General Bravo replacement keys

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General Bravo replacement keys

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dh010447

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Had my Bravo a few months now and needed to get a blue key cut.

Dealer was going to charge me 30 quid for the blank. Then i would have to take the blank to get cut. Then i would have to take this back to the dealer to get it programmed to my car.

Went to a local key cutter dude, charged me 25 quid. Cut the key, programmed it using my red key with a machine that coppied the data and pushed it into the new key. It worked first time.


So - my advice. Dont get stuff like this from the dealer.
 
dh010447 said:
Had my Bravo a few months now and needed to get a blue key cut.Dealer was going to charge me 30 quid for the blank. Then i would have to take the blank to get cut. Then i would have to take this back to the dealer to get it programmed to my car.
Went to a local key cutter dude, charged me 25 quid. Cut the key, programmed it using my red key with a machine that coppied the data and pushed it into the new key. It worked first time.So - my advice. Dont get stuff like this from the dealer.

Any good Fiat dealer should have the key cutting/cloning equipment.
 
NumanR said:
You now have a clone of your red key, well done.
i dont think it is cloned.if it is,dont use it to run your car.it will mess up the ECU.the red key is used solely to service the car only. ;)
 
"Went to a local key cutter dude, charged me 25 quid. Cut the key, programmed it using my red key with a machine that coppied the data and pushed it into the new key. It worked first time."

This is cloning, now its a copy of the red key, a master key and not a blue slave key.
 
NumanR said:
"Went to a local key cutter dude, charged me 25 quid. Cut the key, programmed it using my red key with a machine that coppied the data and pushed it into the new key. It worked first time."

This is cloning, now its a copy of the red key, a master key and not a blue slave key.
as i said,if its a cloned red key,dont use this key daily.it will bugger up the ECU.
 
I've never quite understood this, but what is the red key for? If I use it once in the car is it likely to cause problems? I had mislaid my car keys so I had to use it on a single occasion and the car seems alright ...

Sorry if I'm thick ...
 
steveyensen said:
I've never quite understood this, but what is the red key for? If I use it once in the car is it likely to cause problems? I had mislaid my car keys so I had to use it on a single occasion and the car seems alright ...

Sorry if I'm thick ...
the red "master key" is used by the dealer for resetting the ecu when servicing.also used when making blue "cloned" keys.the blue ones work the ignition but do not prime the ecu for servicing.if you use the red key,it can allow spikes into the ecu and immobilisor as their circuits are open.this allows alsorts of problem electrical wise to happen.using it once is enough.i think it is 7 or 8 times you have to turn the ignition on with the red key for potential ecu damage to happen.
 
sumplug said:
the red "master key" is used by the dealer for resetting the ecu when servicing.also used when making blue "cloned" keys.the blue ones work the ignition but do not prime the ecu for servicing.if you use the red key,it can allow spikes into the ecu and immobilisor as their circuits are open.this allows alsorts of problem electrical wise to happen.using it once is enough.i think it is 7 or 8 times you have to turn the ignition on with the red key for potential ecu damage to happen.

So why did my dealer never want it when servicing then?
 
sumplug said:
if you use the red key,it can allow spikes into the ecu and immobilisor as their circuits are open.this allows alsorts of problem electrical wise to happen.using it once is enough.i think it is 7 or 8 times you have to turn the ignition on with the red key for potential ecu damage to happen.
Thanks. I was a little worried!
 
sumplug said:
using it once is enough.i think it is 7 or 8 times you have to turn the ignition on with the red key for potential ecu damage to happen.

Well - i originaly used the red key twice every day for about 2 months and it all seems ok. Now using this blue key instead. Surly the machine that they use for coppying the keys is a little more suphisticated than just coloning the key.

Is there any way of telling if i have a cloned red key or a slave key for sure???
 
Helz said:
So why did my dealer never want it when servicing then?
if they did not have it,then they couldn't do all the service properly.for example,any programme updates couldn't be put in.
 
Sumplug, you are talking b......s, the red key is not used in servicing, and any "programme updates" do not require the red key. The red key does not make "cloned blue keys", and it does not damage the ecus. FACT.

DH you have a cloned key which was copied from the red key, basically the transponder was read from the red key by a transponder programmer, and then put into a blank clone key, which took the red keys transponder code.

IF the red key is used for starting this will not damage anything, the reason it is not recommended is that every time the red master key is used the key code ecu is expecting you to programme a new key. Fiat do not recommend cloned keys.

An easy way to tell if you have a master key (clone or not), is to switch the ignition on with the key being tested, wait for the key code light to go out and then switch off the ignition and then back on again, if the keycode light stays on then the key is a master key.
 
NumanR said:
Sumplug, you are talking b......s, the red key is not used in servicing, and any "programme updates" do not require the red key. The red key does not make "cloned blue keys", and it does not damage the ecus. FACT.

DH you have a cloned key which was copied from the red key, basically the transponder was read from the red key by a transponder programmer, and then put into a blank clone key, which took the red keys transponder code.

IF the red key is used for starting this will not damage anything, the reason it is not recommended is that every time the red master key is used the key code ecu is expecting you to programme a new key. Fiat do not recommend cloned keys.

An easy way to tell if you have a master key (clone or not), is to switch the ignition on with the key being tested, wait for the key code light to go out and then switch off the ignition and then back on again, if the keycode light stays on then the key is a master key.

thanks for clearing this up, and T14086 too :)
 
NumanR said:
Sumplug, you are talking b......s, the red key is not used in servicing, and any "programme updates" do not require the red key. The red key does not make "cloned blue keys", and it does not damage the ecus. FACT.

DH you have a cloned key which was copied from the red key, basically the transponder was read from the red key by a transponder programmer, and then put into a blank clone key, which took the red keys transponder code.

IF the red key is used for starting this will not damage anything, the reason it is not recommended is that every time the red master key is used the key code ecu is expecting you to programme a new key. Fiat do not recommend cloned keys.

An easy way to tell if you have a master key (clone or not), is to switch the ignition on with the key being tested, wait for the key code light to go out and then switch off the ignition and then back on again, if the keycode light stays on then the key is a master key.
you along with applesei no nowt about red keys.the red key is for servicing.FACT. it is used to interegate the ecu and the centrol locking system.without the key,the ecu and C/L cannot be reprogrammed.why do you think fiat charge £800 for a new ECU if you loose the red key.if you work in a fiat garage,they will tell you that using the red key can lead to the ECU being damaged.it even states this in the car handbook.so who's talking boll**ks? you;)
 
sumplug said:
you along with applesei no nowt about red keys.the red key is for servicing.FACT. it is used to interegate the ecu and the centrol locking system.without the key,the ecu and C/L cannot be reprogrammed.why do you think fiat charge £800 for a new ECU if you loose the red key.if you work in a fiat garage,they will tell you that using the red key can lead to the ECU being damaged.it even states this in the car handbook.so who's talking boll**ks? you;)
you do realise that you are arguing to 2 experienced fiat techs on this thread don't you?
 
dave said:
you do realise that you are arguing to 2 experienced fiat techs on this thread don't you?
am i? could of fooled me.think about this.if the red key was not needed for servicing,then why do dealers charge £800 for a new ECU? answer,because the red key is not available.btw,ive worked for many yrs in a fiat dealership with the crap memories to back it up.boy were fiats bad a few yrs ago.still far from perfect now.
ps;- please read handbook.it states red key needed for servicing:)
 
they only fit a new ecu if there are no keys at all or if the ecu is broke, 2 very good imo fiat techs have stated that no red key is needed for a service, 11.000 members have never posted saying "help i cant get my car serviced because i have no red key" you saying that it is needed is only going to put people searching the forum off buying the cars :mad:
 
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