Any DIY fixes for '03 Med alarm problems?

Hi all, I have an '03 Murci coupe with the Med 2000L alarm system and immobilizer. It has the setting of needing an alarm button push after turning the ignition key to on to disable the immobilizer before it allows you to start the engine. A month or so ago I go out to drive it and turn the key, do the button press, no starter. I get out of car and the remote does not arm/disarm the doors either. I get the other remote, it also doesn't do anything.

 

I hadn't driven the car in a month or longer so I figured maybe it was just really bad luck that both remotes' batteries died at the same time so I went and got new ones. No change unfortunately.

 

The Med remotes don't have any indication of whether they're actually transmitting or not since there's no light, so I have no idea if the remotes are functioning with the new batteries; I did try the old ones again but no change. In any case, I found the alarm manual and it talks about a procedure to start the car if the remotes are not working where you enter a PIN via ignition turns, assuming you have the PIN card. My car was purchased used and it of course did not come with that; contacted the prior owner, he doesn't have it and doesn't recall ever seeing it, so he may have not been given the card by the owner previous to him.

 

I pulled the alarm brain out from under the dash in hopes that the PIN might be written on it, but the only six digit (manual claims that's the length of the number) number on the box is engraved in the plastic with a bunch of other manufacturing stuff and contains a zero, so I assume that is not the PIN since there'd be no way to indicate a zero via ignition key turns. With the alarm box removed, the car cranks but will not fire, so I assume that's a result of the immobilizer fuel cut off.

 

From what I've read on various forums and web pages, it sounds like the ECU, alarm brain and immobilizer are all tied together electronically with the car's VIN so it is a far more complicated issue than simply finding another alarm brain to swap in there. Assuming none of the components have ever been changed though, does anyone have an idea of any at home options I can try either to fix it, or at least start and drive it to the dealer since the nearest dealer is quite a ways away? Bypassing the immobilizer fuel line valves would be beyond my capabilities. It sounds like it also would not be as simple as ordering a new alarm brain from the dealer and swapping it in since it has to be paired with the immobilizer somehow.

 

Thanks for any help!

Hi all, I have an '03 Murci coupe with the Med 2000L alarm system and immobilizer. It has the setting of needing an alarm button push after turning the ignition key to on to disable the immobilizer before it allows you to start the engine. A month or so ago I go out to drive it and turn the key, do the button press, no starter. I get out of car and the remote does not arm/disarm the doors either. I get the other remote, it also doesn't do anything.

 

I hadn't driven the car in a month or longer so I figured maybe it was just really bad luck that both remotes' batteries died at the same time so I went and got new ones. No change unfortunately.

 

The Med remotes don't have any indication of whether they're actually transmitting or not since there's no light, so I have no idea if the remotes are functioning with the new batteries; I did try the old ones again but no change. In any case, I found the alarm manual and it talks about a procedure to start the car if the remotes are not working where you enter a PIN via ignition turns, assuming you have the PIN card. My car was purchased used and it of course did not come with that; contacted the prior owner, he doesn't have it and doesn't recall ever seeing it, so he may have not been given the card by the owner previous to him.

 

I pulled the alarm brain out from under the dash in hopes that the PIN might be written on it, but the only six digit (manual claims that's the length of the number) number on the box is engraved in the plastic with a bunch of other manufacturing stuff and contains a zero, so I assume that is not the PIN since there'd be no way to indicate a zero via ignition key turns. With the alarm box removed, the car cranks but will not fire, so I assume that's a result of the immobilizer fuel cut off.

 

From what I've read on various forums and web pages, it sounds like the ECU, alarm brain and immobilizer are all tied together electronically with the car's VIN so it is a far more complicated issue than simply finding another alarm brain to swap in there. Assuming none of the components have ever been changed though, does anyone have an idea of any at home options I can try either to fix it, or at least start and drive it to the dealer since the nearest dealer is quite a ways away? Bypassing the immobilizer fuel line valves would be beyond my capabilities. It sounds like it also would not be as simple as ordering a new alarm brain from the dealer and swapping it in since it has to be paired with the immobilizer somehow.

 

Thanks for any help!

I dont know how to solve your problem, but maybe the code is in the owners manual, or up in the front bonnet with the tools.. good luck

 

I dont know how to solve your problem, but maybe the code is in the owners manual, or up in the front bonnet with the tools.. good luck

 

Good idea; I just looked there since I think I've only opened the trunk once, no such luck, or tools for that matter ugh. I turned through all the pages in the books that came with the car, nothing there either, but I did find a nice sticker that says to peel off and affix to the back side of the gray PIN card so you have the steps on how to use the PIN in your relevant language.

 

 

Hmm now this gets interesting. When I went back down to grab the alarm brain out again, I'm lying on my back in the passenger footwell area and I accidentally rolled over on one of the alarm remotes and the car gives three beeps like the remote had tried to arm while the door was up.

 

So I turn ignition to on, use the other remote next to the alarm brain, car starts up!

 

I turned it off, closed the door and was able to arm and disarm the car with both remotes provided I have them within about two feet of the brain box.

 

Perhaps there is just some kind of alarm antenna that has come unplugged in the car? Anyone know if there is an external antenna for the alarm and where it might be routed or connected?

 

At the very least now I can get the car to a dealer without having to flat bed it, but maybe it's something simpler I can now fix on my own.

i had exactly the same problem on my 03 murcie several months ago. what a headache it was. the problems were exactly as you describe. but luckily i have my PIN card and was able to get the car running doing that.

 

my thoughts were exactly it might be an antenna problem. it started out as still working but the remote had to be near the alarm ECU until it just totally didn't work. several contacts with MED italy and i was able to find out that the LED light also acts like an antenna. i don't know what my workshop electrician did but i think he just added an extra wire from the box to act as an additional antenna. that would work intermittently but at least the car was running again and i could arm and disarm the alarm.

 

download the english manual for the alarm and do a hard reset on the system and synchronize the 2 remotes again. you should be able to decipher how to do it in the manual. now my alarm is working fine again.

 

goodluck in solving that issue. i suggest you try the hard reset first and synchronize the alarm remotes - well that is if you can get them to communicate with the alarm module.

Thanks; I'll check that. I know the LED still lights but perhaps the cable ends aren't in the plug that goes into the alarm securely.

 

I noticed the case is stamped RX on the socket directly to the left of the LED connection plug; wonder if that would be an auxiliary antenna option. I can try to find the appropriate plug and hook some wires to it. :-)

Ah, nope, I had to download the Italian version of the connection manual since their English download is broken, but the RX port is for radar intrusion detection. I did google translate the LED port description and it mentions:

 

Connect this cable to the connector marked LED control panel, keeping it separate from other wiring and RELAXED, for better reception.

 

The all caps is them, so perhaps I did pinch that wire somehow. Gonna dig around under the dash some more or maybe run a new wire just to see.

look here on the forum for the link to the english version. i got it from here.

 

run another wire to act as an additional antenna.

Ugh, I tried a lot of things with additional wire, new LED wire, so on and so forth, nothing would resolve the issue. I'm guessing something with the radio receiver was going bad in the alarm brain. Since the car was at least still operable, I drove it in to Lambo Orlando. They've arrived at the same conclusion that there's an issue internal to the alarm brain, and of course that leaves me with the only option being to replace the alarm, immobilizer and the fuel line cut off valves which are all tied together with no option to unbind them since the prior owner didn't bother to give me the PIN card.

 

$4300 worth of bend over coming my way.

 

On the plus side though, other than routine maintenance, I've had the car nearly five years now and this is the first major thing to break so it is what it is.

Can't Lambo Orlando get the PIN card?

you might be able to get the module cheaper from AMH. then just buy diablo fuel bypass valves that way you don't get the fuel cutoff issue anymore -of course there is less intrusion for a car thief if you go that route but then again you will have less car alarm problems too in the future.

 

there might be some issue with the module but if you find a good electrician working on those circuit board, he might be able to check and ensure that everything is working. i had one do it on mine since replacing it is a big issue since i'm halfway across the world from the US. i'm just fortunate that i was able to resolve mine and after doing the hard reset and resynch of the transmitters, everything is working fine now.

 

good luck

Can't Lambo Orlando get the PIN card?

 

In theory, MED does not write down the PIN, they generate randomly, encode, print it on a sticker and send it out the door. They claim there's no way to reset it, or associate a new immobilizer without it; Lambo Orlando echoed this sentiment.

 

you might be able to get the module cheaper from AMH. then just buy diablo fuel bypass valves that way you don't get the fuel cutoff issue anymore -of course there is less intrusion for a car thief if you go that route but then again you will have less car alarm problems too in the future.

 

there might be some issue with the module but if you find a good electrician working on those circuit board, he might be able to check and ensure that everything is working. i had one do it on mine since replacing it is a big issue since i'm halfway across the world from the US. i'm just fortunate that i was able to resolve mine and after doing the hard reset and resynch of the transmitters, everything is working fine now.

 

good luck

 

I told them to go ahead and do it; it's a two hour drive for me so I've given up trying to solve the problem myself and just want to drive my car again.

I'm happy to say I now have brand new alarm and immobilizer and the car is working great; my wallet, not so happy. Previous owner had let some water get into the coils and several had deteriorated to the point of no longer firing; so in addition to new alarm, I now have 12 new coils and plugs. On the plus side, I'm thinking I was missing a few cylinders from when I purchased the car in '09 because it pulls like it never has before for me now, so all is well, and I have the f'ing Med PIN card now should the new alarm ever malfunction. If I ever sell it, I'll make sure the new owner gets it.