keys

[dave21478]

I have always been wary of only having one key for a car. Unfortunately, buying  as I do at the bottom of the market after several not very careful owners, only having one key is a common occurrence.

In fact the fleet currently stands at three cars and two of them only have one key. Annoyingly the one with the duplicates is the one that would be easiest to get into and start with a screwdriver and a bit of wire if I lost them.

 

I had a scare a while back when I lost the key to the Landy. It turned up the next day at the bottom of the laundry basket, but this spurred me into doing something.

I did the tour of the lock and key cutting places in town asking if they could do a duplicate and got a big fat "non" as replies. I tried an indy Jag and Landy specialist and he said no too, although if I got a key, he could maybe program it for me.

I phoned the main dealers. 120 euros for a key, 75 euros for an alarm remote if I wanted one and an hours labour to program them. Plus VAT.  - Nope.

Some internetting turned up some specialists in UK that can duplicate or fabricate keys, but that sort of thing doesnt exist over here.

Time for a more autoshite solution. I ordered a cheapy blank key from ebay for £6 delivered, which I took to a key cutters and had him copy the profile of the original key onto it. "you know it wont work, right? it needs the transponder chip too" he asked. Yeah, let me worry about that, man.

 

So at home I split open the original key and removed the transponder which is a little black plastic spec half the size of my pinkie fingernail and removed the steering column shroud. After a little trial and error with positioning it next to the pickup coil, I superglued it to the ignition barrel. 

Now both keys will happily start the car. Granted a screwdriver would also start it, but meh - you cant have everything.

 

 

 

I reckon that as more modern stuff moves into shite territory, missing keys will become more and more of an issue. I would bet a lost set of keys for a cheap luxo-barge will probably be enough to write it off due to replacement costs.

 

And then there is stuff that is sold with a red master key or whatever - something that needs kept in a safe place - how are you supposed to know if a car should have one of these, and what are they for exactly anyway? does it matter if you dont have one?

 

 

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Think yourself lucky it's a 1 not a 2 you've got. Mrs N's Freelander randomly won't lock or unlock , she has to keep both keys with her at all times and of course it's usually when it's raining or she's pissed off when it won't open for 10 minutes with either key. You can imagine who's fault this is.

To further complicate things, it's advised not to keep the keys together as they confuse each other, I kid you not.

To replace both keys with programming etc is about £300 and if I'm not careful she's likely to go into a LR dealer one day and do just that.

Just waiting for the first snow flurries and the bastards going on the Autotrader,luckily for the last week or so it's been behaving and locking/unlocking ok.

[castros_bro]

I did a bit of work for someone whose Arsetra Diesesal van which was running or not randomly, he had enough of it so flogged it to me as a non runner. The key  was a plain metal one though the van festered with electronics, I found the broken chipped key loose behind the steering cover and, like you did, removed the chip and glued it to the ignition barrel. I have since found the shoe repair people Timpson copy some chipped keys if you have a working one, this is not a link to them...... http://www.raymondandmrtimpkins.co.uk/

[Sigmund Fraud]

And then there is stuff that is sold with a red master key or whatever - something that needs kept in a safe place - how are you supposed to know if a car should have one of these, and what are they for exactly anyway? does it matter if you dont have one?

 

Late-1990s Fiat group cars had this, you got two normal blue keys, one blue valet key and the red key. The red key can be used to drive the car but it's main use is to re-program the immobiliser ECU to work with replacement blue keys. If you didn't have it, and you lost both normal blue keys, you had to get new ECUs for engine management and immobiliser, which was £££.

 

I am, however, prepared to bet that someone has found a workaround during the last 15 years...

[phil_lihp]

I asked my local Volvo dealer how much it'd be for a new key and remote for the 940 seeing as I only have one - nearly £200 including programming!  There must be a cheaper option but no idea what it'd be and I don't fancy leaving the chip in the car.

[HMC]

A string of forgetful owners later and my A6 has just the single key/ plipper too. Probably as good a time as any to ask- what's the options when it comes to getting another key and plipper for an early 2000s VAG product? I see remotes on e bay for sale but am basically clueless about the entire thing.

 

At the moment it boils down to being careful and trying not to mislay them; but loosing keys is virtually a hobby for me!

[gordonbennet]

This is where MB score well, we bought a genuine spare plipper key for the 124 from the dealer, already programmed, for £60,  about 11 years ago mind.

 

The Scoob only had one key, so SWMBO popped into the shop of the chap who fitted our burglar alarm system, they copied the key onto a programmable blank (non plipper, but Scoobs have proper keyhole on both doors and the boot so no matter) and programmed it for £40 all in.

 

I dislike intently these modern cars with no keyhole, or just one hidden under (often the nearside, even Range Rovers) plastic covers in the door lock, and no keyhole at all in the boot, and as for Renners idiotic key inside the credit card plipper thingy that you insert into a hole under the NS door handle assuming it can be accessed, stuff that.

 

Coincidentally, just been out with the dogs out for a run and met a jogger down the fields desperately looking for his one and only key for his Corolla which vanished on his run, the jammy sod only found it in too...i suggested he do the lottery pronto.

[dave21478]

This is one of the places I found while researching....

http://www.remotekey.co.uk/

 

no mention of VAG stuff though and its mostly remote plips rather then physical keys.

[Bren]

Late-1990s Fiat group cars had this, you got two normal blue keys, one blue valet key and the red key. The red key can be used to drive the car but it's main use is to re-program the immobiliser ECU to work with replacement blue keys. If you didn't have it, and you lost both normal blue keys, you had to get new ECUs for engine management and immobiliser, which was £££.

 

I am, however, prepared to bet that someone has found a workaround during the last 15 years...

...they did.

 

It's called weighing it in.

[Stanky]

I had a 1996 Punto way back when, and this was supplied with just one blue key. No mention of a red key. After a while I became nervous of losing the only key I had so went to a local locksmith who read the static code from the chip and cut and coded me a new one. Unfortunately* the only blank he had was bright red, so I had a new red* key again.

 

This proved excellent when the head gasket blew and I part ex'd it for a Mk3 golf, the dealer was so amazed "wow, you still have the red key, most people lose these etc etc" that he didn't bother to check over the car at all, so I palmed off a very knackered Punto for £600 trade-in vs a £900 golf.

 

great success.

[Keymaster]

My first car was a C plate nova. I only had one set, but still had 5 keys for it... one for every lock!! 

[lovejoy]

"  QUOTE  -  I have since found the shoe repair people Timpson copy some chipped keys if you have a working one, "

...............................................................................................................................................................................................

 

 

 

Well, I have tried various Timpsons around the south, saying my A to Z (Hi and Dry) only came with 1 key, can you cut me a spare ?

 

no problem sir, that'll be  £40  -  is that considered cheap ?!  I only want a blank, so if I accidentally lock the only key in, at least I can

 

open a door to get it... I realize it may not/will not/ start the beast, so have wondered about this idea of taping the original key next to the ignition barrel...

. 

( Twingo has the same prob. only one key,  (unless Wuvvum finds another in his pants or ovlov boot, that is !  )

[overrun]

My MR2 came with x2 Toyota keys, which work all locks, x2 Cat 1 fobs and x2 immobilser key things (same make as alarm, but don't appear needed. Maybe an override?)

 

Either way, stuff like that gives you confidence if you are about to buy what looks to be an already good car, imo.

[Keymaster]

by that timem however  tvauxhall/ opel should be all single key ... any thing astra 1 / cav 2 / nova  and after should be single key 

 

I know. It clearly had a dubious history!!

[saucedoctor]

Re: the Freeloader. The fobs might be out of sync with the car. To resync (assuming it's a Lucas 2 button Rover job) just stand next to the car and press either button 5 times, quickly.

[brownnova]

My MG Midget has a plethora of keys, most of which look the same, and all of them do different things! Gotta love BL logic in the 70s!!

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Trying to remember the last car I had that came with different keys for different locks - 'twas either my metro or a renner 5

 

One key opened the drivers door, another done the passenger door / boot and ignition, a third done nothing at all

[phil_lihp]

Coincidentally, just been out with the dogs out for a run and met a jogger down the fields desperately looking for his one and only key for his Corolla which vanished on his run, the jammy sod only found it in too...i suggested he do the lottery pronto.

 

Been there, was due to drive to the airport in a couple of hours and had popped out for a morning run a few miles from home, got back to the car and realised the key had fallen out somewhere along 5 miles of trail.  Had to start running back whilst scanning the ground and the surrounding undergrowth with a growing sense of dread when a bloke walking his dog came the other way, said "are you looking for this?" and held up my key.  I could have hugged him.

[DSdriver]

I have one set for each of my cars which makes me very careful when I am out and about. There is a rainwater drain in the gutter where I normally park so I try and put a wheel on it, that way I wont be near it when I ham-fistedly drop the keys in the gutter.

[skattrd]

I think olderr VAG stuff is quite easy to reprogram. I'm sure I have read on forums people doing it themselves with VAGCOM and a cable

When getting your ecu reprogrammed (for more mpg/powah) you can also ask them to turn the immobiliser off as well if you want.

[jakebullet]

I'm lucky enough to have a nanocom for the disco. So when the buttons died on the key a quick visit to evilbay got me a used remote key for a rover 75. Swap key blades, type number on sticker inside remote into nanocom & I'm back running for a tenner.

[Richard]

I lost my only car key once when I was exploring the Nenthead mines. It was getting cold and dark, we'd been all over the place on the surface and about six miles underground.

 

I couldn't, and still can't, think of any way to retrieve that situation so the only option was to find the key. I reckoned it must have fallen out of the leg of my waterproofs fairly early on but I thought I'd try the door first. The door opened and the key was on the driver's seat, somebody must have found the key and put it there for me.

[Lord Sterling]

Current Lord Sterling transport; Mercedes E280 came 1 key. It was also something I was wary of. Thankfully, I managed to buy 2 uncut old-style Mercedes keys that will be cut in the near future.

 

Something else that annoys me is when a car comes 3/4 different keys that open different locks. Currently my slumbering 820E has something similar going on.

[Angrydicky]

My cars are all so old it's not a major issue if I lose my keys, at least for the four older cars as I can break in and hotwire them in seconds. The Maestro would be a PITA if I lost the keys as although it's got no immobiliser/transponder chips or anything like that, I'd probably have to get a locksmith to remove the ignition barrel. This would be a shame as it must be one of the few Maestros that's never been broken into in the past and still has all its original locks. I did have a spare key cut but I've mislaid it annoyingly, might have to get another one done. It only came with one key when I bought it.

If I lost the keys for the Diskloks I keep on the Maestro and A35 overnight it would be more of a problem, as those things can pretty much only be cut off with an angle grinder. Fortunately I have spares for both at home.

[Cavcraft]

My Vectra doesn't 'plip' and when opening the doors using the key, the alarm sounds until you put the key into the ignition. I have been told this is a dealer only job, so obviously this ain't happening and it can stay as it is annoying my neighbours and making people in car parks think I'm TWOCing it.

[Keymaster]

I had a MR2 that had a seized ignition barrel. I whipped it out & from then on a screwdriver did the job of starting the car... a solution that was so effective I only got round to replacing the barrel the day before I sold it!

[Asimo]

My '06 Connect van came with one key and a broken plipper so I went to Ford dealer and bought a spare key which was cut in front of me. The parts guy looked at my key, gave it back and then cut the copy freehand. There are no marks or numbers on the key so I asked him how he did it and he said something like "there's only a few different cuts"

 

WTF?

 

Oh and you can't programme the new key unless you have two old keys (without paying Ford to do it with their system)

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

My '06 Connect van came with one key and a broken plipper so I went to Ford dealer and bought a spare key which was cut in front of me. The parts guy looked at my key, gave it back and then cut the copy freehand. There are no marks or numbers on the key so I asked him how he did it and he said something like "there's only a few different cuts"

 

WTF?

 

Oh and you can't programme the new key unless you have two old keys (without paying Ford to do it with their system)

 

Ford tibbe keys. You can tell what the key number is just by looking at them, I imagine someone who works with them wouldn't even have to think about it. 

[Stixy]

Fancy chipped keys means car theft  now  =  mugging  burglary  or carjacking  

 

Attached picture of ye good old days  when you could go to bed without the fear of waking up to a masked villan demanding keys  

 

 

[Micrashed]

Dont lock your car.

I dont.

Then it doesnt matter if I lose my key as I'll use the spare one hidden behind the glovebox.