[Ecto]

Hi,
First of all, my apologies for not using the correct nomenclature / not being knowledgable enough, as well as for my English. This is my first car, and I've had my licence for less than a year now.
Yesterday, while driving my i30 1.6 2010, the engine suddenly stopped. I couldn't start it on again: I was able to get to ACC ON, but my car also has an additional immobiliser of some kind built into it (a small button under the gear shift) and pressing it does nothing now. Previously the ignition looked like this: I insert the key and switch to ACC ON, i press the little immobiliser button -> i move the key further for ignition. I am now effectively stuck at the "press the little button" stage - it simply does nothing, and so does the ignition (as it should, without the button pressed).
I had to get out and push the car to the side. When the mechanic arrived, he said that the battery is fine, so are all the fuses. So to me it seems like an immobiliser button problem, but I can't for the life of me figure out what should I do next. I have no contact to the person I bought the car from and I think the system used might be custom. I also don't know how to get rid of the gear stick leather covering to reveal the button.
Could you please help me find some line of reasoning on what should I do next? I am fairly certain it's not the ACCissue: first of all, I was driving when this happened for the first time, and second: all of the electrical componens such as radio, headlights, windows etc. are working.
What should I do next?

[eye30]

Is it manual or auto?

If manual, do you press clutch pedal down and hold down when turning the key?

Do you have, enough/correct, fuel in the tank?

Have you tried your spare key, if you have one?

When you try to start do you hear a clicking noise?

Is battery terminals full home and tight on the battery posts?

[Ecto]

It's manual, I press and hold the clutch as normal. Fuel is full, I tried the spare key, when I turn the key for ignition I see the same thing I see every time I try to ignite without immobiliser pressed: electricity goes dim for a brief moment, but no ignition.

I actually think this might be the fault of this additional immobiliser that I mentioned in my original post: the weird little button under the gear stick.
So I lifted the gear stick lid, disassembled the button and tried to connect the wires manually, which didn't help - still no ignition.

I think I should now try to get rid of this additional immobiliser altogether, as it really seems like the most likely cause of this problem: I checked the car battery with a meter and it's fine.

Look at these photos: this is how the button looks under the stick. I am wondering where this cable leads, maybe if I disengage it from the controller it is plugged into I will be able to get rid of this additional security measure and start normally. Do you have any idea where this cable might lead and how to reach that place?

[Dazzler]

Welcome ecto,

I haven't personally had any experience with additional immobilizers so unfortunately I'm no help. Hopefully one of our friendly members will come up with some helpful advice.

Seems weird how it would cause a problem all of a sudden. I suspect something else.

[Fresh_I30CW_Owner]

Just a brain fart here, but, when you mention the lights go dim for a few seconds, did you have any issues with starting lately?

I understand it happend during driving that your engine stopped all of a sudden, which would indeed suggest the immobiliser, but the car not starting sounds like a broken starter motor.
Usually those die slowly and not very abruptly and can usually be temporarily "fixed" by tapping semi softly on the bigger part of the starter motor (not the smaller part, which is the start relay, which you should hear ticking) with a hammer or something similar.
The idea behind the tapping with the hammer is, the carbon brushes inside are worn and some of the carbon brush dust is in between the brush, which prevents it from conduction (aka, spinning the starter motor)
Try to call in a friend and make him/her listen at the starter motor, if they hear a click when you try to start the car, if yes see above.

[mickd]

"Engine suddenly stopped " -  dead starter cannot stop an engine.

Anyone know if there's a relay on the ignition cct with these.?
(I'm blind bambi)

[Ecto]

I followed the immobiliser cable all the way through the gear panel, radio pannel and finally under the steering.
It goes into this little box, along with some other cables, which contains some kind of a microchip.
Do you have any idea on what should I do next? Or is this the place where I hand the car over to the electrician

[Shambles]

What's written on the sticker? Is there any more writing on the other side of the case that might help us identify it?

The circuit does appear to follow the pattern for an ECU immobiliser.

Looks like someone decided that "security through obscurity" would provide additional protection for the vehicle, by using a hidden button.

[Ecto]

The sticker reads "jme.com.pl" which seems to be a polish electrical supplies shop, so this solution was 100% homemade.
There is a hfkc012-zst relay inside Przekaznik miniaturowy HFKC/012-ZST HONGFA
Here's the photo of the other side of the board as well:

[Shambles]

Look at the wires entering the module from the ECU side.

One pair of them needs to be closed to simulate this




Identify and solder the wires

[Ecto]

So should I solder the specific wires entering the board, or solder the connections on the actual board itself? I know that's a stupid question, but I'm just totally green when it comes down to this stuff.
If you mean wires: can I start by just taping them together before soldering to make sure?

[Shambles]

If the circuit board is faulty [which it sounds like it is] you need to exclude it completely by removing the whole assembly.

Can you see how many wires are entering the module from the ECU side of things, and their colour?

To my mind, whomever built and installed this gadget decided to increase security by devising a way of adding an extra layer of "interception" to the ignition circuit. The relay would do this.

So, by looking closely at the relay contacts you should be able to determine which wires are held open [by default] when the module has zero power, and which are closed when the satellite button is depressed. You need to emulate the button depression.

can I start by just taping them together before soldering to make sure?

Yes, of course, you'd test the theory that way.

[Ecto]

Ok, thanks! I think I get it now. So I get rid of the whole board altogether, cutting all of the wires from the box. Then I identify the two wires that would have been closed due to button being depressed and wire them together / solder them.
But what about all the other wires?

[Shambles]

Yes

The other wires would be supplying power to the circuit board, which you do not need once you remove this board and its superfluous circuitry.

[Ecto]

THANK YOU MAN! THAT ACTUALLY DID IT! 

[Dazzler]

THANK YOU MAN! THAT ACTUALLY DID IT! 

  Three Cheers for Shambles! 

[The Gonz]

Great outcome!
Now for the rest of the wires: if you're not confident, just tape them up and make sure they do not make contact with anything including each other.