Ford ignition key

shown73 · 19 March 2017 at 9:02PM

My ignition key, 3 button, RF type, is getting rather worn, and the buttons refuse to work to unlock the car quite often. There seem to be plenty of keys for sale on ebay, which would obviously need to be cut, but I wondered if it was possible to re-programme the key fob myself, without going to the expense of letting Ford do it. I also have another key, with a blue insert, but no buttons which I have used to manually unlock, but not sure if this would set the immobiliser when relocking.
Any advice would be welcome.

Joe_Horner · 19 March 2017 at 11:38PM

What age is the car?

Not sure with later models but around Mk3 Mondeo era you could reprogram any remote key for the central locking yourself if you have one working key and program any key for the immobiliser if you have 2 originals.

Getting the blade cut is likely to be the awkward bit - most places that can do them will want to sell you the key as well @ silly money. The answer to that is to buy a used key off ebay, program it using your current one, and swap the blade.

You can also get replacement cases (again, on ebay) which you swap the internals of your existing key into. Again, you can use your existing blade. They're great (and cheap) if the circuit board in your existing one's ok and it's just the case itself giving problems but if the button switches are failing then a used key is the way to go.

shown73 · 20 March 2017 at 3:25PM

Thanks for that, should have mentioned that it is a 2005 Mk3. Have to give it a go, changed the battery, but the push buttons are a real pain to get to work, have to keep trying, till eventually something happens. As if it was dodgy contacts, but eventually they work, up till now!

jamesperrett · 20 March 2017 at 6:49PM

I was going to say change the battery - a low battery in a Ford key gives similar symptoms to a dodgy switch as you often have to press the button a few times to make it work. I'd only change the key if you are absolutely sure that the new battery is a good one.

Joe_Horner · 20 March 2017 at 8:46PM

shown73 wrote: »

Thanks for that, should have mentioned that it is a 2005 Mk3. Have to give it a go, it was dodgy contacts, but eventually they work, up till now!

In that case buy a used key off ebay (should be under a tenner). I'm assuming it's not the "flip" key on yours - not totally sure this works with them.

There's a pair here starting @ 99p but they're on auction rather than BIN:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Ford-Mondeo-mk3-remote-keys-/192130049301?hash=item2cbbd7e515:g:MG4AAOSwB-1YyB7b

A quick google will turn up programming instructions, or they should be in your handbook if you still have it.

shown73 · 21 March 2017 at 8:19PM

Worth a punt. Had a look in the handbook and there are some programming instruction in there, so worth giving it a go.

Ford ignition key

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