Red key, have you needed it?

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Red key, have you needed it?

Have you needed/used your Red Fiat key

  • Yes

    Votes: 3 18.8%
  • No

    Votes: 13 81.3%

  • Total voters
    16
  • Poll closed .
Nope i am on the code2 system :D (y)

you'll get very few yes's on this poll me thinks
 
Nope. Mine came with 2 blue keys and no red (n)

But i havnt needed to use it. I'm that carefull about it though that if i need to have the battery off for any reason i connect another battery into the circuit to keep charge while mine's off. Although ive only done that once while i was replacing it

Jordan
 
no, and thats with having the engine in bits changing head gaskets, new ECU being fitted, and swapping the engine for a punto one. never once needed the red key
 
the only time you should need the red key is when the ecu loses the blue key codes and you need to reprogram them into the ecu. the ecu only has the red key code permanently stored. in theory the ecu should only lose the blue key codes if it suffers an internal fault, usually caused by a power surge or a direct impact. its rare, but it happens enough to devalue cars without the red key, i wouldnt buy one unless it was very cheap. its sods law you wont ever need the red key unless you dont have it. most of the people who have had red key problems wont be on this forum because they wont own fiats anymore. the experience can put you off fiats for life.
 
forgive me if i repeat any thing already said but the red key is simply for reprograming new keys there is a small code ecu and a then the engine ecu they are linked via a seperate code and once the first gets the code from the key it then mathematicaly channges that code using an unbreakable algorithum it keeps track of the 2 blue keys seperately and were they are in the roling code then it sends its code down to the engine ecu wich alows the engine to be started these can not be replaced seperatly they are paired along with a red key

if you look inside your red key there should be a code on some paper for ordering new keys these are not always stoed in here as this job is up to the dealer that suplied the car these codes are worth writing down somewereas they alow you to order a new red key for that code ecu directly from fiat

howether a word of warning if you youse the red key two much i will destroy the ecu it normaly hapens after about 100 times (dont know for shore no one has ever counted for us and fiat wont tell us) if this hapens you will need new ecu's new keys and new loocks this could cost over £800 so not a good idea

and no, no matter what you here there is know way to repogram a new red key to an old ecu with no keys because the chips in the ecu are erom (electronic read only memory) you have to get them from fiat as they have a database of every key made and even the cut of the key

so without the red key or it's codes your stufed

i often work on cars at the garage were i work and see people using the red key i now right on my job cards (using the red key will destroy the ecu)

the easies way to tell if your car has coded kes is loking at the shank of the key it will have 2 writen on it the then som sheverons a bit like this (2>>)also there will be an arial around the ignition barel and a code light will iluminate on the dash briefely as you swich on the ignition

hope this answeres a few questions:)
 
littlepip17 said:
and no, no matter what you here there is know way to repogram a new red key to an old ecu with no keys because the chips in the ecu are erom (electronic read only memory) you have to get them from fiat as they have a database of every key made and even the cut of the key

EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Erasable Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) or basic ROM (Read Only Memory).

Theres a difference and it does matter :)

littlepip17 said:
the easies way to tell if your car has coded kes is loking at the shank of the key it will have 2 writen on it the then som sheverons a bit like this (2>>)also there will be an arial around the ignition barel and a code light will iluminate on the dash briefely as you swich on the ignition

Thats the Code2 system, the Code system is similar and underlying principles are the same....except the Code2 uses no Red Key
 
arseofbox said:
EPROM (Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Erasable Electrically Programmable Read Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory) or basic ROM (Read Only Memory).

Theres a difference and it does matter :)



Thats the Code2 system, the Code system is similar and underlying principles are the same....except the Code2 uses no Red Key
ive only got black key for my bravo with lil triangle on shank an 2 circles comin of triangle is mine a coded key too:confused:
 
I'm greedy..... i have 3 blue keys and 1 red key. Red key kept safe in case i ever need it.
 
YES!! Thats the only key i use!
When i bought the car i only recieved this key and a blue one. Is there a differance between the two blue keys? as the one I have onlt unlocks/ locks the car and will not start it :confused: :confused: :confused:
 
PEZ1 said:
YES!! Thats the only key i use!
When i bought the car i only recieved this key and a blue one. Is there a differance between the two blue keys? as the one I have onlt unlocks/ locks the car and will not start it :confused: :confused: :confused:

Far as i know this is the way it should work.

1st Blue Key (With Button) - Main Key, Starts Engine, Opens Doors and Central Locking.

2nd Blue Key (Without Button) - Spare Key, Starts Engine, Opens Doors

RED KEY - This key is copied from when making more Blue Keys. 3 Keys is the maxium that can be cloned from the red key.

I lost the my button key and my red key whcih only left me with the spare blue key. The dealer got me a new remote/button key but because i had lost the red key they had to recode my spare blue key too!!!

Total Recodeing of exsisting key and new key cost me: EUR280.00 :eek:
 
Well mine defintly wont start the car!!
It doesnt have any buttons just a red bit on the top and the letter K in a circle (gud wi descriptions me dont u think?:D )
 
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