[BirdDog]

Marty

OUCH! It seems like a lot of people are getting bit by that lately (water fried immobilizer)...

If I were you, I would reach out to forum member Qmulus - he fixes them and from what I've heard he charges a bunch less than Specialized ECU Repair (they get $875 + your old one for an exchange).

Mind you, Specialized is still a LOT cheaper than what the dealer will charge you! But I would still give Qmulus a shout first.

Removing/installing the immobilizer is pretty easy. You have to remove the seat, then there are 2 cables that plug into the immobilizer and possibly an antenna connector (I don't think you'll have that on a 97). There's a plastic bolt thing on the right side that locks the immobilizer down - you just turn it 90 degrees counter clockwise to release it and the immobilizer will lift right out.

There's a nice video that Specialized ECU repair made on youtube that shows how to remove the immobilizer (to install their waterproof box).

If you haven't done it already, disconnect the battery. When you remove the immobilizer inspect the harness connectors for damage (rust, corrosion, etc).

If there's a possibility of your car seeing more flash flooding in the future you might want to look at getting the Specialized ECU Repair waterproof box for your immobilizer. I put one in my car and it's taken the worry out of rain for me. $150, but I think it's worth it.

As far as plug-and-play, I think if Qmulus is able to repair your old one you'll be able to just drop it back in. Same for Specialized ECU Repair - I think they copy over the programming to the one they send you back.