Late N reg Fiesta. I only have the red key which is the master key. I bought a spare and carried out the procedure for "teaching" the new key with chip what the code was. on off 4 times with the master followed by twice with the new one. Trouble is the new key only works for about an hour after it's been taken out of the ignition. After that time it seems to "forget" the immobiliser code and the engine won't start. I "taught" the new key 3 times. Same every time. I got a new chip for it. Same again. The car works fine with the red master key.
Can anyone suggest what is wrong?
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Richard
I could be wrong, but don't things work the other way? I believe the key code in the chip is fixed, and it's the car ECU which is 'taught' to recognise chip in the new key. The red key is a master with, presumably, its code held in a different memory system in the ECU so it'll always work. I'm assuming you got the car just with the red key, so it's possible the ECU is faulty and won't accept reprogramming - which is why the previous owner only used the red key. Have you asked at a Ford dealer if this is a known problem and if there's a fix?
Regards
John S
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John,
Thanks for the reply. Yes I bought the car with only the red key. No I have not tried Ford yet. It looks like I have a problem. No doubt Ford will say I have to have the whole system re-done at huge cost. The simplest would be to have the red key copied. Do you know if this can be done?
Regards Richard
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Richard, the biggest piece of advice that I can give you is to try a *decent* Ford dealer first, they don't always shock with their quotes, and sometimes fix things for nowt. Believe me, it genuinely has happened to me! If they can't help, or quote too much, simply don't get the work done there and look for an independant.
They may be able to at least point you in the right direction, as John says, it may well not be your key at fault, it could be a problem with the internal system.
Whatever it is, Ford *should* be able to identify it, hopefully.
Blue
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I've been thinking! These so called "chips" are in fact in the plastic handle part of the key. They are about the size of a cigarette filter and one can remove or change them. They appear to work by merely being close to the ignition since they don't touch it. Therefore... If one was to, say, tape the red key under the plastic tray which covers the ignition, the red key "chip" would send it's message to the receiving unit and any other key cut to the correct shape but with no "chip" in it should work because the ingnition would be "fooled" into thinking that it was in fact the red key which was being used.
Potential thieves would not know that this had been done, and would, one hopes, not even try.
Do you, JS or Blue, or anyone else, think this theory would work?
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It's vaguely possible, although I believe that it has to be very close, and yes, potential theives may notice if they broke into the car as many would access this area of the ignition in order to hotwire the car.
When your insurance company find out that you left a key in the car, bye bye insurance!
It may work if you are willing to take the risk, but I would at least try the Ford dealer first, it costs nothing to ask...
Blue
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You could always put the red key on the same keyring as the dummy key, and hold it close to the sensor while you start the engine...
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Dixon Ford Charged me £80 for a new key for my Mondeo including the key, programming it and reprogramming the old key and Immobiliser so that the "lost" key could not be used if found.
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Richard, i have had the exact same thing happen with my escort, there are a number of things you can do.
1- And this is the best option for you, take the chip out of the master key, be very careful as its encased in glass, and use some marine grade silicone or isopon (something that aint gonna move) and secure it to the metal beside the ignition barrell. as there is no key only the chip, the car cannot be started unless it is presented with one that fits, fair enough it can be hotwired but hey thats why we pay our insurance. so any key that fits the ignition will start the car. Oh i almost forgot, any key that your starting it with must not have a chip as this makes the master code stored in the ECU and the code in the key conflict.
2- You can just wedge the key in there but if the car is stolen then forget your insurance, same deal, you cannot use a chipped key to start it. (take them out)
3- use the master key and be very careful with it, if the key breaks, this is no big deal just remember the chip inside it is the bit that costs ya.
happy to hear any more questions bout it
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a company called DUPLICUT makes & supplies coded keys, maybe they can give you some help.
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FISHERMANPADDY. Blimey. you have been reading old stuff. It was back in 2002 that this problem arose. In fact I taped the red key to the ignition barrel, having cut new chipless keys. Works a dream. Car still going in 2008. Car was only insured 3rd party anyway. Only worth a few hundred. Since then have done same thing on a Micra.
Regards Richard
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LOL, Thought that read Dec 07. I need my eyes tested
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I liked the comment of keeping the red key on the same keyring as the new key and holding it to the ignition barrel.... :-) Of course you'd have just used the red key.
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