s211 EIS faulty/ cleaning contacts?

[Don22]

As title, car having issues with ignition:-
Insert key, sometimes nothing, car doesn't turn over, key doesn't engage. Play with the key in ignition, kind of wiggle it and then car will fire, clearly some sort of fault with the ignition EIS barrel/ contacts.
I sprayed contact cleaner into barrel and seems to have improved alot but its still not quite right. It probably works 9 times out of 10 but every now and again doesn't make contact/ connection.
Any ideas? Cleaning, repairing? I understand that EIS replacement requires recoding of the new unit to car?
Have seen listings online for repair service but am unsure of what this involves and possible costs.

Thanks in advance for any help and assistance.

 

[DSM10000]

As title, car having issues with ignition:-
Insert key, sometimes nothing, car doesn't turn over, key doesn't engage. Play with the key in ignition, kind of wiggle it and then car will fire, clearly some sort of fault with the ignition EIS barrel/ contacts.
I sprayed contact cleaner into barrel and seems to have improved alot but its still not quite right. It probably works 9 times out of 10 but every now and again doesn't make contact/ connection.
Any ideas? Cleaning, repairing? I understand that EIS replacement requires recoding of the new unit to car?
Have seen listings online for repair service but am unsure of what this involves and possible costs.

Thanks in advance for any help and assistance.

Have you tried a different key?

 

[Don22]

Have you tried a different key?

Yes, the spare key behaves exactly the same. Fault is currently intermittent, somehow though think will probably deteriorate rather than improve.

 

[DSM10000]

Yes, the spare key behaves exactly the same. Fault is currently intermittent, somehow though think will probably deteriorate rather than improve.

Intermittent faults are a pain!

A new EIS will have to be fitted with Star /Xentry as vehicle info such as the mileage is stored in the switch as well as elsewhere.

 

[SL03WLY]

I had similar issue but in my case the key fob (both) were cracked inside where it held the keys battery, leading to a loose connection I presume.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Key batteries don't affect the ignition....it will work with no batteries in the keys at all.

 

[DSM10000]

I had similar issue but in my case the key fob (both) were cracked inside where it held the keys battery, leading to a loose connection I presume.

The transponder chip in the key is energised by an induction coil in the EIS.

As said, the key batteries play no part. They are there for transmitting the lock / unlock signal only.

 

[Major774]

You can get the EIS copied over to a used unit. Refit and fire her up.

I remember sending my old EIS, keys and used EIS to a key specialist.

 

[Don22]

You can get the EIS copied over to a used unit. Refit and fire her up.

I remember sending my old EIS, keys and used EIS to a key specialist.

Yes, thats right, I did find a guy who can clone the old one onto a new one and also fix the old broken one and supply 2 keys I think for £250, which seemed pretty good especially that you got 2 working barrels back.

 

[Don22]

As it happens it appears my fault is probably not the EIS as I initially thought.
I think its a faulty ESP ECU, been having nightmares going through everything to no avail and the car would keep chucking ESP/ABS faults, 'ESP No Display' and 'ABS No Display', then go into limp mode.
Was pulling my hair out and it would barely even fire up, was totally dead like 98% of the time when you put the ignition on and tried to fire it up, every now and again it may fire but only about 1 in 30 times if that.
I had the idea to unplug the ESP ECU and harness and lo and behold it fired straight up. Reconnected it and went back to not starting. Think the ESP ECU is plug n' play and have ordered another... fingers crossed may solve it.

For me the S211 has proved one problem after another, if its not the Air Suspension or SBC then its the electronics!