I bought myself a remote filter from Marty and decided to install it today. I also have a new door latch, which i havent fitted yet due to a missing connector that i'm waiting on coming.

So i tried fitting the filter today and havent had much luck. The remote isnt currently paired, and the RF module was disconnected to stop the usual battery drain issues. I plugged the new box in and reconnected the receiver, and tried to pair the key using the "turn it in the lock and press buttons" approach. It didnt seem to work.

So i figured i would disconnect the new filter, and just connect the receiver in its normal way and try pairing. That also didnt seem to work.

I dug out the nanocom, and opened up the RF menu, and it stated "The BECM has not received a valid radio code". I cleared it and tried pressing the buttons to see if it would change, but it just continued saying the same thing. I dont know if its supposed to update and show a code etc though.

Any idea whats going on? Theres a possibility that the remote pairing isnt working due to the dodgy door lock, it was locking and unlocking mostly fine when i tried, but the latch is iffy and intermittent so maybe thats affecting things, but the BECM saying it hasnt recieved a radio code seems strange?

If the fob and BeCM aren't paired the BeCM won't receive a valid code. It'll receive something but ignore it. The most likely scenario is that the key switch is playing up in the latch so although you are turning the key, the BeCM doesn't realise it. You can check the operation of the switches with the Nano by going into BeCM, Diagnostics, Doors - Locking and it will show you the change of state as each switch is operated.

yeh i tried that menu and it seemed to work fine flicking from 12v to GND when i turned the key. One of the other inputs was being a bit odd though.

From memory there was right central locking switch and left central locking switch, then something like door latch unlock, door latch lock.

The door latch ones were working, but the CDL switches just seemed to say GND all the time.

Ah well, i'll wait until the econoseal shell turns up and sort the latch out, and then try again!

That's your problem then. CDL switch not doing anything. Ordinarily that would change state depending on which way you turn the key so with it not working you can't sync as you can't turn the key both ways. Simple way to test the CDL switch with the Nano is to just sit in the car and push the sill locking button down.

Ok, so the latch is new, seems to work as expected.

Remote still wont pair.

I looked in the manual and it simply says "if car is unlocked, press lock button on fob then lock car with key" I've tried that, and every combination of that i can envisage. Holding the button before during and after turning the key, pressing the button before and after turning the key, trying lock and unlock in succession, but nothing seems to work.

The key LED does light up, and when i first got the car i did successfully manage to pair the key with the car, however due to the well known battery drain issues i unplugged the antenna, which limited the range, and then the battery door came loose in my pocket one day which reset the sync and i never bothered fixing it again as it was near useless with the limited range anyway.

Any ideas? I'm wondering if i can somehow see if the receiver is outputting anything at all when i press the buttons... Scope? Logic Analyser?

I have nothing to add since my FOB will not even light up-- But since Aragorn, you mentioned using your NANO- I am interested in what my NANO is telling me.

You said that your NANO is saying the radio code has not been received by the BECM-- but you can still start your P38. At times mine will say that- but today my NANO is saying that it did receive the radio code under the RF menu and all outstations reported in on the Outstation menu.

If that is the case-- is the RF function of my key working-- or is the BECM getting the radio code from the radio transmitting it some way via RF?

If my FOB is working and the BECM is receiving it-- why does my red light not flash when I push the button or try to sync?

Also-- I went into the BECM ALARM section and went to the last screen. I was under the impression that the NANO can read the immobilizer code, the EKA, and the FOB code. I do not have my EKA code so I was hoping the NANO would tell me what is stored in the BECM.

It gives me a three digit Immobilizer code-- but only blanks for both the EKA and the FOB and just the option to type in the correct numbers.

Is this correct-- the NANO does not give you the stored EKA value? I enabled EKA and disabled EKA and made no difference

Marty will no doubt confirm but I have a feeling the Nano can only read the EKA and FOB codes if the BeCM is unlocked. At the factory it will have been programmed and locked so some features can't be accessed.

If the LED on the fob isn't lighting up, then it isn't transmitting. One fault is that the large round terminal is soldered to the pcb in two places and one place can suffer from dry solder joints. To re-solder it involves the board being removed from the case which sometimes is fairly straightforward just by levering the two halves apart. Other times it puts up a real fight. I resorted to slotting a Stanley knife blade into the joint and squeezing the fob and blade in a vice on one.

Gil-- is there a video or photo sequence which shows this resolder process.

I took the back off and positioned the battery so the edge (+) touched the single leaf spring and the bottom of the battery (-) pressed down on the three leaf springs. Pressed each button and no joy.

So are you saying that the three grounding leaf springs are probably not making good ground to the board and I need to remove- flip it over and reflow solder on the backside to the through pins of the grounding ring?

If you cannot use the NANO to read the EKA from the BECM memory because it is locked out ---I wonder why it is set up for you to print in the EKA. It must be if you buy an unlocked BECM and can load your original.

Guess I will have to try my luck with my local dealer. Although they no longer providing programmed key fobs for our P38's- I hope they still provide the EKA. For now, I have disabled the EKA with my NANO. But to turn off the immobilizer with the NANO I need the EKA

MarkTr wrote:

Gil-- is there a video or photo sequence which shows this resolder process.

Not that I've seen I'm afraid.

I took the back off and positioned the battery so the edge (+) touched the single leaf spring and the bottom of the battery (-) pressed down on the three leaf springs. Pressed each button and no joy.

Battery? Singular? It needs 6V from two CR2023 batteries in series so just using one will only give it 3V and it won't work.

So are you saying that the three grounding leaf springs are probably not making good ground to the board and I need to remove- flip it over and reflow solder on the backside to the through pins of the grounding ring?

Yes, you've got it. Although all three go to ground it uses the contact as a jumper to connect three separate ground tracks together

If you cannot use the NANO to read the EKA from the BECM memory because it is locked out ---I wonder why it is set up for you to print in the EKA. It must be if you buy an unlocked BECM and can load your original.

No idea, ask Colin who designed the Nanocom, he may know why the feature is there.

Guess I will have to try my luck with my local dealer. Although they no longer providing programmed key fobs for our P38's- I hope they still provide the EKA. For now, I have disabled the EKA with my NANO. But to turn off the immobilizer with the NANO I need the EKA

A main dealer over here can connect to the LR database and supply a printout for the car from the VIN giving the EKA, radio code, lockset barcode and various other details on the car. They will only supply it if you take in a registration document in your name though. You can't turn off the immobiliser, only passive immobilisation. Passive immobilisation is where it sets the immobiliser if you don't start the car within 60 seconds of unlocking it.

I’ve not seen my eka when playing around,
I saw a 3 digit security code, but eka was empty, don’t want to play as I don’t have my code.

Whaaat--- 6V.

Now that puts it in my more stupid mistakes ledger.

The guy I bought P38 from said he was all set to sync the key before he sold it to me but my hauler got to his house before he could do it. Said just lock it and push the lock button and all will be good.

So when the FOB did not blink- I simply replaced the Battery--- not Batteries. There was only one battery installed so I did not question.

Never had a Fob with two stacked batteries. I have to download a 2000 Owner's manual and read it.

But----Still did not sync using the turn the key to lock and hold down the lock button method. Red LED flashing away but no joy!

I have read so many different sync methods-- is this the one to use on a 2000?

Looks like I have a second generation RF receiver and it is connected.

Will be checking all of the micro switches in the door tomorrow which has to be the issue.

Thanks again Gil---

Hmm, didn't you think that the battery was a bit loose and rattling around? A 2000 should have passive sync enabled so the fob is caused to transmit when the key is put in the ignition by the coil around the lock. So when you put the key in, the LED on the fob should flash. However, it won't if you have turned off passive immobilisation in the BeCM and that can also affect manually syncing it. You need to hold the button on the fob down for a couple of seconds until the LED flashes quickly if doing it in the door.

If it still doesn't work then you could well have a problem with one of the latch switches.

Thanks Gil--- inserted the key in the door - locked- and pressed down the lock button resulting in rapid blinking but no sync. Did not know about the key in ignition. With two batteries it will autoflash provided I turn on passive immobilization?

Not sure I like this passive immobilization-

The factory assumes you were going to start the motor if you unlocked the door- which may be the more common sequence-- but if you unlock and then walk away to get the paper- then the car goes into lockdown mode after 60 seconds. Then what do you do-- press the unlock button again even though it is unlocked? Will the alarm go off if you just open the door?

You've got it but it doesn't go into lockdown, it just re-enables the immobiliser. On an early car, if you unlocked the car, opened a door but didn't start the car within 60 seconds it would re-enable the immobiliser (but not the alarm), when you turned the key to start, the starter wouldn't do anything and it came up with Enter Code or Press Remote on the dash. You pressed the unlock button on the remote and that allowed you to start the car. If the fob wasn't working for whatever reason, you had to enter the EKA code. Mine was like that for at least the first 5 years of ownership (until I bought the Nanocom) and I got into the habit of pressing unlock just before putting the key in whether I needed to or not. On the later ones like yours, you unlock the car and no matter how long it was between unlocking and trying to start the car, as soon as you put the key in the ignition the coil causes the fob to transmit negating the need for you to press the button, it did it for you. As soon as you turn off passive immobilisation then it doesn't cause the fob to transmit as there is no need for it to as it isn't going to be immobilised anyway. All fine except it has been found that on some cars it won't allow you to sync the fob if passive immobilisation is turned off.

Sounds like you need to find someone with a nanocom nearby so passive can be switched back on to sync the keys, the later ones ( 99 onwards) normally sync themselves, today I put new battery in my car, left it 30 minutes till led display cleared keycode lockout, opened with key, cranked it and the key sync’d straight away.

Ps, change that rf receiver before it catches you out

Chris-I do have a NANO- and while getting to know it better I believe I only turned off the EKA. Since I do not have the EKA code I felt --why not.

Without the EKA code number, I do not think I can turn off the Passive immobilizer using the NANO. I mentioned that I wanted to turn off the main immobilizer and Gil explained to me that with my basic NANO I can turn only off the Passive immobilizer ---if I had the EKA code.

Much to catch up on-- thanks for your insight. Tomorrow I will make sure the EKA and the passive immobilizer are enabled and see if putting the key in the ignition will auto sync for me-- now that I have two batteries in my FOB.

Turning off passive imombilisation also disables what is called 'friendly syncing' on the later cars. That is what will automatically sync an un-synced key when put into the ignition barrel.

Thread seems to have sidetracked slightly from OP here, but I can test keys for both transmitting anything at all, and what actual data (including the fob codes etc) is being spat out. I can even go so far as to programme this into a BECM and test the key will sync with it if required.

The nanocom will only display your EKA if it is unlocked - that is, the programming is unlocked. Not the vehicle locking/unlocking. From the factory, your BECM will be locked. Unlocking it is not possible with a Nanocom and in 99% of end-user cases, is not required.

This won't prevent you from enabling/disabling any other settings - however the vehicle must be in an unlocked state that is not requiring the EKA to be input (that is, if the vehicle starts and runs, you're probably good to go changing settings).

@Sloth: Do you know what comes out of the data line on the receiver? I think as a starting point, i'm going to try connecting up the scope to that line and see if something comes out when i press the button.

Its interesting you say you can code keys to the BECM, its one of the supposedly "impossible" tasks on a P38, and yet i've stumbled across a few mentions of it being possible online. Does this need some custom hardware? Or is it possible with normal diagnostic kit?

I do, but I'd rather not post up too much publicly. Feel free to PM me if you want - I can try and assist.

Programming other keys to the BECM requires a) the BECM to be in an unlocked state and b) to know the fob code of the remote lockset you wish to programme in.

Unlocking the BECM needs a Faultmate and the SM035 module. This requires a direct connection to the MCU in the BECM, via soldered on leads to the logic board.

Sloth wrote:

I do, but I'd rather not post up too much publicly. Feel free to PM me if you want - I can try and assist.

Programming other keys to the BECM requires a) the BECM to be in an unlocked state and b) to know the fob code of the remote lockset you wish to programme in.

Unlocking the BECM needs a Faultmate and the SM035 module. This requires a direct connection to the MCU in the BECM, via soldered on leads to the logic board.

Sloth, does this mean you could theoretically program a fob from a scrapper to work with any BeCM? If so, is it a service you could offer? I can offer you first place in future burger queues :)