18 replies to this topic

[james141]

How many sets of keys should a VX come with, 2?

[theotherjonnymac]

Yes. Vaux will charge about £50 to have a new one cut and programmed.

[Silverback]

Mine (second hand from specialist dealer) came with 2 keys and 2 alarm fobs.

[james141]

Nice one I thought that was the case thanks guys

[framauro]

Yes. Vaux will charge about £50 to have a new one cut and programmed.

Any idea on just a new key battery? How about just key reprogrammed? I have two keys but the 2nd does not work. It turns starter motor over but car won't start, orange light on stack is then lit when I start the car straight away with 'good' key (I think this is an immobiliser warning?).

So 'bad' 2nd key is probably incorrect transponder code or dead battery. Presumably this will be less than £50 but I have to remember we are talking about Vauxhall here

[james141]

Right, I have just found out the car I am buying only comes with 1 set of keys, should this be something to worry about because obviously there is another set of presumably working keys kicking about for it somewhere? Is there anything I can do, get it re-programed etc?

Edited by james141, 29 May 2007 - 06:41 PM.

[birty]

Any idea on just a new key battery?

If it is just the battery then it is just a standard battery, you can prise the alarm fob bit apart and put in two of the batterys on top of each other inside the little black plastic circle. Think they were about £1.50 each, or maybe that was for two.

[Steve Crisp]

The actual key has a passive transponder fitted inside. It doesn't have a battery to worry about, and it has to be programmed by Vauxhall into the ECU. It's a four-digit code. If the car turns-over but won't start, then the ECU doesn't recognise the key. Vauxhall (and only Vauxhall) can sort this for you for a fee.

The alarm plip is seperate to all that. It controls the Meta M99T alarm-module under the dash. The plip just activates and deactivates the alarm (and central-locking, if fitted).

You can buy new plips off of Ebay (as I did) but they won't work. Each M99T alarm unit has a 16 charactor hex-digit code. e.g. A34C56DBCD17596D programmed into the alarm box. The plip HAS to be programmed with this code or the alarm will ignore it. The code is given to the oroginal owner on a red platic card about the size of a business card. If you loose this 16-digit number (or never had it) and you lose the plips, then the alarm unit needs a back-to-factory reprogramme.

An Ebay purchased plip can be sent to a Meta dealer (such as http://www.abacuscaralarms.co.uk) who should programme the 16-digit code in for you for around £10.

You then have to folow this proceedure: -

Programming 16 digit Single Button Remotes

You will need one working remote to program a new remote into the system. This remote must be enabled by a dealer with a 16 digit code which is supplied on a plastic card, without this code the alarm brain will have to be sent back to be reprogrammed.



1 Arm and disarm the alarm sixteen times or until the alarm stops responding, alarm now in program mode.....

2 Once in program mode press the button of the new remotes(s), press the button of the original remote(s). This must be done within 8 seconds of each action. If 8 seconds pass without any actions the alarm will automatically exit programming mode and you will have to start from step 1.

3 Wait 8 seconds to exit learning mode.

4 Test remotes.



Hope this helps....

Steve

[james141]

Wow thanks Steve So am I right in thinking: 1.) If stolen insurance companies wont pay out without seeing 2 key sets? 2.) The plip is only for the alarm? 3.) If I dont have the red card I cant get a new plip coded? 4.) I will have to go to a vauxhall dealer to get a new key? 5.) To make sure the missing set of keys are not used I would need to have the immobiliser reproggramed by Vauxhall, not much can be done for the alarm? How much does a new key cost? what about an immobiliser reprogram? Is it cheaper to get a new alarm/immobiliser fitted?

[Anarchy]

This card thing, I realized mine did not come with one a few months after getting the car. Went to Vauxhall dealer to get one it cost about £20 and a few days of security checks with Vauxhall. But the card I got does not have a 16 digit code on it? It is a kind of laminated piece of card with no.s for key code with 5 digits, and Immobliser code with 4 digits. Is there another card?

[james141]

This card thing, I realized mine did not come with one a few months after getting the car. Went to Vauxhall dealer to get one it cost about £20 and a few days of security checks with Vauxhall. But the card I got does not have a 16 digit code on it?

It is a kind of laminated piece of card with no.s for key code with 5 digits, and Immobliser code with 4 digits.

Is there another card?

Im fairly sure there is another one for the alarm, the 16 digit code.

Without this code, from what I have read you cant get another key fob.

[Steve Crisp]

In turn then: -

1. I'm not sure if they all do, but my own insurance company (Adrian Flux) would ask to see them if the car was stolen.

2. Yup. The plip is for the alarm (and central locking).

3. If you have one plip, then I would imagine that a Meta-alarm dealer can read it. Ring them and ask, and post their reply on here for future reference.

4. Yup. Keys are from Vauxhall, and only they have the programme codes for the new keys. The actual keys are around £50 and they all seem to charge different sums for programming them in. Gurneys of Newbury quoted me £45 just to programme and I've heard that others don't charge.

5. Vauxhall can deprogramme a key, but a stolen key will open doors and turn-off the steering-lock - but won't start the engine. You can deprogramme a plip from the alarm by using the reprogramme routine in my first mail with just the keys you have.


When I lost my bunch of keys together with my driving licence (with address) in my wallet it cost £1200 to change the locks on my house, the jaguar, and the VX! I was very sad

I wasn't allowed by the insurance company to take the jag on holiday - just in case whoever had my keys followed me on holiday and stole the car - it had to be stored at the Jaguar garage for three weeks whilst they waited for the new locks

Steve

[james141]

OK thanks steve, so if I reprogram the alarm with just my pliper the lost on will no longer be valid? that makes me feel a bit better Are you sure about only vauxhall being able to clone the key? A few web sites I have seen say they can cut the keys and clone the transponder code from another key or the security card? (http://www.remotekey...ll/key-cutting/ 2nd one down) Edit: Just found this info: Vauxhall Key Fob FAQ Since 1993 Vauxhall have used a transponder chip system for the immobiliser, this is a small electronic chip in the top of the key. A receiver unit in the vehicle reads the chip in the key and if the correct code is sent to the engine management control box the vehicle will start. On most Vauxhall's built before 2000, we can copy your working transponder chip. On vehicles after this we need to programme the new chip to the vehicle. To supply a new chipped key after loosing all your keys we need to see your Vauxhall vehicle. No record of the code in the transponder chip is kept by Vauxhall It is not printed on the vehicle security card or car pass. The immobiliser/security code on the Vauxhall car pass is not the transponder chip code. This code is for our computer to access the immobiliser on your Vauxhall, and without this code we cannot programme new keys. If a new transponder key is required after a lost key, the transponder will require specialist diagnostic computers, and the security code found on the car pass. The remote key fobs also need specialist diagnostic computers to programme them to your vehicle. At Remote Key the programming and cutting of Vauxhall keys and remote key fobs only takes 10 to 15 minutes. If your Vauxhall has a remote key fob fitted it does not mean the vehicle is fitted with an alarm. The Vauxhall remote key fob use a moving/rolling code system. Every time the key fob is pressed the code changes, this is to prevent copying. If the key fob is pressed many times away from the vehicle it may lose the code, this also happens if the battery is changed in the remote key fob, or the battery on the vehicle. If this happens follow the battery change procedure. To re-synchronise the key fob after a battery change: Put the key in the ignition, turn ignition on Press any button on the remote key fob for a few seconds then release Turn ignition off and remove key Test remote key fob Note: This method will NOT programme new or used remote key fobs. Do not press the buttons on your Vauxhall remote key fob away from the vehicle. If your car pass - security card is lost it can be obtained from any Vauxhall dealer if you produce your Vauxhall's log book V5, a charge will be made usually £15 to £20. The Vauxhall immobiliser system is very reliable, if your Vauxhall will not start do not instantly blame the immobiliser, check the vehicle battery and fuses first. N.B. Vauxhall remote key fobs are sometimes reffered to as Vauxhall plips, Vauxhall zappers, remotes, remote plips or remote zappers. All of these common phrases can be used to describe a Vauxhall remote key fob.

Edited by james141, 29 May 2007 - 08:08 PM.

[Guy182]

i had all that ''only peugeot can clone the transponder chip'' crap with my 106.. 75 quid for a new key.. went to parkers (local key cutting place) and 18 quid later i had a copy key programmed and it worked 100%...

[james141]

i had all that ''only peugeot can clone the transponder chip'' crap with my 106.. 75 quid for a new key..

went to parkers (local key cutting place) and 18 quid later i had a copy key programmed and it worked 100%...

Yeah this is what I am thinking, I might put the question to a decent key cutter round here to see what is said.

[Steve Crisp]

Ok. what you say makes sense - that there could be places that copy the key you already have. That would mean that it wouldn't need adding to the ECU - I'm happy to accept that. Anarchy - Yes, my previous post should have said five characters for the key - I think its an alpha followed by four numbers? The card they have given you gives VIN, Security Code, Engine no, Key number and radio serial number. Strangely, the security code is only the first four characters of the 16-bit code - which I don't think can be of any use, but maybe a Meta dealer can work out the rest? I could accept that maybe all of the VX's have the remainder as common digits? Steve

[forgotmepassword]

OK. Lost my keys on Friday night. My own fault for being so drunk. Lost house keys, car keys and work keys. What a plonker. I've had the house locks changed already. What's the best thing to do about the car keys? I have the spare set and the spare zapper, but for piece of mind I'd like a spare set and all of it reprogrammed if possible. Can my local Vauxhall garage do this? Cheers,

[vxwanabee]

New key £25, new key fob £90 (approx) took tho TWO MONTHS to get a new one out of Vauxhall as they kept fooking up the order. They coded both to the car for £25. As well as both keys you should have a red little credit card with codes on for the key fob. There is also another separate code for the transponder in the key which Vauxhall will charge a further £20 for the privilege of supplying it to you if you dont have it. i was also told (dont know if it was true or not) that they only have 3 attempts to recode the transponder otherwise you need a new one, so you need to make sure you have the right codes.

Edited by vxwanabee, 03 March 2008 - 01:26 PM.

[covert ops]

James141 Make sure, you have 2 keys 2 fobs and the red security card as mentioned by others. I dropped my alarm fob/which made the alarm intermittent/ and it ended up costing me £650 for 2 keys/fobs/and new alarm code! Worst case scenario of course!! Andy

Edited by covert ops, 03 March 2008 - 01:50 PM.