Immobilizer Trouble

[howard155]

I'm having an intermittent problem with my 2002 Grand Cherokee. About once or twice a month at start-up, the Immobilizer system light will flash and kill the engine. When this happens, it usually takes a 1/2 hour to restart it, but sometimes as long as 3 hours. Usually it starts and runs like a champ. But about 20 times in the past year, it treats me like a car thief.

I had a new key made for me by the dealership last time it was in the shop. Apparently that was not the problem as it happens still with all three keys.

Today, for the 3rd time, it's in the Jeep dealership to fix this problem. Of course it started up fine for them. Mechanic called me this morning and said they hooked it up to the computer and can't find anything wrong with it. So apparently they can't fix it until the computer tells them it's broken.

The mechanic says they cannot disable or remove the SKIS. But since I had to explain to him what the Immobilizer was, I thought maybe someone on this site might know better?

Also, I have another strangely intermittent problem with the CD player. At about the same frequency, once or twice a month, the CD player does this digital shrieking routine. It's definitely not static, but similar. I also get huge electrical shocks when exiting the vehicle, almost every time I use it. Could all of this be related? The mechanic thought it was just coincidence.

Any help/suggestions would be hugely appreciated. I hate to even turn the vehicle off unless it's in my driveway...

Thanks!

[Bob D.]

If you had to explain to them what the Immobilizer was, that would be a big red flag for me, ie. I would find another dealership.