If your car won't start, that alone doesn't show the Ghost immobiliser is at fault. A no-start can come from the battery, the starter, fuel, the car's own key and security system, or another electrical or mechanical problem. Before anything else, make sure you and any passengers are somewhere safe. If you're stopped in a live lane, on a hard shoulder or anywhere that feels unsafe, deal with that first and call your breakdown provider.
Once you're safe, sort what you're seeing into one of three broad groups:
- Power: the car shows little or no electrical life, such as a dim or blank dashboard, or clicking.
- Authorisation: the car has normal power, but your usual PIN, phone or tag doesn't seem to be accepted.
- Vehicle fault: authorisation seems to work as normal, but the car still won't start or keep running.
These groups help you decide who to call and what to tell them. They aren't a diagnosis. Nothing on this page can confirm what's wrong with your particular car. Whatever you're seeing, don't disconnect the battery, try to reset the system or clear warning lights.
Choose the symptom you're seeing
Open the panel that best matches what's happening. Each one explains what the symptom may point towards and a sensible next step.
Weak or no dashboard power, or clicking when you try to start
The AA treats dim lights, a dashboard that won't wake up and clicking as clues to a battery or other electrical problem. Rapid clicking and a single click don't each have one guaranteed explanation.
What to do: don't keep trying to start the car. The AA advises against long or repeated cranking. If the car shows little electrical life or you hear clicking, a breakdown provider or qualified technician is normally the right first call, because they can test the battery and starting system. Tell them a Ghost immobiliser is fitted.
Normal power, but no usual confirmation, the PIN isn't accepted or a button doesn't respond
If the dashboard comes on normally but you don't see your usual confirmation, the problem sits in the authorisation group. The cause could be simple. For example, the sequence may have been entered with the ignition in a different state, or a button press may not have registered. It could also be something your installer needs to look at.
Autowatch's Ghost-II owner help says a correct PIN is usually confirmed by two flashes of a dashboard indication. Which indication is used is specific to the vehicle and the installation, so look for the one you were shown at handover.
What to do: with the car stationary, use your known handover procedure once, slowly. Follow it exactly as it was shown to you, using the same ignition state and the same button order, and watch for your usual confirmation. If your normal method is a phone or tag and you were also given a back-up PIN at handover, you can use that back-up for this single attempt instead. If you still can't authorise, don't keep trying. Use your owner emergency card or handover instructions exactly as supplied, or contact your installer. Don't try combinations or methods you've read about elsewhere.
Your paired phone or tag isn't authorising the car
Only some systems are set up to use a phone or keytag. If yours is and it stops working, check the basics first. Make sure the phone is charged, Bluetooth is on and the app has the permissions described in Autowatch's instructions. If you use a tag, check it's the one paired to this car.
What to do: once you've checked these, follow the panel above for a single authorisation attempt. Ask your installer before deleting pairings, reinstalling the app or re-pairing anything, because the right steps depend on how your system was configured.
The confirmation appears, but the car won't start or the engine cuts out
If you see your normal confirmation and the car still won't start, or it starts and then cuts out, the cause could be the Ghost setup. It could also be the car itself, such as a fuel, starting or other vehicle fault. Ghost installations block driving in different ways, so describe any unfamiliar behaviour accurately rather than assuming what it means.
What to do: note exactly what happened. Did the engine crank, fire briefly, or run and then stop? Note any warning lights too. If warning lights appear, check what they mean in your vehicle handbook and contact your breakdown provider rather than trying to start the car again. Don't dismiss them as a Ghost glitch. If the engine cuts out while you're moving, stop safely and call your breakdown provider. Then tell your installer as well.
The problem started after a battery change, garage or dealer software work, or a stop/start change
The timing is a useful clue, but it isn't proof. A recent battery replacement, a software update, diagnostic work or a change to stop/start settings may be connected, or it may be coincidence. Ghost integrations are specific to each vehicle and can connect through the car's own electronic systems, so work on those systems is worth mentioning.
What to do: write down what work was done, when and by whom. Contact both the garage or dealer that did the work and your Ghost installer, and give them the same details. Don't try to reprogramme or reset anything yourself.
The car starts or drives without you entering the PIN
This doesn't automatically mean the immobiliser has failed. Depending on the setup, a paired phone or tag nearby may have authorised the car without you entering anything. Service mode, which is used when the car is left with a garage, may also still be active.
According to Autowatch, on supported Ghost-III configurations service mode can end once the car has been driven continuously for a time set in the configuration. The Ghost then re-arms when the ignition is switched off. Service mode ending doesn't stop an engine that's already running. Exactly how it works on your car follows your own handover instructions.
What to do: check whether a paired phone or tag was nearby and whether service mode was used recently. For how service mode works on your system, refer to the handover instructions you were given when it was installed, or ask your original installer. Don't test the security by driving the car around. If you can't find an explanation, contact your installer.
Ghost-II and Ghost-III can be set up differently
How your system asks for authorisation depends on the model and on how your installer set it up. Ghost-II usually uses a PIN entered on the vehicle's existing buttons. It can also accept a paired phone or fob if one was configured. Ghost-III can be set up to authorise by PIN, keytag or smartphone, depending on the installation. Not every system has a phone or tag option.
The way driving is blocked also varies. Autowatch describes an unauthorised Ghost-III as preventing the vehicle from being driven. On some setups, that is not the same as the engine refusing to start. On some supported vehicles, remote heating or cooling may still work while driving is blocked. The installer chooses the integration for each vehicle, so your handover notes are the best guide to how your system should behave. You can read more about the current model on our Ghost-III immobiliser page, or get an overview in what a Ghost immobiliser is and how it works.
Could the Ghost be draining my battery?
If your battery keeps going flat and the Ghost was fitted recently, it's natural to wonder whether the two are linked. The timing alone can't answer that. A battery can go flat because of its age, a charging fault, or something drawing power while the car is parked.
You can't tell from the symptom whether the Ghost is responsible or not. The AA recommends a professional battery and charging check if a battery goes flat more than once. A qualified technician can test the battery and the charging system, and check whether anything is drawing current while the car is parked, known as a parasitic drain. If those results point towards the immobiliser installation, take them to your installer.
Forgotten PIN, lost card or a used car
Ghost owners are given recovery information, such as an emergency card and handover instructions, for situations like a forgotten PIN or a button that won't work. Use it exactly as supplied. We don't publish recovery steps here, because that information is meant only for the owner.
If you've lost the card, or you bought a car that already had a Ghost fitted:
- Ask the seller whether they have the card and the handover paperwork.
- Contact the original installer if you can find out who it was, and ask what they need to confirm that you own the car.
- Share proof of ownership only through a private, trusted route the installer gives you.
Never post or send your PIN, recovery code or a photo of your security card by message, email or social media. That includes sending it to us.
Before you call: a short checklist
Having these details ready makes the conversation quicker, whoever you call. Tick each item as you go. The ticks are only for your use on this page. Ticking these boxes does not submit information to OJB.
Leave your PIN, recovery code and security card out of any notes you share.
Who to contact for help
- Your breakdown provider: if you're somewhere unsafe, the car has little or no power, warning lights appear, or the engine cut out while you were driving.
- Your Ghost installer: for authorisation problems, phone or tag pairing, questions about service mode, lost recovery details, or anything about how the system was set up.
- The garage or dealer: if the problem began after work they carried out. Contact your installer as well.
Getting help from OJB AutoCare
Contact your original installer first. If OJB fitted your Ghost, get in touch with your checklist notes and we can talk through the next step. If someone else fitted it, ask us whether we can help before you travel.
You can call us on 07702 097599, message us on WhatsApp or use our contact page. Our workshop in Pollington (DN14 0EA) is open by appointment, and we offer mobile fitting across Yorkshire. If you're considering a new system, our Ghost immobiliser installation page covers fitting and handover.
Should I remove the Ghost if my car won’t start?
A no-start alone isn't a reason to remove the immobiliser. The cause may have nothing to do with the Ghost, and removing it won't fix a battery, fuel or starting fault. Find out what's actually wrong first, with your breakdown provider or installer as appropriate.
Ghost immobiliser problems: frequently asked questions
Why does my Ghost immobiliser accept my PIN sometimes but not every time?
An occasional missed PIN doesn't tell you the cause on its own. Once the car is stationary, enter your code using the exact routine from your handover. Note whether you saw your usual confirmation signal and what had changed recently, such as a battery change or vehicle software update. Mention any vehicle button that feels unreliable. Share those notes with your installer rather than trying repeated guesses.
I've had warning lights or a transmission message since Ghost was fitted. Does that mean Ghost caused it?
Not necessarily. The timing is worth reporting, but it doesn't prove the cause on its own. Don't ignore or clear the warning. Check what it means in your vehicle handbook and follow its advice, and call breakdown help if it isn't safe to drive. Note the fitting date and which warnings appeared and when. Then ask your installer and garage to look into it together.
What should I do if my car won't restart after stop/start with a Ghost immobiliser fitted?
First, be clear which problem you have. Stop/start not switching the engine off at all is a different report from the engine stopping and then not restarting. If you're stranded, get somewhere safe and call roadside assistance. Don't try to recreate the problem on the road or switch off your protection to test it. Tell your installer and garage exactly what happened so they can assess it properly.
Do I need to reset my Ghost immobiliser after a flat battery or battery change?
Don't assume a reset is needed, and don't disconnect the battery to try one. A car that won't start after battery trouble may still have a power problem rather than an immobiliser one, and only a proper check can tell which. Ask the garage that did the battery work, or your installer, to assess it. Keep your own Ghost handover instructions to hand. Our battery section has more detail.
How do I let a garage or MOT centre drive my car without giving them my Ghost PIN?
Use service mode, which is designed for servicing without sharing your code. Follow the service mode instructions from your own installation handover, or ask your installer if you're unsure, because the steps depend on how your system was set up. Before you hand over the keys, check that the garage understands how your car behaves in service mode. Keep your PIN private, and make sure normal protection is restored when you collect the car.
I've bought a used car with a Ghost immobiliser but no emergency card. What should I do?
Ask the seller for any fitting paperwork and the original installer's details. Contact that installer privately to verify the system and arrange a documented handover. Ask them to review which phones, fobs or other devices can authorise the car. A seller can't always reset it for you. Keep any PIN or recovery card private. Our forgotten code section explains more, or contact us if you're unsure.
