Replacement car key. Outrageous cost!

dunklej

This is a nice money spinner for the car companies. However, a number of locksmiths can do the same at a huge saving - try County Locksmiths - 023 8027 4844

GeriO

DH has a nissan xtrail and his keys were so worn as to be almost unuseable. Searched on ebay as advised here and for £10 found a replacement pad and battery. Bought one and fitted it to the most worn key - was a little tricky as the pad was perished and had to be removed carefully, but within 15 minutes key was good as new and working - no need to reprogramme as only the casing and battery was replaced. Sent for another as it was so successful. This key was not just as bad and was good as new in 5 mins. Great job and saved me a fortune. Thank you for all the advice.

upallnight

sassy-one wrote: »

I have brought a number of remote keys from eBay, which were second hand, two for my Ford Mondeo and one for a Honda Civic, all three were reprogrammed by me, someone not very tech minded to all the latest codes etc.

How did you re-program the remote key fobs? I thought it could only be done by machine?

Locknut

Some fords and some Hondas are programmed manually mostly the older ones but they are getting few and far between.

upallnight

Locknut wrote: »

Some fords and some Hondas are programmed manually mostly the older ones but they are getting few and far between.

THe car manual gives instructions for coding a spare key but not a remote.
I was wondering how old his mondeo is and how he did it - I'm curious.

talksr

Blimey, I didn't know this, what age is your fiesta?!

rizla01 wrote: »

Hi,
Hope this helps.

i have a similar prob with a Ford Fiesta.

The Key CAN be copied, tho and it'll cost only about £10.

Problem is that the chip is required to turn off the alarm. The alarm picks the signal up from the chip embedded in the key so that when you enter the car the alarm does't sound and the immobiliser is de-activated.

If you have ONE chipped key it can be permanently kept under the dash and the system will pick up the signal and remain off. This will enable you to use any key that fits to start and drive the car but to have the alarm turned on as well will require removing the 'Chipped' key.

I assume this is the same with all of these chipped keys.

You can either try it or chat to an auto-electrician who should be able to tell you if it'll work on your car.
GL

Locknut

the above information is wrong and is not how a chipped car key works. they only turn off the immobiliser and they do that by putting the key in the ignition and that then connects with the immobiliser to turn it off. So has to be within about 10cm of the ignition for it to work. it has nothing at all to do with the cars alarm that is a seperate system.

as for coding a ford remote in google is your friend;)

sassy_one

upallnight wrote: »

How did you re-program the remote key fobs? I thought it could only be done by machine?

Put key in ignition, turn the key to stage two on the key 10 times, repeatedly with no gaps.
The ECU will go into program mode and the red LED on the dash should remain solid lit, press the key fobs you wish to program to the car (The unlock button) LED will go off solid lit and return to normal.

The remote fobs should now work to lock/unlock your car

upallnight

sassy-one wrote: »

Put key in ignition, turn the key to stage two on the key 10 times, repeatedly with no gaps.
The ECU will go into program mode and the red LED on the dash should remain solid lit, press the key fobs you wish to program to the car (The unlock button) LED will go off solid lit and return to normal.

The remote fobs should now work to lock/unlock your car

"press the key fobs you wish to program to the car" - just to make sure is this procedure changing the fob's coding or is it programming the car to the fob? I have a working fob and don't want to change the car coding if it only holds one fob "memory".
Thanks.

ajadu76

I just found out that some branches of Timpson do it and program the key to the car, but they don't seem to be any less expensive than the dealer.

Andrew