I returned to my car the other day, opened it with the key fob and got in. I tried to start it but even though it spun over well, it wouldn't start at all. I put a new battery into the fob & the car started, but back at home it wouldn't lock with the fob. I locked it manually, but the moment I unlocked it manually and opened the door the alarm went off. I had to use the spare key to stop the alarm & I'm now using it instead of the faulty one & everything works as it should. My spare key fob has never been used until then.

My dealership is going to try and recode the key - it's not cheap, but I'm uncomfortable about having only one working key, even though I've never carried a spare with me.

If they cannot recode it, they say it would cost up to £200 to buy a new key. Is £200 a fair price for a new key & is it too risky only having one key fob?

Is it possible to open / start / stop / lock the car without the remote working.

 

Take the dry cell out of the key fob and try it!

first off the key is in two parts

 

Remote Fob which only will unlock the car, it has nothing to do with starting the car.

 

If you have replaced the battery or if it has not been used for a long time it will need to be adapted to the car again. This can be done with vcds, so find someone near you to do it then spend a fortune at the dealers.

 

The actual transponder is in the front part, this is required to start the car. If it is faulty then the car will start for a few seconds and cut out, you will also get a warning on the dash either in the maxidot or a symbol with a key will light up.

 

You can buy a replacement transponder but you will need someone with the correct tools to code it to the car

when we lost a key for my wife's octy 3 years back, we got a new one from the dealer. 

the cost was in 2 parts - the actual key with cutting, and the coding of the key for the transponder

 

I think the cost was around £130 for both bits together, not surprised it might be closer to 200 by now.

(though there was an additional £18,000 involved as I ended up ordering a new car for myself the day i picked up the new key for hers.)

 

since then, we've lost 1 of the keys for her car *again*, but have never bothered getting another. 

We just got a local mobile locksmith to cut and coded a key for my sons 54 plate polo ( we bought it in December with only 1 key) and it cost £65 so it may be worth seeing if you can find a local independant to do yours. 

Sounds like your fob needs resyncing. you can do this yourself. Put the key in the ignition and turn to acc postion then push and hold unlock button (it might be lock its been years since I did it!) and it should start working again.

My "new" car came from the main dealer with only one key. The dealer said they normally would only provide one second key free of charge, but it would not have the remote functions. He said this would cost the sales dept (prices from memory) £70. If I wanted it to be the version with remote functions, I would have to pay the difference. I think he said the cost from the service dept to the sales dept would be £160, so it would cost me £90.

 

I said I'd think about it, and when I returned to the saleroom, there was an old friend of mine talking to a salesman obviously about a purchase. I approached them and we all greeted each other and I made a joke about making sure the car came with all the bits. I was then intercepted by the sales manager who said he believed I wanted my second key. I asked what type, he said of course the full remote type. We set in motion the procedure for having it supplied.

 

A few days later my original salesman rang me to say that the original owner of the car had found the second key and they would post it to me.

 

A few more days passed and I got a call from the service dept that they new key had arrived and to book the car in to code it.

 

I went in last Tuesday, had a free bacon butty and coffee while I waited, and accepted their apology that their car wash was frozen solid, so they hadn't cleaned the car.

 

I now have 3 keys and am very pleased.

 

If you had time, I could tell you about my experience a week earlier at the useless, useless, useless Jeep dealer about my other vehicle...........

Re-synch the key first.

 

Last I needed to do it was:

Put key in door-lock

Unlock door

Press unlock button

Take key out

Test by locking car with lock button

Re-synch the key first.

 

Last I needed to do it was:

Put key in door-lock

Unlock door

Press unlock button

Take key out

Test by locking car with lock button

 

Done it....and it worked perfectly.   Thanks a lot.