weird control box under dash

[lord_davros]

hii everyone
i just bought a vn calais yesterday that had been sitting for a year..
while trying to get the fuel pump to start we looked under the dash and found a box that says

"rostra precision controls"

and has adjustments fr ctr and lss and a few dip switches..


its black and probaly half the size of a dvd case..



does any one know what this is for.. because it seems after we played around with the fuses on it the car started

cheers

dave

[immortality]

possibly some sort of aftermarket alarm system maybe. got any pics?

[benzor]

http://www.rostra.com/

They make automotive products

Reerse sensors?
Alarm?
Cruise Control - Do you have cruise control?

[lord_davros]

[img=http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/8506/0000578ik5.th.jpg]



[img=http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/803/copyofsarahanddave2vd5.th.jpg]



here are a couple of pics.. i dont seem to have cruise control.. well there are no controls for it and no sensors...

i am lost.. it has fuses marked with efi on it written in pen on masking tape...

[samuels]

[img=http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/8506/0000578ik5.th.jpg]



[img=http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/803/copyofsarahanddave2vd5.th.jpg]



here are a couple of pics.. i dont seem to have cruise control.. well there are no controls for it and no sensors...

i am lost.. it has fuses marked with efi on it written in pen on masking tape...

thats an engine immobiliser....see the ignition wires coming out of it and the colour coding of them....,what i don't understand is,why have an aftermarket immobiliser...89 models came out with full security didn't they?if it hasn't cruise control,are you sure it's a calais?pretty sure all calais came out fully optioned

[lord_davros]

i was wondering that myself.... but i cant find any controls for the cruise.. unless you set it with the trip computer...

how would i find out if its a genuine calais???
is there a code in the vin i can use to tell?

cheers for the answer about the box... now all i have to do is figure out how to use the immobiliser


also it has the switch in the glove box like the calais do for the factory immobiliser

[samuels]

i was wondering that myself.... but i cant find any controls for the cruise.. unless you set it with the trip computer...

how would i find out if its a genuine calais???
is there a code in the vin i can use to tell?

cheers for the answer about the box... now all i have to do is figure out how to use the immobiliser


also it has the switch in the glove box like the calais do for the factory immobiliser

easiest way to tell....it should have the calais badge on the dash board passeger side,i can't tell you any more than that at the moment ,missus has my calais today,i think,but don't hold me to it,it says on compliance plate.
the only other reason as to why theres an aftermarket immobiliser ,the original may of carked it,it's usually only a diode that goes in them though,whats the cluster look like,is it half and half...digital and standard gauges,digital part has how many K's your cars donem,trip meter ,etc,etc

[1991_Vn2nV]

If it doesnt have cruise control, its not a Calais I dont think... As they all had cruise.

Is the car two tone? Calais Interior? Trip computer and LCD dash? Power Windows, electric mirrors, climate control?

[samuels]

If it doesnt have cruise control, its not a Calais I dont think... As they all had cruise.

Is the car two tone? Calais Interior? Trip computer and LCD dash? Power Windows, electric mirrors, climate control?

yeah thats what i was trying to say....but someone yaffling in my ear on the phone sorta buggered things up...lol

[lord_davros]

thats what made me think it wasnt a calais..

it has a single tone paint, no climate control just normal aircon controls


however it has the level 3 calais dash, leather interior, power windows, central locking all the calais badges. but they look a little crooked to me.... and the key switch in the glove box..

i only paid 600 for the car so if it doesnt end up being geniune i dont mind... just be good to know so i can tell any future buyers what it is....

it also has red lowerd springs and handles like it is on rails? is that a calais thing (fe2?) or would someone mabey just have added them as they look like pedders springs to me.


cheers
dave

[ephect]

red springs = pedders

[samuels]

thats what made me think it wasnt a calais..

it has a single tone paint, no climate control just normal aircon controls


however it has the level 3 calais dash, leather interior, power windows, central locking all the calais badges. but they look a little crooked to me.... and the key switch in the glove box..

i only paid 600 for the car so if it doesnt end up being geniune i dont mind... just be good to know so i can tell any future buyers what it is....

it also has red lowerd springs and handles like it is on rails? is that a calais thing (fe2?) or would someone mabey just have added them as they look like pedders springs to me.


cheers
dave

the VN calais had the plush velour interior,seats, roof lining,the carpet was different as well,it was fully optioned,power windows,security system,electric mirrors,central locking,has it got the calais badge on the passenger side?(dashboard)
it sounds like it ....well... 50/50 chance it's a calais,maybe the climate control buggered up and they just put in standard set up

[lord_davros]

the VN calais had the plush velour interior,seats, roof lining,the carpet was different as well,it was fully optioned,power windows,security system,electric mirrors,central locking,has it got the calais badge on the passenger side?(dashboard)
it sounds like it ....well... 50/50 chance it's a calais,maybe the climate control buggered up and they just put in standard set up

it has the plush head liner, power everything, calais badge on the dash, security system but no remote.. but like i said just normal aircon setup.... does the 89 calais have a lcd climate control? or the normal one


and did they have leather seats as my car has the s pac red stripe

[kniever]

my mate has got a series 1 vn calais ans he is the 2nd owner of it and it has just the normal fan controls but everything else so i dont know if the original owner asked for that or if the 1st few made came with it

[1991_Vn2nV]

I thought only the 88 models didnt have air con but maybe its 89 models too...

Should definitely have cruise though, and not two tone paint... Sounds like a Calais mock up to me.

[88GreenVN]

Calais = 6H8VNX as the start of the VIN in the front window. Calais = X

[VNexecutive]

look at your VIN no.

if the 6th letter/number (in this case, letter) is an X it is a calais.

K=executive
L=berlina


damm you 88greenvn!! you beat me to it!!!

and to think.. i felt smart for once... LOL

[lord_davros]

a definate calais then
on closer inspection its had a spray job so mabey that explains the no 2 tone,.. but that still leaves the cruise mystery and the climate control.. i might drpo into a dealer and ask them....

funny story!!!! i just got stranded with no petrol after trusing the guage.. apparently just under quarter means you will have to walk in my car... then the battery when flat.. seems to bee a leakage of power somewhere.. grrrr...

still not sure about the box pictured... if it is an immobiliser there is no radio gear in it and it seems odd to have 2 controls on it to adjust things and dip switches.... iff i pull it out it makes no differe=nce either

[dans_vz]

is it a manual calais? I know someone with a 5 speed calais no cruise because manual gearbox commodores/calais didnt come standard with cruise and it wasnt a factory option either...

[lord_davros]

i will have to check the vin codes.. its an auto atm but may have been a manual once apon a time

[stocky]

some earlier model calais were not two tone. also, no climate until series 2. definately find out if it used to be a manual, or if it had cruise control and maybe the previous owner took it out and sold it for some reason?

[1991_Vn2nV]

Why would an immobiliser have radio gear?

[88GreenVN]

i was wondering that myself.... but i cant find any controls for the cruise.. unless you set it with the trip computer...

how would i find out if its a genuine calais???
is there a code in the vin i can use to tell?

Here is a pic of my build plate with a M78 manual box code.

[lord_davros]

i was thinking that it mabey has a remote control to activate the immobiliser if it was one.. just cant work out what all the dials and switches would do on an immobiliser..

[SweetWagon]

a definate calais then
on closer inspection its had a spray job so mabey that explains the no 2 tone,.. but that still leaves the cruise mystery and the climate control.. i might drpo into a dealer and ask them....

funny story!!!! i just got stranded with no petrol after trusing the guage.. apparently just under quarter means you will have to walk in my car... then the battery when flat.. seems to bee a leakage of power somewhere.. grrrr...

still not sure about the box pictured... if it is an immobiliser there is no radio gear in it and it seems odd to have 2 controls on it to adjust things and dip switches.... iff i pull it out it makes no differe=nce either

yeh u kinda have to guess by the km's you've done

personally i think the box is an aftermarket alarm/immobilser. same shape and size as mine, mine has a remote though and an aftermarket central locking kit aswell (all working through the alarm) if the box was only secured by cable ties (like mine) that would say it was added to, factory stuff is usually screwed/bolted in. the adjustable knob adjusts the sensitivitly of the knock sensor in the alarm (assuming it works like mine) i have no idea what the other 2 switches do though.... but it sound like its disabled because you need a remote for those things

is it a manual calais? I know someone with a 5 speed calais no cruise because manual gearbox commodores/calais didnt come standard with cruise and it wasnt a factory option either...

my exec wagon came with factory cruise control fitted i know it wasnt optioned but my uncles dad who bought the car, winged to Holden so they put it in for him, but apparently they were putting cruise in the lexcen manuals..