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Suzuki Swift Immobilizer problem

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32K views 25 replies 12 participants last post by  Johnny72  
#1 ·
Hello. I have a problem where the car won't start due to the Yellow Key immobilizer lamp warning signal going off at times. It seems to be when someone opening the doors, or slamming them shut after exiting the car. And this could be any door, passenger or back doors, when slamming shut the lamp starts blinking and there is a signal beeping a few times. If I turn off the car while this light is blinking. It won't start again. It keeps the yellow light on and there is nothing that happens when I try pressing the start button.

This is a 2010 Suzuki Swift with keyless keyfobs. And it doesn't matter which one of the two keyfobs I use, same thing. In order to fix it temporarily, I need to pull the car battery and keep it off for at least 30 minutes or so, and then the car (most often) starts again.

Any ideas or suggestions?
 
#2 ·
The system looks for the "presence" of the fob every time a door (any door) is opened and then closed, it's checking to make sure the fob is still in the vehicle, so to speak that whoever got out of the car doesn't have the fob in their pocket or purse.

A couple of questions for you ...

Do you have a message display on the dash or just warning lights ? Most of the push button start models have a "text display" that shows error messages in more detail than just a warning light. What message are you getting?
Have you tried replacing the fob batteries?
Do you know how to start the car with a dead fob battery?

Image


If you have this style of smart key, try the following steps the next time the problem occurs - hold the key upright (like it is in the picture) and place it against the start button so the "open padlock" is over the button and use the smart key to push the button.

Let me know what happens...
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply!
Yes, whoever leaves the car doesn't have the keys, I always have the key(s) in my own posession.

No message, just the warning light.

I have tried replacing the batteries numerous times. But to no change, maybe I can say that there is a little less occurence when the batteries are new, but I'm not really sure.

I will try what you suggest with the key, I haven't tried doing it this way, and I may find it hard to do so because the start button on the dashboard is a bit deeper and I may not be able to use the key as it wont fit into the round depression where the button is. But your image of key is spot on, that is exactly the key type I have.
 
#4 ·
My comments on the person leaving the car possibly having the keys was not meant to suggest that was what was happening, but rather to explain, why the car checks for the presence of the key every time a door is opened and closed.

You may be having issues with the smart key batteries not being "fresh" and you can try cleaning the battery contacts with a pencil eraser to see if that helps.

If you cannot push the start button with the back side of the key, there may be a problem with the start button, because the procedure I described to you is Suzuki's recommendation for starting the car with a dead smart key battery, you should be able to find it in your owner's manual, I don't have a Swift, but the same style of key is used on the fourth gen Vitaras, and I know that it works on my Vitara, because I've removed the batteries from both of my smart keys and tested it.

There is a "circular antenna" around the start button that is used to check for the presence of the smart key which is why the key has to be physically adjacent to the start button and in the correct orientation for it to be sensed by the system, so if your start button is further recessed than it should be, that could potentially affect it's operation.

If you're up for a little experiment, start the car and pass the key through a window to your friend, have your friend follow you in a second vehicle to your destination, don't open the doors on your car until you arrive at the destination, see if the car tells you the key is missing without your opening & closing the door. A friend of mine did something like this by mistake, dropped a package off at my house, handing me the package through the window, and then continuing on his way home, on his arrival he shut the car off, opened the door and that's when he was told the key was not in the car. He couldn't start the car, he couldn't even get in the house, I had to take his keys to him, about an hours' drive away.
 
#7 ·
Let me know how it goes as I'm also having issue with my Suzuki Swift, SZ2 (2014). It was working fine then this week it showed the yellow immobilizer sign which is odd as i used the key to open the car. It has now led to the car not locking, starting or allowing me to engage the key at all.
 
#9 ·
same problem here ,battery in both key replaced,(like 4 times in one month), showing no comunication with the steering lock foults (in keyles module no check engine lights on), however car starts ok if you short starting relay and runs ok.
looks like the keyless didit noticed you turn the car off and locking the start signal somewre along the car system (relay cliks in module but wont crank) any sugestion welcome:)
 
#10 ·
Only doing it hot? Fine cold? Starter motor.....

They will crank with a non coded key up to about 2017 models. Then they change....
 
#11 ·
i investigated that way however starter relay not receiving start signal from the car system (car engine starts fine when powering starter solenoid from other source and makes more fanny you can drive the car all you want.
from the fault stored in keyless module , "module is lost communication with steering lock module".
car receiving signal from the key cars opens with handle button, remote lock working ok, clutch switch ok (like many other peaple cases i found) immobiliser disarmed ecu unlock, looks like keyles module not reciving ignition off when you turn the car off. Simply looks like you get out of the running car with the key in pocket. Steering lock is not on the keyless power circuit . im looking for module internal fault, other device in the car or random short , anything overheating.anybody habe experience with similar situation?
 
#13 ·
You've posted in two DIFFERENT threads, in DIFFERENT sections of the forum, so DIFFERENT vehicles, with VERY DIFFERENT symptoms - the only common thing is that both are immobilizer issues - you need to start your own thread, you need to provide us with details of the vehicle, and the details of the symptoms you're experiencing.
 
#14 ·
yes i did ask Q to ppl with similar problems,in my case i found solution, after i replaced start switch button i recomended to do this in your case too( even if switch seems to work fine,dignostic pointing to other things ) after replacement of the start switch car starts no problem every time for now,
 
#17 ·
Hi there, so what you’re saying is to replace the actual start stop engine button on the car? I ran mine through a friends diagnostic, and it said there was a fault with the steering lock, so we disengaged the connection on the drivers side door (to effectively disengage the steering lock) and this worked for a few weeks until the problem has returned which is extremely odd. I don’t want to go ahead and spend hundreds on a new steering lock part if this may not actually be the issue.
 
#16 ·
Be specific as to what problem you're experiencing - there is only one solution to ALL immobilizer problems and that is to bypass it - which I would not recommend - google "Kia Boyz" if you want to know why.

Pretty much every car built in the last twenty years is fitted with an immobilizer (with the exception of a subset of Kia & Hyundai models), and for the most part they work - my family has eight vehicles all equipped with immobilizers, the biggest problem we have had to date (in over a decade) has been flat batteries in the fob, and every member of my family has been taught how to get their car started in that situation.
 
#18 ·
Has anyone had any luck with actually solving the original posters query. I have a 2011 Suzuki Swift keyless ignition, and have had the same issues. As said above, I ran it through a diagnostic which reported a steering lock fault (electric in this car). We found on another thread that to temporarily solve the issue to disengage the connection in drivers side door to trick the car into preventing the steering lock issue from preventing the igntion start. This immediately worked a treat, and just as I was about to spend a couple hundred on a new steering lock part, after two weeks, the issue has come back. This is extremely odd, as to why the issue went away then returned for no reason. Have people had luck with replacing the steering lock part, and/or the start stop ignition button itself? I’m losing my marbles a bit with this as it’s really hard to know what the issue itself is.
 
#20 ·
Has anyone had any luck with actually solving the original posters query.
I'd say we have had NO luck in even understanding the original posters query.

I have a 2011 Suzuki Swift keyless ignition, and have had the same issues. As said above, I ran it through a diagnostic which reported a steering lock fault (electric in this car). We found on another thread that to temporarily solve the issue to disengage the connection in drivers side door to trick the car into preventing the steering lock issue from preventing the igntion start. This immediately worked a treat, and just as I was about to spend a couple hundred on a new steering lock part, after two weeks, the issue has come back. This is extremely odd, as to why the issue went away then returned for no reason. Have people had luck with replacing the steering lock part, and/or the start stop ignition button itself? I’m losing my marbles a bit with this as it’s really hard to know what the issue itself is.
Please don't go down the "same issue" road - you yourself have said at the end of this post that it's really hard to know what the issue is - how can you say you have the same issue when a) you don't know what the issue is and b) it's not clear what the original poster's issue is.

Until and unless you can define the problem, we cannot address it from a distance, we're not there, we're not seeing or experiencing it.

Does your Swift have pushbutton start? if the answer is yes, then it should have a screen that will give you a message - start by telling us what the message on the screen is - if it's telling you to turn the wheel to unlock the steering, then it is NOT an immobilizer issue which is what the original poster might be having - the reason I'm bringing this up is because you mentioned steering lock related issues - the immobilizer has to first detect an "authorized key fob" BEFORE it will attempt to unlock the steering.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSE of the steering lock message is user error - this doesn't mean that you don't have a fault somewhere, but it does mean that we need to eliminate user error as a first step in the diagnostic procedure.

Yes I understand it's frustrating, this is an issue my daughter had to deal with until her nine year old son showed her how to deal with it.
 
#21 ·
Hi I’ve got the same problem with the immobiliser yellow key 🔑 light. Mine is a Suzuki swift 2012 key start. Although it was showing this my car still starts and drives ok.. I’ve taken it to Suzuki for diagnostics and they say it’s a Fault code stored B1120 internal failure of the body control module. £1200 !!!!! For a new one. I cannot afford and just not worth it with age if car !!
 
#25 ·
Just a word of caution - codes where the first digit is a "1" are "manufacturer specific" - so B1nnn is manufacturer specific, but a B0nnn is not - so a B1120 on a Suzuki is not necessarily the same as a B1120 on say a Toyota or a Nissan, you really need to get the factory service manual for the make & model to determine what these codes mean.