Repairing flip key help?

JustAnotherSaver

I'm going to guess one or two of you have repaired your own flip keys?

Basically ours was shot at. Very loose. Looked on YouTube how to & followed it but it didn't work out too good.

So basically i have the new case which only cost about £6, new blank blade as you'll see in the pic.

And i have the old case, old blade, bits of this old fob have broken which i assume is why it was flopping around. I do still have the circuit board.



So the idea was to put the old (cut) blade into the new holder, put this & the circuit board into the new case & easier said than done .... job done.
That little pin is an absolute nightmare to get out though. I remember converting a MK4 Astra key years ago to a flip key & i had trouble with that small pipe/tube/pin thing back then. I thought it was maybe duff but i'm drifting off topic.

I don't imagine i need to program it (unless i'm wrong) as i have the circuit board for this car.

How to get this working again or is the only way to buy a new one from Vaux for £999?

I went down to Timpsons today ready to take a hit but they said they no longer cut the customers own blades & it'll be £60 otherwise and that's for a non flip non remote key.

I went to another guy who does do key cutting in town but he doesn't have the equipment to do these keys.

So throwing it out there for some advice.

flashg67

Only certain Timpson branches offer full remote keys I think.

If you've exhausted possibility of repair yourself, by drifting out the pin, only option apart from the dealer is a local specialist. I paid £125 for a guy to come out to supply, cut & program a new remote flip key, dealer was nearly £300

custardy

What are you using to remove the pin.
A pin punch?
You could easily make up a small jig like this to make it easier to handle.

http://www.keymam.com/product_view.asp?pid=2635

JustAnotherSaver

I used a precision flat head screwdriver to pop it out in the end, but it was no good. The old blade doesn't fit in to the new blade holder because where you push the blade in - it's not as deep so it doesn't go in enough for me to push that pin in.

Since i don't imagine it actually needs coding i'll get in touch with Vaux and explain and see what they come back with. Even with that i'm not expecting a friendly price.

In the meantime i'll look for someone local who can do the job.

angrycrow

JustAnotherSaver wrote: »

I used a precision flat head screwdriver to pop it out in the end, but it was no good. The old blade doesn't fit in to the new blade holder because where you push the blade in - it's not as deep so it doesn't go in enough for me to push that pin in.

How about filing down the end until it does fit. Can't take more than 5 minutes.

JustAnotherSaver

angrycrow wrote: »

How about filing down the end until it does fit. Can't take more than 5 minutes.

You know when someone suggests something so simple? :rotfl:Yeah, that

I'll give it a go. I wonder as i file it down & it changes shape whether it'll fit back in but it has to be worth a go i guess. Can't be any worse than it is right now.

Waiting on a quote from Vaux. A local company have quoted £150. More than i was expecting. Wonder what it would be if it needed coding and a new blade cutting too :eek: (i did give them the full story so that if it doesn't need coding or a blade they can adjust price accordingly)

Rolandtheroadie

I've done a VW one before, you also had to swap over a part that looked similar to a lighter flint. That was the part that covered the coding.
I also tried it with a kia. That needed cut out. I broke it.
Here's what the Vauxhall one might look like, you would need to put it in the new fob.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vauxhall+immobiliser+chip&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi74NDmsZTXAhWHfhoKHSzMDpoQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=WiQZpoqgVPWc1M:

Manxman_in_exile

Wow! This is a bit worrying.


I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the blade on my flip key wasn't releasing fully and was sticking at about 45 degrees. Doesn't happen all the time - it's an intermittent fault. I assume some sort of spring in the release mechanism is sticking.


In the event if fails are we saying it might cost a couple of hundred quid to get it fixed or replaced? Even more from a dealer?


Should I try to get it fixed before it fails to open completely, or persevere with it in case it doesn't break completely?


(PS - my wife does have a second key and the car's a 2012 Mondeo).


EDIT: Or am I better off leaving the key open and not retracting it? I know the spring feature is convenient, but I've got by without it on all previous cars.

JustAnotherSaver

angrycrow - beer for you :beer: You saved us £150. Went through to my mothers this morning but couldn't find the file. On my way out i passed the grinding wheel so used that.

Head home, insert, brilliant it fits. Only thing is the pin now doesn't fit. Have a look & when you insert the new blade into the new holder the groove in the blade allows for more space compared to when you sit the old blade in the new blade holder.

And i don't have a file that thin.

All out of ideas my wife just got some sandpaper, folded it on edge & set to the groove for a while which allowed her to get the pin in.

Put it all back together, circuit board & all. The hardest thing was the battery holder. It's loose which is a problem.

Anyway it's all together, remote works, key works, starts car up etc

And the guy i contacted yesterday was quoting £150 for doing just that? :eek::eek::eek: He'd have probably cut a new key & coded i guess, even though i told him i don't think it's necessary.

The case is a £6 case and it feels like a £6 case too. Well, certainly compared to the brand new VW key we paid for on the last car.

But anyway, job is done now

JustAnotherSaver

Rolandtheroadie wrote: »

I've done a VW one before, you also had to swap over a part that looked similar to a lighter flint. That was the part that covered the coding.
I also tried it with a kia. That needed cut out. I broke it.
Here's what the Vauxhall one might look like, you would need to put it in the new fob.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vauxhall+immobiliser+chip&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi74NDmsZTXAhWHfhoKHSzMDpoQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=WiQZpoqgVPWc1M:

That transponder chip looks like the one located inside my MK4/Astra G key which does indeed need coding etc.

I imagine the Astra H one is one of the things actually located on the circuit board itself because as i put in my last post, it's all working fine now & all i did was bring over the blade & circuit board.