Bypass emobilser (is this legal?)

mp3ireland2

Is it legal to get somebody to bypass an emobiliser?

I have a ford mondeo mk2 1.8TD and my friend lost my only key programmed to start it. Had a spare one to open doors and unlock steering, so towed it to the ford dealership to get them to program key.

They said there is a problem with the PATS and they it may need a new one. THey guy is going to try again in the morning. Replacing the PATS is going to be about €500 for that car. Probably as much as the car is worth. But it's worth more to me as a means of getting round.

Emigrating to scotland in the next few weeks and was going to use it to bring my stuff over and so I had something to drive around in whilst I looked for a new car. So it will be replaced in 3 months anyway but I need something untill then so was trying to find the cheapest way out of this pickle! My friend is on the dole so want to minimise the bill he gets!

Car is currently in mullingar and as it would have to be towed somewhere in the locality would be good! Longford/Mullingar area

MugMugs

No it's not illegal to bypass an immobiliser however your insurer could have concerns.

dgt

If it's registered to your friend, its alright.

TD you say? Fairly easy to bypass anyway with one wire

I'd be more worried about the steering lock and door locks (chubb locks yes?)

Plug

You need two keys to programme the PATS not one. From your post that sounds like the problem. Im sure there is a way around the immobilizer but you would need high tech equipment that the dealer doesn't even have.

mp3ireland2

dgt wrote: »

If it's registered to your friend, its alright.

TD you say? Fairly easy to bypass anyway with one wire

I'd be more worried about the steering lock and door locks (chubb locks yes?)

I have a key to open the car and unlock the steering, turns in ignition etc. but not programmed for immobiliser. Know where i'd find out about the bypass or who could do it?

Car registered to me, my friend lost the keys so he has to foot the bill to get it back on the road for me!

Plug wrote: »

You need two keys to programme the PATS not one. From your post that sounds like the problem. Im sure there is a way around the immobilizer but you would need high tech equipment that the dealer doesn't even have.

Yeah the dealers were saying they might need to cut a second key. Maybe that's all they need to do, don't fully understand myself. I'll have to talk to the guy who was working on it in the morning.

Cutting a second key and programming both would be ok. Basically at the minute all I have is a key cut correctly and that can open the doors with the fob. Is there a way for me to cut a second and program both!?

How on earth do people manage to rob cars! This is a 1999 and security seems ridiculous!

mp3ireland2

Just on to the dealers and they said they can't communicate with the ECU, so can't program a key.

If the ebmoiliser is by passed will an un programmed key start it? Or is the car written off because simply somebody lost a key?

mp3ireland2

Just on to the dealers and they said they can't communicate with the ECU, so can't program a key.

If the imobiliser is by passed will an un programmed key start it? Or is the car written off because simply somebody lost a key?

Chimaera

Sounds like the dealer is incompetent. Try find a diagnostics specialist.

mp3ireland2

Chimaera wrote: »

Sounds like the dealer is incompetent. Try find a diagnostics specialist.

yeah he was saying there's a problem with my ECU, but everything was working grand untill the key was lost. so frustrating!

sean1141

mp3ireland2 wrote: »

Just on to the dealers and they said they can't communicate with the ECU, so can't program a key.

If the imobiliser is by passed will an un programmed key start it? Or is the car written off because simply somebody lost a key?

I'd say it would be very easy to bypass the Immobilizer on your car. As said all ready 1 wire should do it.

mp3ireland2

sean1141 wrote: »

I'd say it would be very easy to bypass the Immobilizer on your car. As said all ready 1 wire should do it.

So once it bypassed it should start then? (I'm quite a novice so just want to confirm).

I'll tow it home and give it a shot!

bazz26

Try and find a very good auto electrician, I'd imagine something like this would be up their street.

sean1141

mp3ireland2 wrote: »

So once it bypassed it should start then? (I'm quite a novice so just want to confirm).

I'll tow it home and give it a shot!

Yes once you have a key that will turn the ignition you are OK.

dougie-lampkin

It's possible to bypass the immobiliser with just a scotch-lock, but you'll then find the engine won't turn off when you take the key out. If the car gets stolen you'll have no insurance, since you've bypassed the only security the car has.

A new key can be programmed using software, despite what your dealer said. I'd suggest finding a good indy who knows Fords and has the VCM equipment. You'd just need to find a mk2 Mondeo key from a scrapyard to have a chip to reprogram.

mloc123

dougie-lampkin wrote: »

IIf the car gets stolen you'll have no insurance, since you've bypassed the only security the car has.

Or he could update his policy to say it has no immob/alarm.

mp3ireland2

dougie-lampkin wrote: »

It's possible to bypass the immobiliser with just a scotch-lock, but you'll then find the engine won't turn off when you take the key out. If the car gets stolen you'll have no insurance, since you've bypassed the only security the car has.

A new key can be programmed using software, despite what your dealer said. I'd suggest finding a good indy who knows Fords and has the VCM equipment. You'd just need to find a mk2 Mondeo key from a scrapyard to have a chip to reprogram.

Yeah I now have two old key fobs from ebay and two blades cut.

My car only has 3rd party insurance so insurance not an issue. I have been talking to a few people locally and they seem to agree with a suggestion that a poster here pm'd me. Didn't want to post it pubically in case somebody saw it who shouldn't.

I doubt a 99 mk2 ford mondeo would be high on the list of any car jacker! One fella who said he could do it won't be able to until next Friday so I'll see if I can find anybody else before then.

Nobody seems to know anybody locally who could program the key so think I'll go the bypass the imobilser route.

Thanks for all the help lads, I'll let you know how I get on.

Dotsie~tmp

I bypassed the emobiliser once. Went with vodafoniliser instead.

mp3ireland2

Dotsie~tmp wrote: »

I bypassed the emobiliser once. Went with vodafoniliser instead.

I kept having to correct myself from spelling it hat way! Must have missed one!

Redisle

I think the idea of the immobilizer generally means that people don't even bother trying to hotwire cars anymore as it generally won't work. If you disable the immobilizer I don't see how anyone other than the guy who carried out the work could know.

You should probably inform the insurance company just to be safe though!

I know someone that had this done before on a 406 (Bypassed the faulty keypad) and a Saxo (Done by an indie, there was an ECU problem IIRC).

dgt

Redisle wrote: »

I know someone that had this done before on a 406 (Bypassed the faulty keypad) and a Saxo (Done by an indie, there was an ECU problem IIRC).

Hey I don't have a Saxo its a 106 :pac::pac::pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yo_Y6trsI-Q

bazz26

mp3ireland2 wrote: »

Yeah I now have two old key fobs from ebay and two blades cut.

My car only has 3rd party insurance so insurance not an issue. I have been talking to a few people locally and they seem to agree with a suggestion that a poster here pm'd me. Didn't want to post it pubically in case somebody saw it who shouldn't.

I doubt a 99 mk2 ford mondeo would be high on the list of any car jacker! One fella who said he could do it won't be able to until next Friday so I'll see if I can find anybody else before then.

Nobody seems to know anybody locally who could program the key so think I'll go the bypass the imobilser route.

Thanks for all the help lads, I'll let you know how I get on.

You would be surprised, joyriders will take anything that can move, hence why the often target old cars that they can hot wire.

darragh o meara

1 wire eh??? I had a load of hassle a few years back with a Ka rallycar that had a standard ecu fitted for a few weeks.

sean1141

Probably different on a petrol and possibly newer diesels

mp3ireland2

Got sorted. Auto electrician in mullingar was able to program it. He had trouble getting into the ECU but got it eventually! So have two programmed keys now. €130 for the work, steep enough but it wasn't straight forward, just relieved to have it sorted!