Hey guys,
Hope everyone's well.
I think I've had my first brush with key fob shenanigans.
I was working on the car this afternoon, fitting the trim back in after fitting the new fan controller and refurbed switchpack and HEVAC controller. So I had two key fobs with me, both sitting on the top of the dash. After I'd finished, I put one key into the ignition, tried to start the car and got the engine disabled message.... and this was the original key that used to do everything. Puzzled.
But maybe I should go back to the beginning:
When I got the car I was given three fobs - we'll call them 1, 2 and 3.
Fob 1 was the only one I was using. The other two were in the house. I thought they were actually broken/dead batteries, but I was also concerned that relying on just #1 was a bit risky. Examining #2 and #3 I discovered the little red light was working on both. Result! So I took #2 down, synched it with the car just be sticking it in the ignition and had 2 good keys. Happy chappy.

So, today. Fobs 1 and 2 are clipped together (don't ask me why). Opened the car, drove it into the garage, took the keys out and left them on the dash. Because of the work, I had 2 or 3 of the doors being opened and shut frequently.

Finished the work, went to start the car, picked up the fobs, put #1 into the ignition, and got the engine disabled; press fob message. Tried pressing the buttons on fob #1 and it did absolutely nothing.

In the end I put fob #2 into the ignition, started the car, parked and locked it, with fob #2. Fob #1 - the original one I was using from the begining will now not lock or unlock the doors - but will start the car again!?

I thought synchronising was as simple as putting the key into the ignition?

I did look at the drivers manual - but couldn't find anything helpful in there.

I'm hoping it's something simple - but any advice on what I might have done wrong? Hopefully I've explained things clearly enough.

Ta

Donald

What happened then? Were you able to sync it again?

Hi GD,

Not so far. If I open the car, with fob #2, I can put #1 into the ignition and start the engine, but it still won't lock the car using the buttons. I thought that putting the key in the ignition was enough to synchronise it - that certainly worked very easily with key #2 when I put it back into service.

Having said that, a few hours have passed. Let me nip out now and see if things have changed.

Nope - still the same.

Out to the car; tried to open it with key #1 (the original one) - nothing.

Opened it with key #2, put key #1 into the ignition and started the car with it (momentarily) and all was OK. Switched the engine off, key #1 out of the ignition; tried to lock the doors with it - nope. The lights on the fob are working, but the car's not doing anything.

Locked the car with #2, no problems there.

So somehow, the original key, #1, will still start the car but won't work the doors...?

Edit - should maybe had said earlier - it's a 2000 year vehicle, so 'smart synch' should work...?

Fob #2 is synced but #1 isn't so as long as you unlock with #2, then the immobiliser is off so it starts relying solely on the bit of metal with a wiggly groove in it. Smart sync doesn't always work, so you will need to do the manual sync.

Unlock the car first with #'2 so it is unlocked and the immobiliser turned off. Put #1 key in the drivers door, turn to lock, hold there and while holding there, press and hold the Lock button on the fob until the LED starts to flash faster. Release the fob button, then turn the key back to centre. Then turn to unlock, hold and while holding, press and hold the Unlock button on the fob until the LED flashes faster, release the fob button, turn the key back to centre and it should now be synced.

One thing to remember is that originally the car would have been supplied with 4 keys, numbered 1 to 4. 1 and 2 will set the memory seats while 3 and 4 won't. If at any time since a replacement key has been purchased it will likely be a 3 or 4 key but you can't have two keys with the same number synced at the same time. So if you have two number 3 keys both will sync but they can't both be synced at once, it will be one or the other

Hi GD,

Thanks for that. Followed these instructions earlier today, and everything's now working fine. Back to having 2 keys that work. Really appreciate that.

Maybe those instructions aren't in my driver's handbook, because it's supposed to smart synch. Anyway, now I know.

On the point about the car coming with 4 keys, mine's a pretty lowline spec, so no memory seats. But is it possible that the third fob I have will also synch along with the other two?

Ta

Donald

If the third fob is an original supplied with the car, it should sync. The process for syncing is the 'secret' method that an LR dealer will often charge you £50 'programming' fee.

You will probably have to sync the 3rd fob aswell, like the other 2 - and as long as it isn't the same key # as one of the other two, then it should be fine and you'll have 3 working fobs. If it is the same as one of the others, then it will de-sync one of the others, and you'll only be able to have 2 of them synced at the same time (but the other one will be a good spare to have!)

It's entirely possible that passive immobilisation has been turned off on your vehicle, which also disables the 'friendly sync' of the fobs. It could also be possible that if passive immobilisation IS enabled, then there is an issue in fob 1 which means that it's not receiving the pulse from the ignition to then send a code. There is a little inductor on the fob PCB which picks up the pulse, and especially on earlier fobs it seems, they had a habit of coming off the board.