UKC

I managed to break my car key last night and don't have a spare.

Fortunately I've got both both pieces still.

I've just rang an auto locksmith who has told me to go to Timpsons or whereever and they will cut me a new key, which I can fit the immobilisers chip for the old key to.

However last time I tried this (when I temporarily lost my car keys) the guy at Timpsons refused to cut me one, stating it was illegal. I told this to the auto locksmith, who said it was "tosh."

Anyone got any expirence of this?


Cheers,

In reply to Captain Gear:
The man in timpsons is talking crap. He just wants to sell you a new key with chip for ~£40. Try a different locksmith.

In reply to Captain Gear:

I had no problem when I snapped my camper van key. However the first one didn't work so I went to another key cutter to try again. No one mentioned anything about it being illegal.

Does anyone know how the immobilisers chips work?

If the broken key stub is attached to the new key via a key ring, will the car still work?

Or does the immobilisers need to be attached to the actual key to start the engine?

In reply to Captain Gear:

It's a proximity thing - there will be a little cylinder or similar inside you old key which you need to remove and either fit to your new key or fix permanently to a suitable spot on the steering column/ignition (which of course makes your car easier to steal). Quite how close it needs to be to the corresponding part in the ignition varies from car to car

In reply to Captain Gear:


There's an antenna loop in the steering column, the key just has to be close. How close will be a matter for experimentation but you should be ok. If hanging it on a key ring fails tape the old key stump to the new one while you arrange for a proper replacement.

jk

In reply to Captain Gear:

Sounds like nonsense to me. Ask him exactly which law he thinks he'd be breaking.

In reply to Fraser:

If it's a patented key (e.g. Avocet ABS, Mul-T-Lock etc) he won't be able to obtain blanks unless licenced, so those are protected in law to that extent.

Neil

In reply to Neil Williams:

(Don't know if any of the car key systems are patented though)

Neil

In reply to Captain Gear: Happened me last year,brought it to a small motor factor and he cut a new one straight away.Found out later a previous owner disabled the Imobiliser or something,so i didnt have to bother with fob on old key.I got another spare key .Total = £10

In reply to Captain Gear:
What car is it?
If finding a blank is the problem you can usually find them on E-bay.
Older fords have a clip-on/off bit with the fob so you can just cut a new key and clip the original fob on if you damage a key.
When I needed a new key I went to timpsons and they quoted my £75 then went to a place in my local morrisons in Sheffield and got one for £44, including programming the chip.

In reply to Captain Gear: Never had any luck with getting chips programmed by anyone other than the dealer
That said I have more than once got a basic key cut at the likes of Timpsons, so at least I have a spare door key incase I do my Mum's trick of locking my handbag (with keys) in the boot.

In reply to Jenny C:
"Never had any luck with getting chips programmed by anyone other than the dealer"
I had a friend who was a Fiat dealer show me how to do it.
It's like a masons handshake with the key and the car ignition.

In reply to Jenny C:

For the immobiliser chip only, H Harrold & Sons (the locksmith on Shalesmoor, short walk from the Foundry) can do that. If it has a 'plip' central locking remote too, that's more difficult but there are auto locksmiths out there who can do it much more cheaply than a main dealer. I've used one in Nottingham before, um... this lot: http://www.3dgroupuk.com/