I am reluctant to start another thread about the infamous spider immobilizer but I still have not found the answer by reading all the immobilizer threads. Briefly here is the problem, dashboard lights come on, battery fully charged but engine wont crank. Check engine light does not light up. Dashboard alarm light was staying on when the ignition switch was turned so I suspect the immobilizer. I tried to disarm the mobilizer using the emergency key access process (eka) but did not work. I wonder if its because I only have the key with no remote. So here are my questions
1. How do you know for sure that the immobilizer is engaged?
2. Is there any way besides the eka process to disengage the immobilizer without towing the vehicle to the dealer?
3. Check engine light is not showing which makes me again suspect the immobilizer
4. if I tear apart my dashboard and connect a spider unit by pass will the engine start?
5. Does the Discovery 1 even have an immobilizer, one dealer repair tech says no and another said yes
6. Fuel pump circuit seems to be working as you can hear it when the key is turned to crank position.
7. If starter is malfunctioning would the check engine light not light up?

 

Alarm light staying on is the indicator. Yes the D1 has immobilization, you are living proof. A D2 has even nastier system. The D1 "spider" can be bypassed, if it is that version. Systems vary by year in some cases. Starter does not turn on check engine light.

 

So if I take apart the dash board, or use the shortened version where I just take out the radio and then reach behind the radio and rip that nasty (spider immobilizer)right off its mount and plug in the spider bypass, will the engine start or does it still have to be resynchronized by the dealer. The dealer is a distance from me so I want to try and do as much as i can on my own.

 

I don't believe that D1 has EKA.

 

newer D1 has EKA. So what year is the beast?

If EKA does not work, hope your insurance has towing coverage.

 

Also, 1997 and later don't have the spider.

 

My Discovery is a 1996. I am thinking of a local repair shop (not the dealer) do a temporary fix to get me mobile, bypassing the immobilizer system, i.e. running a cable from the starter solenoid, to the ignition switch and a cable to to the starter solenoid to the starter relay. Is this possible, or would another system like the electronic control module (ECM) prevent this?

 

96 has the EKA.

Does you driver key unlock all the doors at one time? Maybe just driver door switch messed up.

I don't think your bypass will work, the alarm module still talks to the ECU, and toggles it from immobilized to operational.

 

I'm not sure, but I think the 1996 doesn't have the spider.
The later D1s have the spider built into the alarm system. You may or may not be able to bypass it, depending on the options set on the alarm.

There's an option to enable or disable the function that disables the engine controller by encrypted code. If this is on, you won't be able to bypass it. Only someone with the appropriate diagnostic tool (TESTbook, Hawkeye, Nanaocom, etc) can set Theft Alarm Unit options.

The reason that some people can just swap out the GEMS engine controller without the Theft Unit is that the ECU disable on the Theft Unit has been turned off.

 

The one key I have does unlock all the doors from the drivers door. I will go back to trying the EKA process again using the generic code of 1515, wish I had the original code for the vehicle. This situation seems to be getting more complicated, looks like I am going to have to take my Discovery into the dealer whether I like it or not