Dead Seat Please help

[seatrip]

I'm doing this on my sons behalf he's currently lying in a darkened room regressing:
His ibiza just suddenly died drove it home the other night --seemed fine-- now engine turns no dashboard lights nothing happening. Got our local garage to look at it - they've been great but can't isolate the fault basically it's come down to 2 things --faulty key--unlikely Or faulty ecu- probable.
If it is the ecu how much can we expect to pay?

 

[cheshire cat]

did they check the fusible links under the battery cover? do a earch there are several places that will test/repair ECU's if the wurst comes to the wurst which I doubt

 

[seatrip]

hi Nic
Thanks for your reply. Yest the did check the fuses but they were fine.

 

[Disco_Biscuit]

We use these guys, very good http://www.ecutesting.com/

 

[Ant FR]

could actually be a problem with the dash unit itself. The immobiliser on Mk4's are actually in the speedo unit, so if theres a fault here it could explain why the car is turning but not firing, as the immobiliser still elts the starter turn but does'nt allow it to fire, tieing that in with dash lights not coming on it could be your answer.

New speedo's are availbale on ebay, but would need to be recoded toyur key or vice versa to run,

Try the cable on the back of the speedo as if that s come out could be the cause. Worth a shot

 

[Disco_Biscuit]

could actually be a problem with the dash unit itself. The immobiliser on Mk4's are actually in the speedo unit, so if theres a fault here it could explain why the car is turning but not firing, as the immobiliser still elts the starter turn but does'nt allow it to fire, tieing that in with dash lights not coming on it could be your answer.

New speedo's are availbale on ebay, but would need to be recoded toyur key or vice versa to run,

Try the cable on the back of the speedo as if that s come out could be the cause. Worth a shot

Could be, ECU testing repair the dash with out the need for recoding,

Has the vehicle been on a diagnostic machine? Any codes?

 

[andycupra]

i presume the spare key has been tried.

 

[seatrip]

Thanks everyone for being so helpful. We don't have a spare key so couldn't try that.
Fault codes and messages are
18058 can bus power train missing
message instrument panel P1650
17978 Engine ECU blocked
18018 Internal ECU malfunction..do any of these help

 

[truCido]

17978 is actually "17978 - Engine Start Blocked by Immobilizer " so thats a good starting point

 

[seatrip]

Hi Trucido I get the feeling that u think that may be good news but I don't understand!
What does it mean?!!

 

[truCido]

well its telling you that the immobiliser is stopping the car starting, so its probably a problem with either your key or immobiliser.

I think Ant_FR's fishing in the right direction tbh

 

[seatrip]

Thanks for all your help it's much appreciated. What should I do next---get an auto electrician to look at it or what?

 

[Ant FR]

Thanks for all your help it's much appreciated. What should I do next---get an auto electrician to look at it or what?

pop the speedo off and check that cable. its got to be worth it as its a frebie check, Theya re a tight fit so it is possible it coule come out, especialy if someone has refitted itin the passed and not reconnected the clip on it which can be snapped. So have a look.

 

[cheshire cat]

daft question-- has he had the key apart? --is the transponder still in there?

 

[knight85]

daft question-- has he had the key apart? --is the transponder still in there?

good point, i know people who have messed about with the transponder to fit it into a flip key and it whet phut!

 

[seatrip]

Thanks everyone for being so helpful. My mechanic has read all these posts and checked everything suggested - including the key - but still nothing. He got in touch with a vw dealership who gave him some ideas but still nothing. He's checked the speedo and dropped the dash to check everything there but still nothing obvious. So we still have a dead Seat I think the only thing we can do now is pack it up on a transporter and take it to money-munching dealership Unless anyone here has a better idea We live in the Glasgow area.

 

[st10587]

i would still suspect the cluster if you not getting any dahs lights and it not starting. new cluster from a dealer will be in the £500 region. i had a problem with my 1.2 where the lights and dials kept cutting out and then i had starting issues. my solution was i part ex it for the FR

 

[ScottHmk4]

Thanks everyone for being so helpful. My mechanic has read all these posts and checked everything suggested - including the key - but still nothing. He got in touch with a vw dealership who gave him some ideas but still nothing. He's checked the speedo and dropped the dash to check everything there but still nothing obvious. So we still have a dead Seat I think the only thing we can do now is pack it up on a transporter and take it to money-munching dealership Unless anyone here has a better idea We live in the Glasgow area.

my brother is an ex seat mechanic, we live like 20 mins from glasgow, he may be able to help, al ask him wen i see him tomorrow

 

[joop200789]

i no this mite sound daft,but have have an immob prob,but to get round it i push on the speedo where its say 110-120mph then turn the key,and it start,its due to tha bad connect they suffer from on the back al it does my pushing it is make contact,

there loads of threads on this about
just fort id sugest it sense as you got that immob fault code

 

[seatrip]

Thanks joop. The dash has been taken apart and all wiring checked - all looks good. Several people have suggested it could be a cluster fault. Our mechanic has been on to BAA re-man although the problem may not lie with the cluster, it could be the immobiliser, we think we have to take the risk and send it off to them. Our mechanic has another couple of things he's going to try before he does that fingers crossed!