Whilst this blog covers the Ford Transit and Transit Custom models there are other Ford vehicles that this guide applies to (Tourneo, Ranger and Transit Connect for example).

What are the symptoms of this fault?

Either the key will not turn in the ignition, you’re not able to get the key in or your key is stuck in the ignition barrel. All three symptoms usually have the same cause!

Why does this happen?

There are two main causes of this issue:

• The pins or wafers inside the ignition barrel wear and no longer make contact with the key. This causes them to sit at the wrong height which causes all of the above issues! See the below picture for what the wear on the pin actually looks like.
• The key blade is worn and so is not making proper contact on the pins.

In 90% of cases it is a combination of both of the above issues.

How do I fix the problem?

You need a new ignition barrel and/or a new key blade cut to original manufacturer specifications. Ford sell these ignition barrels as a kit that needs to be built to your existing key.

Do not buy aftermarket ignition barrels. The metal is terrible quality and before long you will be replacing it with a genuine Ford part

Does my vehicle need to go to the main dealers?

No. We stock genuine Ford ignition barrels and high quality key blades. We can come to you, remove your seized ignition barrel, decode your worn key to ascertain the original manufacturer cut heights, build you a new ignition barrel that will match your existing locks, and cut you a new key blade.

How long does it take?

It’s a same-day service! Please just give us a call on 01732758302 or 07776222722 to book.

The Isuzu Grafter uses a unique key blank that we now keep in stock. The vehicle is also fitted with a factory immobiliser system. This immobiliser system reads a small transponder chip embedded into the head of the key when you turn the ignition to the ‘on position’ – the immobiliser then tells the main engine computer (ECU) whether to start the engine or not. If the chip is programmed then the vehicle will start; likewise, if the chip is unprogrammed or blank then the vehicle will refuse to start.

Lost Keys – No Spare

In normal circumstances if you have lost all keys then the owner of the vehicle would have to have their vehicle recovered to an Isuzu dealership, order a key, wait several working days for the key to arrive and then pay to have it programmed to the vehicle. Not only is this very costly – you could potentially lose the use of the vehicle for a week or more.

But don’t worry! We can attend the vehicle at it’s current location, cut a key to your existing locks and program a chip to start your engine – all of this can usually be done as a same day service!

So if you need Isuzu Grafter keys then call us on 01732 758302 for a quote.

Read more about our lost car or van key services.

This article covers the following vehicles:

Ford Ranger: 1998 -2011
Ford Ranger (T6): 2011 – 2015
Mazda BT-50: 1998 – 2011

The Ford Ranger and Mazda BT-50 (1998-2011) use a solid head key with a transponder chip embedded in the head of the key (see below picture). This transponder chip sends a signal through the coil, located around the ignition barrel, down to a separate immobiliser box – which allows your vehicle to start.

Ford Ranger Key

When adding new keys to these vehicles, in a ‘lost key situation’, the keys must be programmed to the immobiliser system using a very tricky manual procedure. This procedure is so tricky in fact that we are regularly asked by other auto locksmiths, garages and even main dealers to code these keys for them!

If you have lost all keys to either a Mazda BT-50 or a Ford Ranger (1998 – 2011) then the key replacement process once we arrive on site will be as follows:

• Decode the vehicle’s door lock and cut a key to gain entry.
• Read the vehicle’s unique immobiliser serial and send off for an immobiliser programming code (this takes up to 20 mins to arrive).
• Program all keys to the vehicle.
• Hand keys over to a very happy customer and collect payment.

When all keys are lost it is necessary to program a genuine Ford or Mazda key into key slot 1. All lost or stolen keys that are not present at the time of programming will be erased from the system and will no longer start the vehicle once the programming process has been completed.

We are now able to offer a cheaper alternative when creating spare keys for these vehicles, we can clone the key data from your existing key and copy it onto another key – this means a huge saving on dealer prices for spare Ford Ranger keys (and of course Mazda BT-50 spare keys too).

Ford Ranger (T6) 2011 – 2015

The current Ford Ranger vehicles have seen a major security update. They now use high security locks (seen on vehicles such as the latest Range Rovers and Aston Martins), they also use the latest Ford immobiliser system.

We keep remotes for the later Ford Ranger vehicles in stock (see below picture). We can replace any lost or stolen keys or provide you with spare keys in no time at all. Lost/stolen keys will be erased from the vehicle’s memory during programming and will no longer start the vehicle or open it remotely.

Ford Ranger 2011-2015 remote key.

Please give us a ring if you have any enquiries on 01732 758302 or 07776 222 722.

NOTE 1: Please check our  ‘areas covered’ page to see if you fall within our catchment area. We do not travel outside of this set area. Customers outside this area must arrange recovery to Westerham, Kent if they would like us to fix their vehicle.

NOTE 2: The only vehicle affected by the below issue is the Corsa D. No other vehicle in the Vauxhall range is affected. 

The Vauxhall Corsa D was made between 2006 and 2014, the problem I’m about to describe usually only affects the vehicles made in the earlier years of this time period (up to around 2009).

What are the symptoms of this fault?

The car will not start. You will also notice a flashing light on the dash – a car with a spanner through the centre (see picture below).

Corsa D immobiliser light.

The car will also store some or all of the following fault codes:

P1632 – Wrong Transponder Key
P1678 – ECM (Engine Control Module) Identification Failed
P1679 – Wrong Environment Identifier Received BCM (Body Control Module)
B3114 – Remote Key Not Synchronized
B3925 – Wrong Environment Identifier Received IPC (Instrument Cluster)
B3929 – Wrong Environment Identifier Received SDM (Airbag)
B3977 – Wrong Environment Identifier Received ECM (Engine Control Module)

When does the fault occur?

This fault occurs when attempting to start the vehicle with a flat battery.

What does the fault mean?

When attempting to start the vehicle with a flat battery the BCM (Body Control Module) has insufficient power to perform it’s functions and the data held on this module corrupts. Now, with the data corrupted, it can no longer communicate correctly with the other modules in the car – it see’s the BCM as an ‘unmatched part’ and considers this a security risk – the vehicle is now immobilsed.

BCM – The Body Control Module is responsible for multiple functions on the vehicle  – immobiliser, remote central locking, windscreen wipers, headlights, indicators etc…

ECM – The Engine Control Module is responsible for monitoring and controlling all major aspects of your engine – fuel, air, ignition etc…

IPC – The Instrument Cluster contains your speedometer, rev counter and dash warning lights (the part behind your steering wheel).

SDM – The Airbag Module is a safety module controlling your airbags.

How do I fix the problem?

Genuine Tech 2 Vauxhall diagnostics are needed to fix this issue. The BCM (Body Control Module) must be reset and reprogrammed to match the other security modules within the vehicle.

Does my car need to go to the main dealers?

No! We have genuine Tech 2 diagnostics and can fix this problem for you in no time at all. We have fixed this common problem many times already.

How much does it cost?

We charge a flat rate of £150+VAT for this service (see areas covered page). No hidden costs. Please feel free to give us a ring!

We are pleased to announce that we are now able to offer a solution for lost keys on the L322 chassis Range Rover. We can even offer you this solution if you have no keys at all for the vehicle; you’ll get a brand new three button remote flip key to replace the one you’ve lost.

At present we are only able to offer this service to Range Rovers fitted with BMW engines, these engines are:

BMW M62 4.4l V8 Petrol (2002-2006)
BMW M57 3.0l TD6 Diesel (2002-2006)

The above vehicles are fitted with BMW’s EWS immobiliser system. We can write new keys directly to the immobiliser box – this is a same-day solution!

So whether you’ve lost your keys, had them stolen, or simply just need a spare Range Rover key please give us a ring on 01732 758 302.

UPDATE: After a number of requests we are now able to disable stolen or lost keys on the above vehicles. Your lost/stolen keys will never be able to start your vehicle again.

The 4a63 fault code is unique to BMW vehicles.

What are the symptoms of this fault?

The car will turn over but not start.

When does the fault occur?

It usually occurs when trying to start the vehicle with a dead battery, but there have been reports of it happening whilst changing the drive battery too.

What does the fault mean?

The vehicle’s ECU and Immobiliser system have ‘lost synchronisation’. In other words the main engine computer is no longer getting the message it needs from the immobilser to start the vehicle.

People have been talking about DME, EWS and CAS. What are they talking about!?

BMW have helpfully named the parts in their cars differently from all other manufacturers, here’s a quick guide:

DME (Digital Motor Electronics) – This is the name for the vehicle’s Engine Control Unit or ECU. It controls all major aspects of your engine and receives reports from all other computerised units in the vehicle.

EWS (Electronic Drive-Away Protection) – This is the vehicle’s immobiliser and stops people driving your vehicle with an unprogrammed key. Late BMW’s, that use a slot key, now have a different immobiliser system called ‘CAS’ – the 4a63 fault code will usually still mention ‘EWS’ on these vehicles though.

CAS (Car Access System) – This is an updated immobilser and anti-theft system. It’s only found on vehicles that use the newer ‘slot-in-the-dash’ keys.

How do I fix the problem?

BMW diagnostics are needed to reset the values in both the DME and the EWS or CAS, this will resync the two units so they can talk to each other again.

Does my car need to go to the main dealers?

No. Autolox are on hand to fix this problem! We have the necessary diagnostics and knowledge to get your BMW back on the road again. We have already helped lots of customers in this exact same situation.

How much does it cost?

We charge a flat rate of £150+VAT for this service. No hidden costs. Please feel free to give us a ring!

Smart Cars have a very clever built in system that tells you when the key fob battery is running low and requires changing. When unlocking the car the indicators will flash nine times – and the car will unlock.

The problem is, most customers don’t know about this nifty little feature. Most people also don’t realise that the vehicle’s immobiliser is controlled by the remote. Once the key fob’s battery completely runs out, the remote will lose sync with the vehicle and you will no longer be able to start the car –even if you change the battery!

So what’s the solution to this problem?

Well, the first thing to try is to change the key fob’s battery. There’s a chance that your dead battery still has enough life in it to stay synced to your vehicle. I will list the types of battery needed for each model at the end of this article.

If the above doesn’t work then it’s time to get your key re-synced to your vehicle. This requires expensive diagnostic equipment and needs to be done by a professional. Fortunately Autolox can do this for you quickly and cheaply. We come to you and will have your Smart Car back on the road the very same day.

So if you are in this situation – please just give me a ring and speak to an experienced locksmith on 07776 222 722.

Types of Battery

Early 600cc (One button key) = 2x CR2016
Fortwo 600cc = CR1225
Fortwo 700cc = CR1225
Fortwo 800cc = CR1225
Fortwo 999cc = CR2016
Forfour = CR2016
Roadster = CR1225
Crossblade = CR1225

We also stock and sell a huge range of Renata car key batteries.