Engine Check light flashing. Immobiliser issue?

[savant]

Hi,

I have a 1998 'R' reg Micra. After it hadn't been used for a while, it was moved down the driveway and will not start again (flashing 'Engine Check' light). I suspected the ECU (after reading other posts on this forum), so I removed the appropriate fuse, turned the ignition to reset the system, then replaced the fuse. No luck.

I've also removed other fuses (under the bonnet this time), checking for corrosion, but they all seem fine.

I've exhausted my (admittedly very little) knowledge. Does anyone know what else it could be?

Many thanks,

Dave

 

[Alienfish360]

Nats

It killed my last car, Nissan wanted a silly amount to repair it

 

[Stani1029]

i have a simliar problem sumtimes when i start the engine, it cuts out and the check light flashes but all i have to do is take the key out the ignition then put it back in and turn the key round till the dash lights come on...the light still flashes but then stops and i can then start the car...

anybody know how serious of a problem this is???

 

[Alienfish360]

if it continues to flash, then NATS has blacklisted your key.

If it's fine when removing the key and putting it back in you're ok

 

[Swiper]

you could get nissan to try and reprogram your keys. although alienfish says it's expensive, i used to be a nissan technician. so if they do quote alot, ask how they can justify it for 5mins work max. it's just a case of plugging the consult into car and pressing the button "reprogram key".

 

[Alienfish360]

the expensive part was that they couldn't do it on my drive, and I had no way of towing it there, and wanted nearly £150 to tow it to my nearest Nissan Dealer, and £70 to re-program the keys

 

[Swiper]

the expensive part was that they couldn't do it on my drive, and I had no way of towing it there, and wanted nearly £150 to tow it to my nearest Nissan Dealer, and £70 to re-program the keys

that was harsh! i can't believe how much they quoted for towing and reprograming!!! it's nice to know i still get favours from my old service manager

 

[Alienfish360]

my local garage is a 35 minute drive away though

 

[Gurpreet]

How common is this problem? Is it just a fault that can happen to anyone or only if you dont drive it for a while?

Blimey an arm and a leg!

 

[Fordy]

£70!!!! jesus thats more than what my dealer charges per hour for labour

the job shouldnt take any longer than 5-10 minutes given you have a red chip key but if you have a blue chip key or any other colour chip key apart from red and you dont have the nats code then you will be charged for taking off the immu ring for the codes which get sent to nissan and then nissan send back the nats code for the immobiliser system on your car

 

[savant]

Hi,

Is there any reason why my key would have been blacklisted? (I know what it is - it must be because I'd very nearly done 100,000 miles!).

So could it be anything else apart from the key? I don't want to tow the car 30 miles only to find that it's something else that's going to cost 300 quid instead of 70

Seriously, thanks for all the help.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Stani1029]

my keys were brand new when i bought the car a few months ago, i think there is just a problem with them

 

[Ed]

If all else fails it is possible to replace the nats ecu for a non nats one.

 

[butta]

mine was doing the same thing and it turned out to be a loose battery terminal so check EVERY electricl connection under the bonnet first before you go to nissan. they told me i needed a new loom when they pluged it into the diognostics but i thought i could repair it myself. the first thing i did was go to remove the battery terminal and it came off in my hand!

 

[savant]

Hi guys,

I called Green Flag out (after upgrading to a service that included home start). It turned out not to be NATS at all, but just a problem with fuel not getting to the carb because the car had been left on the drive so long. The chap got it started with a squirt from a can of Engine Start and everything else seems to be fine (touch wood). I'm just going to give it a celebratory run.

I'm relieved that it wasn't the immobiliser. I wasn't relishing being towed to the local Nissan garage and being ripped off because I don't know anything about cars. I just want to thank you lot for all your help. I've learnt a great deal the past few days and I really appreciate it.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Alienfish360]

erm.... you don't have a carb?

 

[savant]

I'm showing my ignorance here obviously However, that's what he said and what he wrote down ("No fuel to carb, car been standing for appx 2 weeks").

Anyway, the important thing is that it's working now.

Thanks again.

Cheers,

Dave

 

[Alienfish360]

very strange considering it's a throttle body lol