Dud Keys!

General General Lotus Talk
1

Has anyone else had problems with the remote key failing? My original slowly died, new batteries made no difference so I started to use the spare, now this has completely died and again, new batteries don’t make any difference… without it, I can’t even start the car…argh!

I’ll speak to B&C, but just wondering if anyone else has had similar problems.

Cheers,
Phil

2

bleedin heck, that’s a bit worrying

i never heard of this problem before…

hope ypou get it sorted and can let us know the cause…

3

I think I remember hearing something about them being “interfered” with by mobile phones… But then I may have dreamed it pops another morphine tablet

4

I too have had the exact same problem - it was the day before a track day which wasnt ideal. The only way around it is by hot wiring it (fairly tricky) OR taking it to Factory / Lotus dealer and they will then arrange to have a whole new immobilizer unit fitted - which will mean two new keys. I originally went through the problem that I was sent new keys that had been coded to my immobilizer number - this obviously did not work… I seem to remember a new unit costing about �300 (will double check that though). If you have at least one key it is okay but if both have gone then there is no way round it !

Good luck…

5

Thinking about it… What’s the red card you get with you keys? With a funny code on? Have you got that? Anything to do with that?

6

Mark, do you mean that red card you get on the pitch?
laters,
B

7

LOL! Don’t think it’s that one… I normally just get black flags waved at me tho’

I’ll see if I can find it tom and take a pic

9

OK, found it! It’s a red credit card sized thing with “CODE CARD” embossed on one side and “Caution: Keep this code in a safe place” on the other side (in French, Spanish, English and German)…

Looks like:

[image]http://m-theory.co.uk/Exige/CodeCard.jpg[/image]

10

Yeah, I’ve got one of those too, along with a little tag that was attached to the key which has the 'mechanical’code number (i.e. so that you can physically match the key).

The plastic card holds, according to my handbook, the electronic code number for the transmitter. However, the handbook/service manual goes on to say that if you have the ‘Meta’ alarm system fitted that this has ‘Dynamic Coding’ whereby each time the transmitters are used the operating frequency is randomly changed to guard against the possibility of code copying’ (or possibily legitimate transmitter replacement! what Phil does I do not know)

I’ve got a ‘Meta’ system on my car and I’m now beginning to get worried! (although both keys seem to work OK at the moment. I guess I’ll be doing some battery changing soon!)

Good luck

Regards

11

I think mine is a meta as well… Pretty sure anyway, got the extra bit on the ECU…

shrug

12

When I got my car last year it only had one key. As part of the deal the dealer supplied me a second key. They came and tried to program it to the car. But it failed. No idea why, but only one key starts it.

Anyway, the key fobs need programming to the immobaliser thing, there is a sequence (the dealers will tell you) if yours has gone flat it may have lost the program.

Good luck

13

Unfortunatley I have the sequence sheet for reprogramming the key and it still does not work. The key was a second key provided by the main dealer as the orginal one was broken.