Hi,

I have had my x-type sportwagon for almost two months now, and am loving it, especially in the snow and ice of a Utah winter. (But this year we need MORE SNOW...)

When I got the car, only one of the two fobs (remotes) was working, though both keys work fine in both the doors and ignition. I thought the dead fob needed a battery and reprogramming. With a fresh battery I followed the instructions in the FAQ on this forum to try to reprogram both fobs, but no joy.

I decided to try a new fob, and got one online from Remotez4less, as mentioned in several posts on this forum. I tried programming this fob, but again, no joy.

I followed the instructions on the FAQ to insert the key in the ignition and move from position I to II and back again 4 times, then remove the key. I expected to hear a confirmation beep from the car, but never do. Since the driver door is open during reprogramming, I am getting the ongoing "door open" chime, so perhaps the confirmation beep is getting lost in the noise, but I don't think so.

I have tried a few variations on the instructions, closing the drivers door, alternating the key movement 5 times instead of 4 etc, but don't see any difference.

Any advice about what I might be doing wrong or why the car does not seem to go into "programming" mode?

Thanks,
Eric

 

Sounds like you are doing it correctly??

Maybe your GEM is faulty??

Here are some TSBs we got years ago.

bob gauff

 

Thanks Bob,

Is there any way to confirm the GEM is working or faulty? The one functioning fob seems to work perfectly and I don't see any warning lights on.

 

just wondering if anyone has any ideas about this?

thanks

 

Hi Eric,

This is a shot in the dark but have you tried a hard reset?

Disconnect the battery and then try again?

What I'm thinking is something is "blocking the signal". Are you near another car, or under a remote locking garage?

Try to switch everything off while you are trying?

Good luck, Stu

 

Thanks Stuart,

I was thinking about the "hard reboot" option of disconnecting the battery for a few hours. I had not thought about the possibility of interference, I am inside a garage with a remote opener, and the car actually has the programmable opener on the overhead console. I'll disconnect the opener and try that too.

BTW, hows Perth this winter? Much snow at Glenshee? It's been a while since I went skiing there. I heard they are having a good ski season this year. I'm originally from Clydebank, then moved out to the Balloch area before wandering around the world a bit and ending up here in Utah.

Awrabest,
Eric

 

Wow,

I bet you have quite a story, much more exciting than mine?

The weather in Perth is a bit like a popular Scottish band a while back now...
WET WET WET!

I actually haven't been skiing this year and according to friends, there has hardly been any at all, even though the die-hards will still go, are you that breed Eric?

Miserable, Yes Yes Yes, sadly but we remain hopeful since the floods in the south have decimated and destroyed communities and completely cut them off, so in essence we are lucky!

I was changing my oil/filter and giving my baby a once-over and it took a few days instead of a few hours because the wind and rain would not stop!!

Mind you, it took me 2 hours to get the ruddy filter off!!

But thats done now, just need to find the cash for air filter and fuel filter?

I havent been to Glasgow for a while but miss the place like a second home, I love rock music Eric and Glasgow is definately the place to go!

I think you are a lot better off where you are, well I hope so?

Re the issue, I think your garage remote is sending you on a goose chase, try re-doing the reprogramming elsewhere or pull the electrics to your garage for ten minutes?

Hey ho, hope it works and by the way Scotland is beautiful, apart from the economical climate and politics that are going downhill, so I shouldn't go there!!

Lang may yer lum reek! Cheers Eric , Stu

 

Talk about service.

I came on to find out why my key had stopped working and a new battery didn't fix it.

I went out and tried the reprogramme and it's now working fine.

Thanks guys.

Unfortunately the second key, which has never worked, is still refusing to cooperate.

 

Hi det,

If the key worked fine before the service, I would be asking questions but that's just me!

Have you opened up the insides to see if there is any tell-tale damage like a black nodule on the chip board or anything else that doesn't look right?

I would suggest to get the other checked as I know some rely on one,with my history, I would certainly look into it.

Good luck! Stu

 

Hi Stu

When I said service I meant the service I get from the members here. The op had just posted and had a reply within the past few hours and I didn't even have to search for help.

I have had the other key to bits and there is some blackening on the circuit board so I expect it needs more than a battery or a reprogramme, but it was worth a try.

 

Stuart,

Great reply, thanks, I loved it.

I suppose you could call me a diehard, or dyed-in-the-wool, when it comes to skiing. I started in Glencoe when I was 15 and have never stopped, and I'm a lot older than that now :-)) I think you have to have a bit of diehard in you to ski in Scotland, thanks to the weather, but some of my best ski day memories come from there nevertheless. Utah claims to have the "best snow on earth", and after twenty odd years here I have to agree, but at times, it also has some of the worst too.

Haven't had a chance to try reprogramming again yet, I was skiing today and there was also some sort of football game on today, or so I heard.

Time for a nice glass of malt to unwind....

 

Thank you Eric,

CHEERS!

I havent the time at the moment but I'll have a look for some info for you.

To Eric and Det, You can solder the board after carefully prizing off the protective clear cover but to be more precise, Ill have a dig!!
Watch this space Eric!! Tomorrow should be good!

Slange var! Stu

 

Eric,
The programming instructions state that you should turn the key from position I to position III then I, 4 times then you should hear the confirmation. You said you tried I to II, position 2 is the accessory position, position III is RUN or ON. I've prorammed a couple of FOBs that way and it always worked for me. Try it and let us know.

 

The '03 I just acquired is having the keyfob issue...there was only one key and remote with the car when I bought it. I originally thought it might just be a dead battery and so I bought the replacement last night. I have not yet tried the reprogramming, and so cannot rule out that resolving my issue.

Given my VIN falling within the range on the Bulletin, which dates to 2004, would a replacement still be available or would the solution contained in the Bulletin to resolve an 'internal chip fault' be something that died with the expiration of the warranty many moons ago?

ETA: did the reprogramming when I went out for a lunch a little while ago...appears to have worked, at least for now.

 

I'll interject real quick as I had a similar problem - mine turned out to be that I purchased a FOB that was 433.92MHZ which apparently is only for Europe. When After figuring out the problem, I purchased a FOB with the proper US frequency that matched by car and the programming worked in a heartbeat.

Something easy to check.

BTW: I have two 433MHZ FOBs going cheap!

 

Hi again Guys,
Sorry I went AWOL the last few days but to have an idea of a duff keyfob without seeing anything "not quite right!", you may want to check if the ECU recognizes when you try the 2 stage lock/unlock sequence before going further as long as the battery is good??

Hold the lock and unlock buttons at the same time for over 5 seconds and you should see/hear the indicators flash twice and that will show you have communication.

The 2 stage locking is purely to change when you want the car to unlock all the doors or just the driver with 1 or 2 clicks and if in doubt always double-click to lock just in case your rear is wide open!!

For what it's worth, I sympathise in these situations but help is always at hand here!!

Good luck and safe journeys in you fine machines!!! Stu