? I figure that it's either causing the problem or stopping this trouble-maker from being stolen! ;)

Other things I'd like to try include fiddling with the engine coolant sensor (one suggestion in another thread), and a few other things, but where are they? I figure that if I had a checklist of things to try (whack the starter motor, etc) next time it fails, I might be able to narrow it down. Someone has suggested replacing the barrel antenna (I assume that reads the coded key?) - anything else cheap I could get done at the same time?

I have no real experience with cars, but I'm sure that I could work out some basics if I knew what was what - is there somewhere I can buy an in-depth manual for this car?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

my verada did this.
my immobiliser plug was corroded. it was replaced and never happened again.

cheers
chris

i actually having problems with my VRX now, theres a thread about starting issues here
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28895

:D

Does It Wind Over Or Not?

my problem was with my TE, the imobiliser Antenna (goes arround the barrel) was dead/going dead, so too it to mitsu bot it replaced and now works fine.

Magnus, (excuse potentially wayward terminology here) it winds over but just doesn't fire/kick-in/start (is that correct?). The aspect that really confuses me is why once it's failing, it won't start again until its had its "nap" (whether 15 minutes or 5 hours). For a period, we had success getting it to start after a 15 minute wait, and I wondered if there was something on a timer that reset after that period. I've read about the ECU resetting after a period of the battery being disconnected - there might be something worth reading into there?

When we put it in for a service, I'd like to give them a hit list of things to test/replace and I think the barrel antenna and the immobiliser sound like prime targets so far.

To others, thanks for the help so far - it's much appreciated.

the aireal has a plug under the dash un plug it and plug it back in some times this fixes the problem came across it a few times at work now then turn the key on and off 10 times or more see if this helps

magnus - I'll give that a shot. Is the ECU the black box on the right side of the car under the dash, near the fuses?

The car now hasn't started at all for 48+ hours, so I'm beginning to wonder if something has almost completely died. The other night when my gf used the car and came back to it not starting, the clock and speed warning had reset itself - would this indicate a battery or ECU failure?

Thanks.

Thought I'd give an update on this in case it helps anyone or anyone has ideas.

Booked it in with a Mitsubishi place. They load-tested the battery and it failed so they replaced it. They also took a look at the wire connecting the antenna coil (I'd rather they just replace it outright, but oh well).

Long story short - problem still exists. Have discovered that the check engine light will be on and the car will only start if it blinks off after a couple of seconds.

So my checklist of possible points of failure would be:

- immobiliser plug
- barrel antenna
- a sensor somewhere

Any other ideas?

How many sensors are there that might be setting off that check engine light? Is it feasible to have the key in ON and going around each one fiddling with it and see which one triggers the light?

Where can I get a Magna manual? If I knew where these sensors were, that might help!

Any help appreciated.

autobarn sells the manuals, most car shops should have them

The latest info from the dealer. Car still starts, but rarely, with original immobiliser module and ECU ("engine module"?). Tried new barrel antenna, car still failed intermittently. Wondered if it was the CAS.

Currently, if they replace the immobiliser module and ECU with their test units, it starts with no fault codes. If they put back the originals, nothing - no communication with their (Mark/Mach II - wasn't sure what he said) computer. Obviously you'd look to replace the ECU, but it'd been replaced by a past owner and another dealer who'd serviced the car (we have now found out) considered it a mystery/lost cause and worth getting rid of ASAP.

1. How can you trade in a non-starting car?
2. Is it worth anything at a wreckers?
3. Surely they can isolate the immobiliser module and/or ECU and test them on their own?
4. Surely it could be some wiring immediately surrounding the modules that could cause the trouble (i.e., force a second ECU to fail), and there'd be only so much wiring to replace/investigate?

Desperate!

take it back to mitsu get the mut pluged in to it
theres a heap of tests to try looks like they gave up with out a fight is it under a warenty?

I think u may need to bite the bullet here!!!!!
My car has now started jaring in the starter motor.
this issue has had nxt to identical problems
basically now up 4 a new one!!!

That's how it seems to me too. They rang a previous Mitsubishi place where it'd been looked at and seemed to take from them that it was a mystery and unfixable.

It's still at the current place - not starting reliably enough to move it anywhere really.

That said, I can appreciate their perspective on one level in that they'd feel uncomfortable recommending continual efforts to fix it with no guarantees of sorting it out. It's a car worth $6000-7000. No warranty. Bought second hand approximately two years ago. Has been having the problem on and off the entire time, and even before that too.

But gee, it sucks hard being without a car. Of course, contacting Mitsubishi directly gets you absolutely nowhere.

Datherto - so what are the options in this situation? Take it to a wreckers? Put it in the paper at a significantly discounted rate, say there's a problem, and see if anyone wants to take it on?

Get a new starter motor!!!!!!!!
They aint that deer i dont think
300 bucks not sure mines under a used car warranty

If they replace the ECU and immobiliser with test units, the car starts fine. I'd assume that rules out the starter motor.

I've been quoted $450 for a replacement second-hand ECU and $120 for an immobiliser module. I have no idea if that is reasonable or not. :cry:

I aint no mechanic but
Have u whacked the starter motor b4 and she starts pretty soon afterwards?????
A tempermental Starter motor it could be????? So hence a new one would and should fix tha prob???