Key broke/warning light ??

[michaelg]

Key snapped in the ignition the other night 

Thankfully i was still able to get the car started with a pair of pliers as there was still some of the key sticking out.

Anyways i was quoted 90 quid for a new key ,
Instead i got a regular key cut for a tenner and just attached the old key fob to it with a key ring, will do as a spare.

My question is, when i use this new key the key warning light comes on, However the van will start and operate as normal.
Will this key/transponder be ok to use long term or should i be concerned about the warning light ?

Cheers

[jj9]

So you are using the new regular key with the fob from the old broken key on the key ring when the key warning light comes on...... Could it be that the transponder in the fob isn't quite close enough to the receiver?

Try holding the fob as close as you can to the ignition barrel and see if that makes any difference to the key warning light.


.

[michaelg]

Cheers mate, I'll try that,
Its a bit unusual that the van will start anyway, even with the warning light coming on ?
I thought the point of the transponder was so the van would not start without it ?

[cancunia]

I read somewhere else (can't remember where) that someone with the same problem had put the transponder part from the old key somewhere hidden inside the steering column. Just like yours the new key worked fine, not sure about the warning light. Maybe as noted above it's just a bit far away from the ignition lock / transponder reader?

[michaelg]

Is the transponder in the key battery powered ? I might crack open the fob and tape the transponder next to the ignition.

[Tomcat3]

No its not powered if you have a remote fob open it up and look in the corner on its own about the size of a grain of rice. Don't break it getting it out and swap it to another fob. If its a manual key look at the key where the blade goes in and you should see a little square in the plastic. This can be picked out and the chip is in there.

[michaelg]

Cheers chaps, got the chip out of the old fob, will look for a place in the van to attach it to tomorrow.

[Tomcat3]

If you take the cowl of the steering column you will see a black ring with wiring going from it around the ignition barrel, this is what the chip has to communicate with. So if you stick it close to that with some gaffa tape to car should start using your new key.