I've got a '98 Marea weekend, with the 1 maroon, two blue, three-key system.

We have all three keys, but one of the blue keys has been working intermittently, and has recently stopped locking/unlocking the car, but still starts it OK when you do get in.

The LED doesn't flash when the button is pressed, so I changed the (tested) battery, cleaned the battery contacts & bent them to ensure they are being pressed well when the key is reassembled, and checked the switch operation with a meter. No change.

Phoned up the local FIAT dealer, and they want "in excess" of £200 to replace the dead one.
That's as much as the car insurance!

Looked on the internet for alternatives. Loadsa promises, but when you phone them up they say go to a dealer... ie waste of time.

So, I'm looking if there is ANY alternative to this mega rip-off situation
- and my searches led me here.

Do you folk have any suggestions?

I did some searching on this forum, found only a little - but noting post #8 by combwork here;

....fiatforum.com/multipla/108246-remote-not-working.html

I did the same tests - and the circuit board isn't needed to start the car.

Is there any way to get, perhaps, a second unit to operate the locking system, as the key fires the car just fine.

Suggestions for alternatives to spending over £200 welcome!

buy/fit cheap remote alarm system (£40-50)

Something that doesn't require installing a new alarm system over the existing system would be helpful.

Or some more details/link...

Can anything be added as a "bolt on" to existing system, like a parallel activation switch ?

I was always under the impression that the old code 1 system (what you have) it was as simple as just take the red key to Timpson, etc and they could cut and code a new key for £30-40? I thought it was only the code 2 system that was dealer only and cost megabucks

Edit: see here for more info https://www.fiatforum.com/bravo-brava-marea-faqs/100562-red-blue-keys.html

not key thats the issue here its the remote locking (from what I read?)

r.e. fitting alarm, you just fit control box (2 lock wires, earth, permanent & ignition lives) thats all as you only using the locking function. Probably get remote locking kit cheaper still, better than £130+ for remote key.

Oh I misread, sorry

Thanks for taking the time for the replies, both Eklipze3k & T14086

T14086 is right, only the central locking is the capability I've lost - but doesn't the thread that Eklipze3k highlights (thanks for digging that up where I failed, Eklipze3k) seem to deal with that at the end - ie how to get a "Timpsons" blue key clone to actually re-engage with the central locking? (even when you don't have the 4 digit code, which I never had)

I do have (nominally) one blue key still working (though it has been playing up today), so I'll try the procedure out when I next can (which will be Tuesday).

Will report back what happened.

Well, that will teach me to read threads and post when I'm half asleep.

The thread that Eklipze3k highlighted does deal with the issue, IF you have the central locking 4-digit code - which I never did. So I couldn't try the procedure outlined.

So the quest shifts to getting mine.

I saw the citation for DataRecall site and "Tony", and have emailed him through that site, as well as through what appears to be him on these forums - and await an answer.

If anyone knows another way to get the 4-digit (octal) central locking code from a working Blue key, I'd be glad to hear of it!

No response from Tony (reddy4bed) via PM, email via here or via the DataRecall site - which doesn't bode well.

So if anyone knows an(other) route (other than Fiat) to getting the 4 octal-digit central locking remote code from a working blue key (1999, so type 1), please post a reply.....

This thread is starting to confuse me know...IF your looking for the code to programme your remote and you dont have it then I believe (have look in coupe section to confirm) your pretty much knackered.

I've now had a dialogue with (reddy4bed), and contrary to what you believe, T14086, he can (and has) deduced the c/locking code from my single remaining working key.

I found & tried a £25 "repair" service on fleabay, which turned round quick but failed to fix the key, citing a fried main chip on the key PCB. At least they were quick and it only cost £1.70 (which went to the GPO).

I also got a "fully working" 2nd hand key from fleabay, and transferred its PCB to my dead key, which now flashed the LED. I then used the procedure documented in the post "red/blue keys" in the Bravo / Brava / Marea FAQs section, to sync it to the car c/locking/alarm. The key lit its red LED OK, but didn't respond to to procedure- failing each time. But at least I knew the c/locking code provided was correct.

After trying loads of small variations on the procedure, I finally tried using my working key, and the procedure immediately worked as documented - so know I know what a "successful" set of LED flashes looks like. I concluded that the receive part of the fleabay key chip wasn't working. I'll be sending it back, but that will probably cost another £4 to get nowhere.

As it took me over a week to get the 2nd hand key that didn't work, and Tony reckoned some folk on this forum may have keys, I'm going to start a new thread seeing if anyone has one they can sell me.

My final post on this thread.

I got two more keys, and BOTH reprogrammed OK, ie I now have one spare if another goes down on me.

For anyone trying out the reprogramme procedure on the FAQ, it works real easy. If you're having difficulty (ie you've tried more than 3 times) then your spare key probably isn't "fully working", even if it flashes the red LED when pushing the button.

That was what confused me the first time, and why it took me this long to get there.