General Today is an exciting day

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General Today is an exciting day

I'm a bit grey on the key programming thing as obviously one of the keys is a remote key and the other non-remote from factory.

I want to re-program my remote, which has given up (still starts the car), and add another remote key to start the car plus have the original non-remote also.

I'm a bit grey on whether programming the immobiliser is the same as the remote or what. Either way I need to fix my current remote.

I guess if nothing else I can use the immobiliser chip / grain from the non-remote key to make up a second remote?

I am taking a bit of a venture into the unknown I will admit.

It's a bit of a grey area for me too, because I've never needed to program any of my keys, so never investigated it. Both of my Stilos came with 2 working remote keys. According to paperwork supplied with the second one, a previous owner had replaced both keys at a cost of over £600. MES shows that 2 keys have been disabled from the Body Computer of that car.

I always understood that all Stilos sold in the UK had remote control locking and were supplied with 2 R/c keys. However, as several people have posted that they have either 1 R/c key and 1 basic key, or only 2 basic keys, either my understanding is wrong, or 1 or both of their keys were replaced at some time with basic key(s). (Perhaps because they discovered new R/c keys cost over £300 each, so opted for the cheaper basic key). I doubt there's anyone left on here that's had a Stilo from new to confirm which is correct.

Early versions of MES only had the option to program the R/c part of a key. Later versions seem to also have the option to program the immobiliser part. However, posts on the MES general and registered user's forums still say you can't program the immobiliser part with MES.

As far as I know, programming the R/c part is totally different to programming the immobiliser.

It's all still very grey. :(
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It's a bit of a grey area for me too, because I've never needed to program any of my keys, so never investigated it. Both of my Stilos came with 2 working remote keys. According to paperwork supplied with the second one, a previous owner had replaced both keys at a cost of over £600. MES shows that 2 keys have been disabled from the Body Computer of that car.

I always understood that all Stilos sold in the UK had remote control locking and were supplied with 2 R/c keys. However, as several people have posted that they have either 1 R/c key and 1 basic key, or only 2 basic keys, either my understanding is wrong, or 1 or both of their keys were replaced at some time with basic key(s). (Perhaps because they discovered new R/c keys cost over £300 each, so opted for the cheaper basic key). I doubt there's anyone left on here that's had a Stilo from new to confirm which is correct.

Early versions of MES only had the option to program the R/c part of a key. Later versions seem to also have the option to program the immobiliser part. However, posts on the MES general and registered user's forums still say you can't program the immobiliser part with MES.

As far as I know, programming the R/c part is totally different to programming the immobiliser.

It's all still very grey. :(
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RE: the MES forum.

Maybe it doesnt work on all models of fiat's.

I know it worked on my previous stilo as I aborted the procedure only to find it had made changes when it said none would be made if the procedure was aborted.

Luckily i spotted it quick and re-did the procedure and i could start the again phew!.
 
Well this is all making my underpants a little bit brown.

I suppose the up side is that my remote doesn't currently work, so i cant really make that worse.....

The immobilizer bit sounds all a bit squeaky bum time though.
 
It's a bit of a grey area for me too, because I've never needed to program any of my keys, so never investigated it. Both of my Stilos came with 2 working remote keys. According to paperwork supplied with the second one, a previous owner had replaced both keys at a cost of over £600. MES shows that 2 keys have been disabled from the Body Computer of that car.

I always understood that all Stilos sold in the UK had remote control locking and were supplied with 2 R/c keys. However, as several people have posted that they have either 1 R/c key and 1 basic key, or only 2 basic keys, either my understanding is wrong, or 1 or both of their keys were replaced at some time with basic key(s). (Perhaps because they discovered new R/c keys cost over £300 each, so opted for the cheaper basic key). I doubt there's anyone left on here that's had a Stilo from new to confirm which is correct.

Early versions of MES only had the option to program the R/c part of a key. Later versions seem to also have the option to program the immobiliser part. However, posts on the MES general and registered user's forums still say you can't program the immobiliser part with MES.

As far as I know, programming the R/c part is totally different to programming the immobiliser.

It's all still very grey. :(
.

Indeed, I've never been in this boat either, hence the foggyness. I've only ever had keys programmed on an Audi before and that was a genuine return to dealer do not pass go, do not collect $200 jobby. No way round it as the keys could only be programmed via a live link to Audi HQ in Germany.

Guess either Dan dtimmins1985 or I will find out what it's all about very shortly :)

I have my key code from local fiat now, £35, as Sturgess wouldn't entertain me for some reason. For the sake of a few quid I just got the job done.

Was trying to snow last night with hail and thunder so decided against trying anything last night.

I also only have an old version of FiatECUScan, so going to renew my licence and get the latest MES before I do any programming.
 
Indeed, I've never been in this boat either, hence the foggyness. I've only ever had keys programmed on an Audi before and that was a genuine return to dealer do not pass go, do not collect $200 jobby. No way round it as the keys could only be programmed via a live link to Audi HQ in Germany.

Guess either Dan dtimmins1985 or I will find out what it's all about very shortly :)

I have my key code from local fiat now, £35, as Sturgess wouldn't entertain me for some reason. For the sake of a few quid I just got the job done.

Was trying to snow last night with hail and thunder so decided against trying anything last night.

I also only have an old version of FiatECUScan, so going to renew my licence and get the latest MES before I do any programming.

Sounds like a good idea!

Bit worried now - no response from Sturgess yet, hope they dont tell me to bog off, they had no issues before and the chap did say he would get on it and send off for my codes :(.

I wont be able to do any programming until 1st of May as I need to reactivate MES on a new machine, you can only do it once a month and I have already changed my laptop twice! bummer!

Re: the coding - yea, it is a little scary - i literally went like jelly when the car wouldnt start! thought i was doomed and the mrs would not have been best pleased either! lol.
 
Artermis - check your inbox.

Sturgess has replied, i asked what happened on your behalf.
Seems it was a clerical issue, Sean could have helped but it seems you spoke to someone who was unaware of the agreement with Fiatforum, Sean has apologized and let his colleague know the agreement.
 
Well this is all making my underpants a little bit brown.

I suppose the up side is that my remote doesn't currently work, so i cant really make that worse.....

The immobilizer bit sounds all a bit squeaky bum time though.

Problem is, that as you have to program all the keys at the same time, you may lose all of them, including the non remote one, if it goes wrong. :eek:
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Problem is, that as you have to program all the keys at the same time, you may lose all of them, including the non remote one, if it goes wrong. :eek:
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Yep but I only have the 1 remote anyway. Car came with 1 remote and 1 basic key.

As I understand the remote coding is different to the immobiliser coding.

So with any luck, on the basis that I only have the 1 remote that doesn't currently work, I can't really make the remote functionality worse.
 
Well today has bought some good news and some bad news.

The good news first - I've successfully re-coded my remote key, so it works again properly now. Happy with that.

I did check the ECM whilst I was at it and it's only ever known the 1 remote, there are no disabled. Again with the keys it's only ever known 2 keys and none disabled. So it can only have ever been supplied with one remote and one basic key.

The bad news now.... it was booked in for tracking after the suspension arms and springs have been changed. Sadly it couldn't be done. The garage got nervous because the threads on the tie rods were very corroded and didn't want to adjust for fear of something stripping out.

It's not the end of the world as the parts are only £30 for both tie rods and ball joints but I've never changed one before and don't know whether it's something I should attempt or give in and take to a garage.

I dont really want to admit defeat and take to a garage though, that would be at least -10 man points.
 
Tie rods are fine just measure the old ones accurately and adjust the new ones to the same length. Alternatively just wirebrush the threads and bring it to someone else which is what I would do.
 
Tie rods are fine just measure the old ones accurately and adjust the new ones to the same length. Alternatively just wirebrush the threads and bring it to someone else which is what I would do.

Yeh I know what you mean. I did think he was being a bit of a chicken about it but the parts are corroded. I could just run something over the reads to clean them up you're right.

Still, for the sake of what is £30 in parts it's not going to break the bank to have new parts. If the old parts are factory originals then they're 13/14 years old, so £30 to see it on for another 13 years again isn't bad money.
 
Annoyingly my steering track rods haven't arrived in time for the weekend, so doesn't look like I'll be getting them changed until next weekend now. How irritating! I've got the new rod ends, no rod.

What did arrive though was my eBay donor key so I can make up a second remote control for the car.

Swapped the key blade and immobilizer chip from the basic key the car came with to a new casing with the remote board added to it from the donor key.

I now need to program the donor remote.

I also need to get a new blade cut for the basic key, which now has the donor immobilizer chip in it, so that I can program this to the car too.

You'll have to excuse the silly key ring on the 'new' remote - I needed some way of indicating which remote was which so I know what works and what doesn't.
 

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Some further progress - at last!!

Managed to get the track rods and ends changed yesterday morning. I was pleasantly surprised by just how simple a job it was. I was expecting removal to be a complete git, but it wasn't.

The most difficult part of the entire operation was the stupid clips Fiat had used to hold rack gaitor boots on the rack side. They're the annoying sort that you have to mangle to get off and end up having to find a proper cir-clip replacement for. The drivers side was easy enough but the passenger side had zero access with the box being in the way and had to be attacked from behind fishing my way around the sub frame and ARB. Just heaved it off with a really big stick in the end.

I had purchased a steering joint / tie rod removal tool and it made the world of difference. I'd have never removed the rods otherwise as there was no key on them for a spanner or anything.

eBay link to tool

If you're doing the job for the sake of £20 these are a must have. Have the steering on about 3/4 of full lock (to avoid the frame rail being in the way), slide this on, nice big wrench and twist. It's cammed on the inside so that it tightens down on the ball joint head as you twist and has them off real easy. Also works in the other direction to install the new ones.

Even better still is I took it in for wheel alignment once done and the guy said because everything was brand new and it was so easy to adjust it only took him 2 minutes and it didn't seem right to charge me for it! Bonus free wheel alignment - so saved the cost of the tool right there!

Now to get my new wheels sorted.
 
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So.... Not said much here lately. Life has taken over a bit with remortgage going on and wife's car insurance due. Have spent more than some time fixing issues with the wife's Peugeot.

Still; the Stilo has had a couple of issues of it's own. Last weekend the handbrake / warning light popped at me and told me to stop the engine. Turns out brake fluid was low - which of course meant some had gone away.

Got the car up in the air and nothing was obvious as I was looking for a corroded brake line or bust flexi. After following it right to the back of the car it turns out the back of the near-side-rear caliper was wet. Guess a seal on it around the handbrake mech or something had gone. Didn't put much effort into investigating what had failed - easier just to replace.

Figured whilst I was at it I'd do the rear discs too. They were getting towards the thin side so was going to replace with next set of pads anyway.

Replacement caliper and discs ordered.

Replacement caliper on no problem. Came to change the off-side disc. Turns out the caliper was seized solid. Would not budge to the point that I've broken yet another wind back tool. Bother.

So another replacement caliper overnight'd and have fitted this morning.

Also couldn't help but notice something I'd been wanting for a while whilst browsing eBay recently too.... and at a bargain price. The sillyspeed colour MFD clocks for £48 delivered. Heck yeh!

IMG_20170627_094138_zpsnkgaj6e6.jpg

Can't wait to get these fitted :D

Hopefully lavishing her with shiny things she'll be a good girl for me :D
 
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So.... Not said much here lately. Life has taken over a bit with remortgage going on and wife's car insurance due. Have spent more than some time fixing issues with the wife's Peugeot.

Still; the Stilo has had a couple of issues of it's own. Last weekend the handbrake / warning light popped at me and told me to stop the engine. Turns out brake fluid was low - which of course meant some had gone away.

Got the car up in the air and nothing was obvious as I was looking for a corroded brake line or bust flexi. After following it right to the back of the car it turns out the back of the near-side-rear caliper was wet. Guess a seal on it around the handbrake mech or something had gone. Didn't put much effort into investigating what had failed - easier just to replace.

Figured whilst I was at it I'd do the rear discs too. They were getting towards the thin side so was going to replace with next set of pads anyway.

Replacement caliper and discs ordered.

Replacement caliper on no problem. Came to change the off-side disc. Turns out the caliper was seized solid. Would not budge to the point that I've broken yet another wind back tool. Bother.

So another replacement caliper overnight'd and have fitted this morning.

Also couldn't help but notice something I'd been wanting for a while whilst browsing eBay recently too.... and at a bargain price. The sillyspeed colour MFD clocks for £48 delivered. Heck yeh!

IMG_20170627_094138_zpsnkgaj6e6.jpg

Can't wait to get these fitted :D

Hopefully lavishing her with shiny things she'll be a good girl for me :D

Now that is a very nice set of clocks.
Are they available for the MJ (diesel) - i would love a set of these.

Also, if possible - can the mileage on the clocks be set to zero without having to rip them apart, read the chip, re-write (like the vauxhalls) - i only know this because i worked at a hire company in bradford and the dodgy ****s where sending the clocks to a guy who was putting mileage back to 30k! i was horrified when i found this out and left the company two weeks later...

I know its possible but was wondering if it was chip job or replacement chip if its OTP - i dont want to reset mine - was asking incase i bought some clocks that where over 82k miles - i wouldnt be able to correct the mileage.
 
Now that is a very nice set of clocks.
Are they available for the MJ (diesel) - i would love a set of these.

Also, if possible - can the mileage on the clocks be set to zero without having to rip them apart, read the chip, re-write (like the vauxhalls) - i only know this because i worked at a hire company in bradford and the dodgy ****s where sending the clocks to a guy who was putting mileage back to 30k! i was horrified when i found this out and left the company two weeks later...

I know its possible but was wondering if it was chip job or replacement chip if its OTP - i dont want to reset mine - was asking incase i bought some clocks that where over 82k miles - i wouldnt be able to correct the mileage.

These clocks were only available on the early selespeed vehicles, so 2.4 petrol semi-auto only. Thats why if you look both the speedo and tacho have small LCD displays in them.

The display in the speedo is supposed to display what gear you're in when engine running and then be the clock when shutdown. The display in the tacho is the odometer. As the vehicle isn't a selespeed and the gear selection is getting no signal, it just remains constantly as a clock - which ain't no big thing.

You could fit these to your MJ and they would work properly, so far as I know. When I bought my Abarth it had a set of JTD clocks fitted because the factory originals had died. I had the Abarth clocks fixed and swapped them back over but the JTD clocks worked just fine on the car. Of course if you fit petrol clocks to your JTD the only difference would be that the redline for the tacho would not be in the right place. Should still read correct speed and revs though.

The LCD screen is very funky; I've had them plugged in and tested now and they work a treat.

I need to figure out the mileage correction thing too - I believe it's possible just using software and cable. It must be. MultiECUScan allows you to write up the mileage but not down. So it's possible. I suspect not writing down is more a software protection to stop everyone clocking their cars rather than not being technically possible.

My car is on 88/89k and the clocks i've bought are on 92k. So I either need to figure it out and get the mileage changed, or wait six months or so until I exceed 92k and adjust using MES.
 
These clocks were only available on the early selespeed vehicles, so 2.4 petrol semi-auto only. Thats why if you look both the speedo and tacho have small LCD displays in them.

The display in the speedo is supposed to display what gear you're in when engine running and then be the clock when shutdown. The display in the tacho is the odometer. As the vehicle isn't a selespeed and the gear selection is getting no signal, it just remains constantly as a clock - which ain't no big thing.

You could fit these to your MJ and they would work properly, so far as I know. When I bought my Abarth it had a set of JTD clocks fitted because the factory originals had died. I had the Abarth clocks fixed and swapped them back over but the JTD clocks worked just fine on the car. Of course if you fit petrol clocks to your JTD the only difference would be that the redline for the tacho would not be in the right place. Should still read correct speed and revs though.

The LCD screen is very funky; I've had them plugged in and tested now and they work a treat.

I need to figure out the mileage correction thing too - I believe it's possible just using software and cable. It must be. MultiECUScan allows you to write up the mileage but not down. So it's possible. I suspect not writing down is more a software protection to stop everyone clocking their cars rather than not being technically possible.

My car is on 88/89k and the clocks i've bought are on 92k. So I either need to figure it out and get the mileage changed, or wait six months or so until I exceed 92k and adjust using MES.

Oooh very nice - Think i might have to buy some near october - im thinking, i could have a new tacho insert printed to replace the original one so the red line is in the correct place :)

Just a thought - you wont be able to connect them up until you have exceeded 92k, if you do connect them up before this - the mileage on the clocks will keep rising and you will always be ahead of 92k - i've done 3.5k in my MJ now since March 25th :)
 
Are they available for the MJ (diesel) - i would love a set of these.

I've had the Abarth cluster fitted to my JTD for several years.

There's no glow plug warning light on the Abarth cluster, so just have to guess when to start the car. No big deal.

Also, the low oil pressure warning light doesn't work. I added a wire from the oil pressure input terminal of the engine management ECU to a spare warning light (120kph speed warning light for Arab markets) in the cluster.

Strangely, the only time I ever see the original low oil pressure warning light on the cluster, is for the first few seconds after starting the engine after changing the oil. Disconnecting or shorting the sensor with the engine off or running doesn't activate it. I've never understood why. :confused:

You won't see the oil pressure and oil temperature gauge displays on the Abarth cluster because the diesel engines don't have those two sensors.

You won't see the oil level display because the Abarth cluster doesn't have it.
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I've had the Abarth cluster fitted to my JTD for several years.

There's no glow plug warning light on the Abarth cluster, so just have to guess when to start the car. No big deal.

Also, the low oil pressure warning light doesn't work. I added a wire from the oil pressure input terminal of the engine management ECU to a spare warning light (120kph speed warning light for Arab markets) in the cluster.

Strangely, the only time I ever see the original low oil pressure warning light on the cluster, is for the first few seconds after starting the engine after changing the oil. Disconnecting or shorting the sensor with the engine off or running doesn't activate it. I've never understood why. :confused:

You won't see the oil pressure and oil temperature gauge displays on the Abarth cluster because the diesel engines don't have those two sensors.

You won't see the oil level display because the Abarth cluster doesn't have it.
.

Thanks for the heads up - think ill give this upgrade a miss then as i still want full functionality in my stilo - and the glow plug light and oil pressure light is a big one for me...

My glow plug light is actually warning me at present as i think its down on 1 plug, sometimes it will start and chug until i press the gas a little and let off then its fine - must be a cylinder not warm enough to burn the diesel than the rest due to the glow plug that has failed - it doesnt always do it, this morning it was fine but the warning was still on - yesterday it did it and there was a bit of diesel smoke when i hit the gas paddle for a second - all stopped though after that.

First job when i return from Portugal is the glow plugs and a replacement stebel horn as my current stebel has failed, or is either full of crud - it did sound a bit funny before it stopped working, i wont be doing glow plugs myself as if they snap im goofed! rather let the garage do it and then i will do them again in a few years (the garage advised me he will only torque them to 8nm :) and thats according to autodata information too).
 
I've had the Abarth cluster fitted to my JTD for several years.

There's no glow plug warning light on the Abarth cluster, so just have to guess when to start the car. No big deal.

Also, the low oil pressure warning light doesn't work. I added a wire from the oil pressure input terminal of the engine management ECU to a spare warning light (120kph speed warning light for Arab markets) in the cluster.

Strangely, the only time I ever see the original low oil pressure warning light on the cluster, is for the first few seconds after starting the engine after changing the oil. Disconnecting or shorting the sensor with the engine off or running doesn't activate it. I've never understood why. :confused:

You won't see the oil pressure and oil temperature gauge displays on the Abarth cluster because the diesel engines don't have those two sensors.

You won't see the oil level display because the Abarth cluster doesn't have it.
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I get the oil pressure warning pop only very occasionally on startup but it clears immediately.

I dont think I'm showing oil temp either. I can pop the two gauges on the dash. Oil pressure just always shows full, so i can't determine whether that's working of not and oil temp always seems to show stone cold. There are no defined scales on them though. I know I'd expect the oil to run around 60ish degrees but have no idea where that is on the gauge haha.

Still. I need to get the mileage correction stuff figured before I can play anymore. Only so much one can learn sat there with engine running on my front!
 
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