Xsara Picasso suddenly won't fire (immobilizer?)

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Astraliam
Posts: 5
Joined: 06 Jun 2019, 18:21
Location: Snowdonia, Wales
My Cars: Citroen Xsara Picasso
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Re: Xsara Picasso suddenly won't fire (immobilizer?)

Post by Astraliam »

Yeah, thanks all. Happy to have a car again. Where I am life without one is challenging.

The board has had a new switch soldered to it, so now I can even lock the car. The board doesnt fit inside the key anymore and is 'stand alone'. But thats ok, most of the time I dont lock the car anyway, when i need to i can use the board.
NinjasInPyjamas
New User
Posts: 1
Joined: 17 May 2022, 22:12
Location: Suffolk, England
My Cars: Citroen Xsara Picasso Desire
Mini Cooper S

Re: Xsara Picasso suddenly won't fire (immobilizer?)

Post by NinjasInPyjamas »

I have just bought my third Picasso. Previously had 2 1.6 petrols about 6-7 years ago, bought both for about £200 from a farmer to just do us a year until MOT as an extra runaround, drove each for a year and just scrapped when MOT came around. I now have a Diesel (Picasso Desire). Last time we had one me daughter snapped the key in the door whilst we were on holiday (central locking didn't work), went to a local garage, they could only cut a new key but had issues programming it and as we were on holiday it had to do. We had to keep the old fob in the car close to the new key to enable the immobiliser. Wouldn't work without it. New one we just bought has a broken fob, whole front been butchered open on the buttons instead of opening the fob at the seams 🤦🏻‍♀️ can lock as the switch under the missing button is still intact, but unlock button is missing the little oblong metal switch. However, you can purchase a new fob on eBay for about £7-£10 which have the metal button switches included if you're competent enough to solder the unlock switch button back on.
If your car has been running prior without the immobiliser and now isn't I'd look at resetting it or ensuring your key fob is definitely programmed for your car, as messing about with the fob without the proper programming will definitely kick you out, that's low grade car theft 101, copy a key and hope for the best but even a little Picasso has anti-theft security in place. Just try getting your key programmed from a reputable locksmith and then see how you get on. It's only about £25-35 usually
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