General HELP! 6 Weeks for new key? Need new BCM?

[thejonathanpaul]

Hello,

Brand new to this forum so nice to e-meet you all. Long story semi-short I lost my only key for my 2014 Fiat 500L. I ordered a new key from Bob Baker Fiat which i was advised to by the parts manager. It now has been 6 weeks and they can't give me a reason why. They say Chrysler and Fiat Italy keep canceling it but don't know why........ I have talked to the GM who has been super rude and now tells me when and if they key arrives I will need a whole new BCM. However, when I ordered the key they said it was a small chance I would need a new BCM.

Me being fed of ubering to work now for weeks I called a locksmith who said 100% he could make a new key and program it for $500. I said fine and he succeeded in making the physical key from the door keyhole however when tried to program it he wasn't able to.

Key finally arrived today after figuring out they have been entering the wrong part the whole time! Now the dealer and parts dept are now telling me its useless since it cannot be programmed to the car without a new body control module? However, a new bcm comes with two new keys so why was i pushed to order the new key?

Any insight would be super helpful and sorry for the rant just don't know what else to do at this point!

 

[TrevC]

Funnily enough I just posted on the 500X forum about losing my spare fob. My car has keyless entry and start. I've still got one fob, but would not want to risk leaving it that way and getting into your situation.
Phoning the dealer tomorrow, will report back.
Don't know if these guys could have helped you
https://www.replacemykey.com/vehicles/fiat/500l

 

[thejonathanpaul]

LMK what you find out because my only option right now is to do the BCM and pay $1k+

 

[AndyRKett]

To program a new Key you need to obviously have a new key, all the current keys and the car's security code card which has the code of the car's BCM on it to be able to code new keys.

You need a program or machine that will code the new keys and then you take about 10 minutes coding each of the keys (including the existing ones) to the car.

If you do not code a current key to the system during this process it will be removed from the car and barred from ever being coded to that car again. It is costly because its the cost of the remote, often the code card which here in the UK they don't supply so you have to buy it from the dealer, and then you have to pay for the time to code them all.

Here in the UK its about £180ish to get a new remote key. so $200ish.

If I were you I would contact Fiat USA and see what help they can offer, bypass the dealer.

 

[typecastboy]

I got a mobile bloke who came to me to cut and code a new remote key as my car only came with the spare. Did it same day and it cost £180.

 

[John202020]

As a side note always get two keys with your car and buy a new one if you loose one, I've noticed it's a selling point to state "two keys/fobs" when selling used cars and is something I do look for if looking.

 

[minirib]

Hello,

Brand new to this forum so nice to e-meet you all. Long story semi-short I lost my only key for my 2014 Fiat 500L. I ordered a new key from Bob Baker Fiat which i was advised to by the parts manager. It now has been 6 weeks and they can't give me a reason why. They say Chrysler and Fiat Italy keep canceling it but don't know why........ I have talked to the GM who has been super rude and now tells me when and if they key arrives I will need a whole new BCM. However, when I ordered the key they said it was a small chance I would need a new BCM.

Me being fed of ubering to work now for weeks I called a locksmith who said 100% he could make a new key and program it for $500. I said fine and he succeeded in making the physical key from the door keyhole however when tried to program it he wasn't able to.

Key finally arrived today after figuring out they have been entering the wrong part the whole time! Now the dealer and parts dept are now telling me its useless since it cannot be programmed to the car without a new body control module? However, a new bcm comes with two new keys so why was i pushed to order the new key?

Any insight would be super helpful and sorry for the rant just don't know what else to do at this point!

The BCM can lock down the cars can network if it thinks an attempt has been made to steal it. If this happens then it’s not possible to communicate with the bcm to program the new key. Fiats solution to this is to replace the bcm.
It’s possible to unlock the bcm in other ways but not something Fiat can do for you. I could potentialy do it for you by return post, depending how committed you are to arrangements you already have in place and your time constraints.

 

[g8rpi]

Hello,

Brand new to this forum so nice to e-meet you all. Long story semi-short I lost my only key for my 2014 Fiat 500L.


<SNIP>


Any insight would be super helpful and sorry for the rant just don't know what else to do at this point!

Check your insurance policies. Not sure about the USA but here in the UK both car and household polcies often provide cover for lost keys.



Robert G8RPI.

 

[ChaseLough68]

Hello,

Brand new to this forum so nice to e-meet you all. Long story semi-short I lost my only key for my 2014 Fiat 500L. I ordered a new key from Bob Baker Fiat which i was advised to by the parts manager. It now has been 6 weeks and they can't give me a reason why. They say Chrysler and Fiat Italy keep canceling it but don't know why........ I have talked to the GM who has been super rude and now tells me when and if they key arrives I will need a whole new BCM. However, when I ordered the key they said it was a small chance I would need a new BCM.

Me being fed of ubering to work now for weeks I called a locksmith who said 100% he could make a new key and program it for $500. I said fine and he succeeded in making the physical key from the door keyhole however when tried to program it he wasn't able to.

Key finally arrived today after figuring out they have been entering the wrong part the whole time! Now the dealer and parts dept are now telling me its useless since it cannot be programmed to the car without a new body control module? However, a new bcm comes with two new keys so why was i pushed to order the new key?

Any insight would be super helpful and sorry for the rant just don't know what else to do at this point!

This is EXACTLY what happened to me! My key was ordered and cancelled as it was “out of stock”. It arrived after 6 weeks. During this time there was no offer of a loaner and I was denied when I requested one. Then after all this time, I find out I need a new BCM despite the fact that, according to the dealership in Minneapolis, there was nothing I did that could have caused it to lock up.

I love my car but never been so disgusted with a car company. This will, most likely, be my first and last Fiat. A thought I did not have until today.

 

[Ralf S.]

To be fair, if you (or the OP) had made sure you had a spare key, it could have been cloned in about 20 minutes and you wouldn't be having all this stress.

The BCM holds the immobilisor codes. The chip on it acts as the gateway between the key transponder reader and the ECU.

When you stick the key in the barrel, the key code is read by a reader which sends the code to the immobilisor chip on the BCM.

The chip works out whether it likes the key code and if so, it activates the ECU.

The BCM chip does not "lock". All it knows is that it's getting a signal "X" from the key. If it likes "X" then it's fine. If it doesn't like "X" (e.g. if it's looking for "Y") then it does not switch on the ECU.

If you make a new key (clone) then the BCM chip will still receive "X" and it has no idea whether the key is a new one or the original one. Moral of the tale: Always keep a spare key so you can clone it if you lose it.

If you lose the only key, Fiat has to order you a new one with the correct physical key blade pattern (so it can open the doors and fit into the ignition barrel) and also program it so that it sends "X" to the BCM. That takes a while to do, especially since the parts are in Europe.

But Fiat can't know what the BCM chip on your car is programmed to receive. A whole BCM could be swapped out due to technical issues, or the immobilisor code could have been reprogrammed (for instance if the immobilisor chip's code becomes corrupted a re-program of the existing key to the BCM would be required.. a new code is created on the key/immobilisor. Your key now says "Z" and the BCM is looking for "Z").

You can lock out a key if you lose it or it's stolen... If you buy a new key then an auto locksmith may be able to synchronize it (and any spare keys you might have) with the BCM as above... but this is done by putting a new code on the key(s) and the BCM. The "lost" key will no longer work, even if you found it again, since it's sending its original code still. You'd go this route if someone stole your keys and/or might want to come back one night and steal your car, etc.

So, Fiat just sending you a new key is potentially problematic. They can cut it, and they can also program it to your original BCM but it still might not work.

The only sure method is to send you a new key and a BCM that is programmed to it. I suppose six weeks seems like a long time... but to obtain/build and program the various parts then ship them is not an insignificant ask.

Have a look for an auto locksmith who can program a new key (buy a "blank"/virgin key and get it cut to your car's locks) to the BCM as you would do for the lost/stolen key. It may not be easy since you need the right programming kit.. but FCA systems might be common (since I guess Chrysler uses similar).


Ralf S.

 

[FatCole]

To be fair, if you (or the OP) had made sure you had a spare key, it could have been cloned in about 20 minutes and you wouldn't be having all this stress.

The BCM holds the immobilisor codes. The chip on it acts as the gateway between the key transponder reader and the ECU.

When you stick the key in the barrel, the key code is read by a reader which sends the code to the immobilisor chip on the BCM.

The chip works out whether it likes the key code and if so, it activates the ECU.

The BCM chip does not "lock". All it knows is that it's getting a signal "X" from the key. If it likes "X" then it's fine. If it doesn't like "X" (e.g. if it's looking for "Y") then it does not switch on the ECU.

If you make a new key (clone) then the BCM chip will still receive "X" and it has no idea whether the key is a new one or the original one. Moral of the tale: Always keep a spare key so you can clone it if you lose it.

If you lose the only key, Fiat has to order you a new one with the correct physical key blade pattern (so it can open the doors and fit into the ignition barrel) and also program it so that it sends "X" to the BCM. That takes a while to do, especially since the parts are in Europe.

But Fiat can't know what the BCM chip on your car is programmed to receive. A whole BCM could be swapped out due to technical issues, or the immobilisor code could have been reprogrammed (for instance if the immobilisor chip's code becomes corrupted a re-program of the existing key to the BCM would be required.. a new code is created on the key/immobilisor. Your key now says "Z" and the BCM is looking for "Z").

You can lock out a key if you lose it or it's stolen... If you buy a new key then an auto locksmith may be able to synchronize it (and any spare keys you might have) with the BCM as above... but this is done by putting a new code on the key(s) and the BCM. The "lost" key will no longer work, even if you found it again, since it's sending its original code still. You'd go this route if someone stole your keys and/or might want to come back one night and steal your car, etc.

So, Fiat just sending you a new key is potentially problematic. They can cut it, and they can also program it to your original BCM but it still might not work.

The only sure method is to send you a new key and a BCM that is programmed to it. I suppose six weeks seems like a long time... but to obtain/build and program the various parts then ship them is not an insignificant ask.

Have a look for an auto locksmith who can program a new key (buy a "blank"/virgin key and get it cut to your car's locks) to the BCM as you would do for the lost/stolen key. It may not be easy since you need the right programming kit.. but FCA systems might be common (since I guess Chrysler uses similar).


Ralf S.

I'm a little late to the game lol, worth resurrecting an old thread anyways though

I'm having the same issue that has descended into a nightmare

2+ months into this, Both keys lost, expensive keys already a headache, then told about needing a new BCM, in the process of replacing the BCM the dealership did something that has caused a communications problem with the PCM, the dealership immediately pushed for a new PCM that is on a 45+ day backorder without ruling out a wiring problem first.

Now, I can't even get to my car in their yard to confirm that the car really needs a new PCM too

All in, this is almost $2,000 in order to just get some new keys.

I understand the anti-theft issue, but at this point I would honestly prefer the car to have been stolen than to be dealing with this.

Way back in the 90s it was possible to program a new set of keys to the existing BCM without much fuss and they keys were relatively inexpensive. The fob and the key were also separate so it was possible to only replace the key or the fob as needed

The price of the keys have skyrocketed, the fob is built into the key to force the replacement of both the key and the fob, and the BCM is designed to force an expensive replacement

The PCM situation not withstanding, the deck is stacked against the car owner from the beginning

When our faithful old 2002 Honda Odyssey's keys went missing. It cost us $15 to replace them with aftermarket keys and program them, next day shipping. And that's for TWO keys

Sure, it's less secure. But we've had our Odyssey since new. It's 21 years old, and has been to all 48 lower US states and every major city there. It's been well maintained and looks new inside and out.

The one thing it has never been, stolen or even broken into for that manner

Sure, it's easy to blame people for losing their keys but people lose things all the time and keys are no different.

I'm not even the one who keeps losing the keys, it's my wife and my son who keep losing them. Drives me crazy, but it's just an aspect of who they are. It's just part of human some people, a heavy penalty and a moneymaking scam shouldn't be piled on top of it. Losing keys should be more predictable and easily mitigated than this. The current system feels almost criminal to me.

 

[varesecrazy]

@thejonathanpaul

@ChaseLough68

May be able to offer advice from their experiences

Personally I always keep a
basic non-remote key in a cupboard out of sight

Nobody wants to use it..as its inconvenient, but of course that means it is still there and can Start the car when needed

 

[aking]

I'm a little late to the game lol, worth resurrecting an old thread anyways though

I'm having the same issue that has descended into a nightmare

2+ months into this, Both keys lost, expensive keys already a headache, then told about needing a new BCM, in the process of replacing the BCM the dealership did something that has caused a communications problem with the PCM, the dealership immediately pushed for a new PCM that is on a 45+ day backorder without ruling out a wiring problem first.

Now, I can't even get to my car in their yard to confirm that the car really needs a new PCM too

All in, this is almost $2,000 in order to just get some new keys.

I understand the anti-theft issue, but at this point I would honestly prefer the car to have been stolen than to be dealing with this.

Way back in the 90s it was possible to program a new set of keys to the existing BCM without much fuss and they keys were relatively inexpensive. The fob and the key were also separate so it was possible to only replace the key or the fob as needed

The price of the keys have skyrocketed, the fob is built into the key to force the replacement of both the key and the fob, and the BCM is designed to force an expensive replacement

The PCM situation not withstanding, the deck is stacked against the car owner from the beginning

When our faithful old 2002 Honda Odyssey's keys went missing. It cost us $15 to replace them with aftermarket keys and program them, next day shipping. And that's for TWO keys

Sure, it's less secure. But we've had our Odyssey since new. It's 21 years old, and has been to all 48 lower US states and every major city there. It's been well maintained and looks new inside and out.

The one thing it has never been, stolen or even broken into for that manner

Sure, it's easy to blame people for losing their keys but people lose things all the time and keys are no different.

I'm not even the one who keeps losing the keys, it's my wife and my son who keep losing them. Drives me crazy, but it's just an aspect of who they are. It's just part of human some people, a heavy penalty and a moneymaking scam shouldn't be piled on top of it. Losing keys should be more predictable and easily mitigated than this. The current system feels almost criminal to me.

I'm curious, did the BCM and ECU solve your issue or did you not go through with it?

This is the exact story the dealership is telling me. I only had one key and this key disappeared one night, I read about needing the new BCM along with the keys, which is also what the dealership said, I was ok with that. Total was $800. I was upset but ok, now they call and said they can't get communication with the ECU and it needs to be replaced as well. $2300 total for everything. I haven't told them to move forward with anything yet. At this point I have lost all confidence in the dealership, what gives? After they do that, what's the next thing their gonna say is bad? Mind you these cars aren't even worth that much to begin with.

 

[eeeno]

Sounds unbelievable but all this is explained in the messages above. Fiat should serve their customers better. If one has that Fiat code card and is the car's lawful owner, then in this day and age it should not take too long to get the car running again. However it'd not be much of an immobilizer if one could just reset the bcm and program a new key to it without having any old keys left.