Car key with a chip

[TR]

Call me a cheapskate if you like. But I don't want a car key that I have to
pay $100 plus for.

My story. Own an AU II Ford. Spare key and remote irretrievably lost for
long time. A while ago my wife locked original key in the boot. Got a spare
key from Ford and we opened up the car. Got into boot and recovered
originals. Drove away happy. Later time. Wife misplaced originals so got the
new spare key. Opened car and started it. But only started for a moment;
engine stopped. As she was in a hurry (typical: always is) took my car. Next
day I found originals. Key started car okay. spare still wouldn't.
Went to Ford; they said the new spare was only an opener. If I wanted a
spare starter I need a key with a chip built in the key handle. Cost - over
$100 dollars. Then more to program the chip to the car electronics.
My question now is ... Can I avoid this? Buy a chip from Dick Smiths and
tape it to the opener key, program it myself?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[Geoff C]

Call me a cheapskate if you like. But I don't want a car key that I
have to pay $100 plus for.

My story. Own an AU II Ford. Spare key and remote irretrievably lost
for long time. A while ago my wife locked original key in the boot.
Got a spare key from Ford and we opened up the car. Got into boot and
recovered originals. Drove away happy. Later time. Wife misplaced
originals so got the new spare key. Opened car and started it. But
only started for a moment; engine stopped. As she was in a hurry
(typical: always is) took my car. Next day I found originals. Key
started car okay. spare still wouldn't. Went to Ford; they said the
new spare was only an opener. If I wanted a spare starter I need a key
with a chip built in the key handle. Cost - over $100 dollars. Then
more to program the chip to the car electronics. My question now is
... Can I avoid this? Buy a chip from Dick Smiths and tape it to the
opener key, program it myself?

No.

I have seen cheap after market keys in shopping centres, at key cutter/shoe
repair/cheap watches type place eg: Commodore. Probably they have Ford too.
They are a lot cheaper than genuine. Possibly your original key can be used
to program a spare at these places, just guessing about that though.

 

[Mr.T]

Call me a cheapskate if you like. But I don't want a car key that I have to
pay $100 plus for.

My story. Own an AU II Ford. Spare key and remote irretrievably lost for
long time. A while ago my wife locked original key in the boot. Got a spare
key from Ford and we opened up the car. Got into boot and recovered
originals. Drove away happy. Later time. Wife misplaced originals so got the
new spare key. Opened car and started it. But only started for a moment;
engine stopped. As she was in a hurry (typical: always is) took my car. Next
day I found originals. Key started car okay. spare still wouldn't.
Went to Ford; they said the new spare was only an opener. If I wanted a
spare starter I need a key with a chip built in the key handle. Cost - over
$100 dollars. Then more to program the chip to the car electronics.
My question now is ... Can I avoid this? Buy a chip from Dick Smiths and
tape it to the opener key, program it myself?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Can't help you, but would suggest the best time to get three spares is when
you are buying the car and negotiating price!
I would *never* accept one spare.

MrT.

 

[atec77]

Possibly you could Get a used key of the same type and swap the electronics
onto your spare key then go to Ford and heve them introduce the key to your
car's engine crontrol computer.


Bye.
Jasen

It is possible to buy new keys ( with chips) local lock smith does the
Holdens for around $30.00 so I expect he will have the Ford as well.
There on most models a programming method from the ignition system (
No I don't know it)

 

[Mark Harriss]

Call me a cheapskate if you like. But I don't want a car key that I have to
pay $100 plus for.

My story. Own an AU II Ford. Spare key and remote irretrievably lost for
long time. A while ago my wife locked original key in the boot. Got a spare
key from Ford and we opened up the car. Got into boot and recovered
originals. Drove away happy. Later time. Wife misplaced originals so got the
new spare key. Opened car and started it. But only started for a moment;
engine stopped. As she was in a hurry (typical: always is) took my car. Next
day I found originals. Key started car okay. spare still wouldn't.
Went to Ford; they said the new spare was only an opener. If I wanted a
spare starter I need a key with a chip built in the key handle. Cost - over
$100 dollars. Then more to program the chip to the car electronics.
My question now is ... Can I avoid this? Buy a chip from Dick Smiths and
tape it to the opener key, program it myself?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Subaru keys are $400+ and so badly soldered the surface mount components
have all dry joints and fall off the PCB after a few weeks. Had to re-
solder one recently for a friend.

 

[Colin Horsley]

Call me a cheapskate if you like. But I don't want a car key that I have
to pay $100 plus for.

My story. Own an AU II Ford. Spare key and remote irretrievably lost for
long time. A while ago my wife locked original key in the boot. Got a
spare key from Ford and we opened up the car. Got into boot and recovered
originals. Drove away happy. Later time. Wife misplaced originals so got
the new spare key. Opened car and started it. But only started for a
moment; engine stopped. As she was in a hurry (typical: always is) took my
car. Next day I found originals. Key started car okay. spare still
wouldn't.
Went to Ford; they said the new spare was only an opener. If I wanted a
spare starter I need a key with a chip built in the key handle. Cost -
over $100 dollars. Then more to program the chip to the car electronics.
My question now is ... Can I avoid this? Buy a chip from Dick Smiths and
tape it to the opener key, program it myself?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

Go see your friendly local locksmith. He should be able to copy your
original key. Colin.

 

[Wayne Reid]

Call me a cheapskate if you like. But I don't want a car key that I have
to pay $100 plus for.

My story. Own an AU II Ford. Spare key and remote irretrievably lost for ....
My question now is ... Can I avoid this? Buy a chip from Dick Smiths and
tape it to the opener key, program it myself?
Thanks in advance for any ideas.

An idea.

Jaycar sell gizmos with two remotes and a control box that runs on 12 volts.
Get a couple of copies of the key cut to begin with. You could then crack
open the key you currently have, and wire the two outputs to activate the
micro switches within the key. I haven't seen inside a frod key, so I don't
know how easy this would be, but it could be possible.

Wire the device under the dash somewhere, so that you can hook it into the
car's power circuit (you need a live wire that is always powered).

The remotes that operate the Jaycar box of tricks should now cause the box
to operate the original key, which will in turn operate the vehicle's
immobiliser system.

Your cut keys then work the ignition switch.

I can't see why this would not work, but it would take a bit of fiddling.

The jaycar remotes do not code-hop, but this would not really be a
compromise, as nobody would expect a modern car to have a non-hopping
remote, so I don't think that anyone would really be hanging out in the
shopping centre car park with a reciever in an attempt to freak the remote
code and steal your car.

The cost is about $100 if I recall. The advantage is that you can buy extra
remotes for about $30 or so.

I used one for a different purpose, but it is pretty reliable, and the
remote fobs are about the same size as ones that most cars use. They fit on
a keyring OK.

If you do it, let's know if it works.

WR

 

[Franc Zabkar]

Subaru keys are $400+ and so badly soldered the surface mount components
have all dry joints and fall off the PCB after a few weeks. Had to re-
solder one recently for a friend.

Lead-free solder?

- Franc Zabkar

 

[Mark Harriss]

Lead-free solder?

- Franc Zabkar

Could have been, it certainly did'nt have enough heat to allow the
solder to wet the metal component contacts properly

 

[rowan194]

Jaycar sell gizmos with two remotes and a control box that runs on 12 volts.
Get a couple of copies of the key cut to begin with. You could then crack
open the key you currently have, and wire the two outputs to activate the
micro switches within the key. I haven't seen inside a frod key, so I don't
know how easy this would be, but it could be possible.

Hmm... you must be thinking the remote entry is on the key? On an AU
that is a separate remote.

Disclaimer: all of the following is from memory, so I could be wrong

I'm pretty sure that AU2/AU3 models have a "smart" key which is
interrogated by the ignition system via induction and RF. If you can
obtain a replacement key it is possible for the owner/consumer to train
the immobiliser to recognise that key, but you need TWO keys to be able
to complete the procedure. The key also needs to be mechanically coded
so it will match the ignition barrel.

I purchased my AU3 second hand, and it only came with a single key.
This means there's still a key out there - in someone elses possession
- that will open my doors and possibly start the engine. I can't
retrain the immobiliser to recognise my key only because they need to
be done as a pair. On the plus side I was able to retrain the system to
only recognise the one remote I have, which means that the immobiliser
should still be active if the doors are unlocked via mechanical means.
Hmm... I should try it.

 

[TR]

Thanks all for your inputs. Closest locksmith to where I live is 100 km
away. He still quoted me over $100 for another key and price of fuel makes
it even more exy. So I think I'm stuck with the local Ford dealer.

TR