It has occurred several times that the engine doesn't crank when I turned the key ignition. Instead, a buzzing noise comes out from the driving column, sort of like the static noise you get when you are not tuning precisely to a radio station. When I turn the key to "0" again and restart, the engine comes on. The dealer said this was caused by the immobilizer. Any idea?

 

happened to me once...maybe if you turn the key too fast? i have no idea.

 

i would ask dealer. that has never happened to me, but if it did i would be

 

I believe it is the immobilizer... does the green key-icon light come on when it happens? Similar thing had happened to my '98 Prelude before, no buzzing noise though but it was the immobilizer somehow (?) didn't "think" the key got the right security code to start the engine.

 

I would check for loose battery terminals first.

 

i know what you mean...i dunno...I got the sound when my battery was dead *shrugs*

 

HmMm.. is this problem similar to a weak start up?..cause I came upon that maaanny times .. it doesn't happen often but it creaps me out that my car does that.. anyone got a clue on it?

 

My best guess would be the key fob itself not disabling the immobilizer all the time. Perhaps it is an intermittent failure of the fob itself. Have you tried using another key fob?

 

I had my TSX for close to two years now. That same behavior has happened to me at the rate of once every 2 or 3 months ..

 

What did you do about it?

 

Nothing I don't expect the dealer to be able to duplicate it!!!

 

Actually, I took my car to the dealer last Friday. The dealer asked me to turn the key to "Accessory" first and leave it there for 0.5 second before turning all the way to start. This would allow the immobilizer to deactivate. So far so good, after three days of trying that.

Anyone has any idea about how the immobilizer works? Does it give out the "buzzing" sound when it is working?