Immobiliser & ignition faults, diagnosed on-site
Engine cranks but won't fire, or the immobiliser light stays flashing? East & Co diagnoses key and immobiliser faults at your vehicle in Scunthorpe and within about 25 miles - so you find out what's wrong before paying for a tow or guessing at parts. 24/7.
The crank-no-start that isn't the battery
There's a particular kind of no-start that catches people out: you turn the key, the engine cranks happily, but it never fires up. Often the starter and battery are fine - the car's immobiliser is deliberately refusing to let the engine run because it doesn't recognise the key. The giveaway is a small light on the dash - usually a padlock or a key symbol - flashing or staying on when it should go out.
This sits right at the edge of keys and electrics, which is exactly where an auto locksmith earns their keep. We bring the diagnostic gear to your car and work out whether it's the key's chip, the pairing between key and car, or something deeper in the immobiliser system - then we fix what's ours to fix and tell you honestly when it isn't.
One honest note: a crank-no-start can also be fuel, ignition or sensor related. We diagnose the key and immobiliser side thoroughly, and if your fault turns out to be outside that, we'll say so rather than charge you for work that won't fix it.
Symptoms we investigate
- Engine cranks but won't start, with a flashing immobiliser light
- Immobiliser light stays on instead of going out
- Car starts sometimes but not others - intermittent recognition
- A key stopped working after a flat car or key battery
- Second key works but the first no longer starts the car
How we diagnose on-site
- 1
Listen to the symptom
You tell us what happens; we narrow the likely causes.
- 2
Check the key
We test whether the transponder chip is being recognised.
- 3
Read the immobiliser
Diagnostic equipment reads the immobiliser's view of the key.
- 4
Fix or advise
We reprogramme the key, or tell you honestly if it's beyond our scope.
Key & immobiliser diagnosis
Transponder faults
Chips not recognised by the immobiliser.
Lost pairings
Key forgotten after a flat battery.
Intermittent starts
Keys that work sometimes only.
Areas we cover
From Scunthorpe, within about 25 miles - Doncaster, Lincoln, Grimsby, Gainsborough and surrounding towns. Not north of the Humber Bridge.
Service-specific FAQs
The engine cranks but won't start - could it be the key?
Yes. If the immobiliser isn't recognising the transponder chip in your key, the car will crank but the engine is deliberately prevented from firing. A flashing immobiliser light is the tell-tale sign. We diagnose whether it's the key, the chip or the car's immobiliser and fix it at the vehicle.
My immobiliser light is flashing and the car won't start - what do I do?
Call us. A flashing light usually means the car doesn't recognise the key's chip. It can be a failed chip, a lost pairing after a flat battery, or a fault in the immobiliser itself. We diagnose it on-site rather than you guessing or paying for an unnecessary tow.
Could it be something other than the key?
Yes - a crank-no-start can be fuel, ignition, sensor or immobiliser related. We focus on the key and immobiliser side: if your fault turns out to be outside that, we'll tell you honestly so you can get the right help rather than pay for work that won't fix it.
Do I need to go to a garage or main dealer?
Not for key and immobiliser diagnosis - we bring the diagnostic equipment to your car. That avoids a recovery truck and a dealership queue. If the fault turns out to be mechanical and outside our scope, we'll say so clearly.