First post here, though it was very useful to view this forum before buying the car - thanks.
I searched, but didn't find any reports of the problem I have.
Car is an early 3.2 petrol auto, 61,000 miles - I've owned it only a little while.
Here's what happens ...
Start with the car locked, as if left for a while.
Look in through side window, red 'alarm armed' light at bottom of rev. counter is flashing appx. once per second.
Press 'open' on the remote key, 'alarm armed' light continues to flash (I think it shouldn't flash - correct? or not?).
Put key in dock:
Sometimes the remote key is ejected immediately - 'alarm armed' continues to flash.
Sometimes the remote key stays in, car will start but immediately dies.
Sometimes the remote key stays in, car starts and continues to run.
(I'd better also mention another problem: when unlocking, tailgate sometimes doesn't unlock, sometimes does unlock, and sometimes unlocks and un-latches as well ... but I have not found any routine correlation of events between this and the non-start problem. If I slam the tailgate shut, the non-start can still happen. And it's possible to start and drive the car with the tailgate un-latched - 'tailgate open' shows on display. So I'm guessing tailgate is a separate problem?).
My thinking is: the car doesn't want to start because it recognises the alarm as still being 'armed' - is this sensible?
Any ideas?
Any simple tests I can make?
Anyone had this happen?
Anyone know the fix?
Thanks, P. The quick brown fox

One problem I think you have is the famous Tailgate Latch problem, it's a £30 if you do it yourself. Search Tailgate and all you need will be found.

The alarm problem I would try a Hard Reset first, Disconnect both battery terminals, touch them together, go indoors have a cup of tea, then reconnect the Terminal to the Battery.

You must disconnect both Terminals before you touch them together  p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

Thanks for this, very helpful.
The car will be out of use for several weeks from now.
After that, I'll try fix the tailgate first.
P. The quick brown fox

The immobiliser light flashes until fob is inserted, not when unlocked. The other problem with the fob rejection could mean you need a software upgrade. Does your trip mileage ever reset itself??

Flashes until fob is inserted ...
That's good to know, I'd assumed it'd stop when unlocked.
This forum is very helpful!
P. The quick brown fox

Sorry Olegit, I told you wrong. The immobiliser light flashes until the start button is pushed, then stays on solid for a second or two, then goes out.

Thanks.
My handbook is a bit ambiguous (the bits I can read, some is badly printed).
Looks like mine is doing the right thing then, apart from soemtimes spitting out the key fob and sometimes failing to start.
I'll fix the tailgate first then see how it goes.
But for now, the car goes away for several weeks.
I charged both key fobs by driving today.
One hadn't been used for five weeks but opened and started the car OK. The quick brown fox

Thanks for the replies, really very helpful.
I removed the tailgate switch.
Its Mazak actuating lever was badly corroded.
Because of this, the switch was always pressed 'on', or partially so.
The microswitch itself seemed to operate OK.
I cleaned the actuating lever thoroughly, replaced it on the car, all worked normally.
However, the key fob is still sometimes spit out.
Also (when the key stays in) the car will sometimes start, run for a second, and then die.
To be certain about this, I bought a new tailgate switch (actuating lever is now plastic) and fitted that.
Result, same.
Tailgate working normally.
But key still sometimes spit out and occasional engine start problem.
From this, I conclude that I have had two simultaneous problems (ie: tailgate, starting) and have solved one (ie: tailgate).
Any suggestions about the other problem? The quick brown fox

Did you try the hard reset ? As far as i know the fobs need quite a bit of driving to charge them.

Thanks to people who replied.

KEY SPITTING.
Replying to SYFL2: 'the fobs need quite a bit of driving to charge them'.
Thanks for this info.
The car was being driven fairly regularly (despite these problems) so the key was presumably charged.

START-THEN-DIE PROBLEM.
I waited a while to see if the problem would go away.
My logic: if the car can 'learn' that the tailgate switch has a fault, maybe it can 'learn' that the tailgate switch is now OK.
But the key-spitting / start-and-then-die problems continued intermittently.
(To make clear, start-then-die behaviour not always accompanied by key-spitting - key-spitting happened less frequently).

HARD RESET.
So I've done the hard reset.
Something definitely changed, because now the park sensors work again (at least, some do, not fully checked yet).
I kept the doors shut / windows up / roof shut during reset.
After, windows and roof work as normal.
Audio (premium) now displays - - : - - A
Clock is now static at 12:00.

AFTER RESET.
Car started / idled / revved as normal.
And again: started / idled / revved as normal.
Left it several hours and tried again ...
Started, idle a bit rough, tickover hunting between 500-800rpm.
Rough idle is a misfire, but not a regular one - it's as though each cylinder's timing is slightly out, but always varying.
Revved it - still misfiring a bit to over 2000rpm, though maybe less pronounced.
Switch off.
Tried later: same.
Tried again later: same.
Tried again even later, this time pulling auto-gearbox lever through from 'P' to 'D'.
A mess of misfiring as lever was pulled through ... then idling as normal.
Test drive, all normal.
Today: starts / idles / revs as normal.

WHAT'S THE LOGIC?
All very interesting, but I wish I understood better what is happening.
Particularly: if the aim of hard reset is to drain residual power from capacitors, I don't see how a hard reset can do that ...
I would have assumed the system would need to be drained to a definite earth (spike in the ground or similar). The quick brown fox

Olegit wrote:

I charged both key fobs by driving today.
One hadn't been used for five weeks but opened and started the car OK.

Well, I was cautiously optimistic, but ...
Still got the start-then-die problem.

Wouldn't start today, ended up doing a hard reset again (I'm carrying a battery spanner in the car, in case ...).
After which it did start and run normally (and I didn't switch off until I got home!).
Audio is still showing - - : - - A, and clock is still at 12.00 (I didn't try reset them yet).
Tailgate is working normally - I'm beginning to think it was not connected to the start-then-die problem, after all.
After today's hard reset, park sensors gone again.
After a while I noticed the battery warning light on.
Got home OK and reset roof and windows before switching engine off.
Tried re-start, lots of illuminated symbols appear on instrument pack, won't start.
Checked bat. terminals - OK and tight.
Car is now on trickle charge.
And unlocked - I didn't dare lock it in case not able to open it again.

I've been pretty patient with all this, trying various things.
And I really appreciate the suggestions given here on the forum.
But to be honest, I need a car to drive, not to mess about with ...
Time to get this sorted, one way or the other.
Any final suggestions?
Otherwise, the car will be booked in for an Autologic sort-out. The quick brown fox

You can always unlock the car - there is an emergency key concealed in the fob, with a keyhole in the front PASSENGER door.
As regards the faults, you need to get the fault codes read. So many electronics on this car it could be anything but sounds like it could be a faulty instrument cluster in the dash. Either a software update will cure it or you are probably talking fairly serious money.

Thanks Past Master.
I had forgotten about the key fob key / front passenger door.
OK then, onward with Autologic.
Beginning to wish I'd bought the P38 I was offered! The quick brown fox