FIAT emergency car code

traveller1961

My wife has just left her keys in her ignition overnight (by accident) today the car is asking for a code.
I have contacted fiat and they say there is a charge of £42 to get the code from the national register. I contacted the national register and they say they are only allowed to give the codes to authorised fiat dealers!
Now in UK the card is with held when the car is bought by a customer in all other countries the card is given to the buyer.
Does anyone know how to get this code, preferably without paying, as we bought the car from new we have all the paperwork, and fiat want to charge for something that should rightfully be ours anyway.
It only costs fiat the charge of a phone call to get the code, and emergency services can get it free.
Please can anyone help? and is this legal

gilbert_and_sullivan

Doesn't using the red master key that comes with the car sort this out?

Bantex_2

traveller1961 wrote: »

My wife has just left her keys in her ignition overnight (by accident) today the car is asking for a code.
I have contacted fiat and they say there is a charge of £42 to get the code from the national register. I contacted the national register and they say they are only allowed to give the codes to authorised fiat dealers!
Now in UK the card is with held when the car is bought by a customer in all other countries the card is given to the buyer.
Does anyone know how to get this code, preferably without paying, as we bought the car from new we have all the paperwork, and fiat want to charge for something that should rightfully be ours anyway.
It only costs fiat the charge of a phone call to get the code, and emergency services can get it free.
Please can anyone help? and is this legal

Call the police then.

colin79666

Fiat is he only way to go. The reason you don't get the card is the uk insurance companies are not happy about people having the cards. Too many people simply leave cards with codes on in the car and then it's easy for a thief to get a replacement key made up.

However it doesn't explain why the car wants the code. It's in the ecu and should survive a flat battery. It could be the battery in the key fob is dead. Try changing that first.

traveller1961

No its survived a flat battery, the problem started when the key was accidentally left in the ignition overnight, fiat have a security system hat locks the system if this happens.
It appears that as said in previous posts, insurance companies and fiat have agreed not to give out the code in UK, but they don't inform buyers of this fact when they purchase the car, i can understand a small charge but £42 for something they get from the central register by a telephone call seems a bit steep?

mrmot

Be thankful that you can get it quite easily and that the car doesn't need locks and ECUs replaced to get it going.

Also bear in mind that due to having such security systems built into the car how much less you are paying for insurance, I bet you're saving more than £42 on the premium.

bigjl

I doubt the emergency services have access to Fiat codes to reset the anti theft measures.

If you have the red key.

I would disconnect the battery.

Then touch the terminals together to fully discharge the system.

Leave battery off for an hour or so.

Reconnect and then use the red master key to try and start it.

traveller1961

Sorry i didnt make it clear, by emergency services I meant AA, RAC, Green flag