Dear All!

I have a very strange problem with one key that I have for my 2003 3.0 automatic sedan X-type.

I bought the car with only 1 key. I bought one key of a salvaged car and had it programmed to the car. I am using this key, while the remaining original is the backup.

One morning I was not able to open the car with this "new" key - both the remote and the direct locking failed. So I picked up the backup which opened the car. I tried the "new" it was still not able to close the car. Then I put it into the ignition, and it was able to start the car, and than to close/open again. It worked fine for the entire day. This keeps happening ever since. Each morning the "new" key cannot open the car, but once it is opened by the spare and I put it into the ignition it returns to normal operation.

I took it to a key specialist who replaced a few buttons because they were wearing out, but this did not solve the problem.
The battery is good.
The manual locking does not work at all even when the remote function does.

Any ideas?

thank you
Laci

 

Check the metal shutter inside the keyhole on the steering column is moving freely. If it is stuck it will inhibit some functions of the key.

 

Dear Davespacebat,

Thank you for the idea, I will chack. But since the other key is always working fine, I do not hink this will solve it, but I will check anyway.

 

Mine does this too except I have both keys that the car originally came with. New batteries and reprogrammed both keys several times even disconnected car battery and done all the good ol resetting stuff many times. But after a day or every now and then maybe two days the same key quits working again until I at least unlock and relock the car with the other remote then the other will work again.

 

Perhaps the car's battery power saver is kicking in.

 

JagV8 - Okay, but than why with only one key, why always the same?

I had a 1600 km journey last week. 700 km down to Italy, I kept the keys in a locker for 2 days, than further 100, only to keep the kleys in a locker for 3 days. The key worked just fine for the entire time. Not a single once did we need the backup.
I came back home, unloaded the vehicle, closed it, than wanted to open it again 10 mins later - boom, the same key lost it again. Whats going on?

 

Fault with the key if only one does it.

 

Update:
In the past two months this get worse and worse. I chacked the battery multiple times, and it always showed charge around 3.4 V, quite good for a 3V battery. The key-shop comfirmed that the battery was ok. So yesterday I ended up replacing the battery anyway since the key no longer acted as a remote control but worked fine otherwise. The new battery was measured at 4,5V, and now the key works fine again.