Hi

My wife has a 2004 punto 1.2 8v which has developed a problem over the last few weeks with what I asume to be the key code reader system.

She can spend up to 5 mins trying the key in the ignition before it is recognised and the code light goes out. The engine will then start.

The problem seems to be worse when ambient temperatures are near freezing which lead me to think it might be voltage related, however a new battery was fitted about 6 months ago.

I thought about possibly replacing the key and/or sensing ring around the barrel. She only has the one key so I cant try a spare to rule the key out.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated before I start throwing money at it.

check the battery voltage
then check that the switched and permanent live feed to the code box located a both the fuse box to the right of the steering column are the same as the battery voltage

anything less than 9.5 or 10v volts seems to stop these things from working

so could be a rusty fuse or dodgy wiring some were causing a volt drop

a haynes manual will have wiring diagrams in it for the live feeds

then check the earth is a good circuit

bear in mind these systems are normally very reliable and almost always have power nd earth faults on the car not the system it's self at fault

does the key your using have fiat written on it and is it blue or red also

if power and earth is close or equal to battery voltage check the continuity of the arial

Hi
Thanks for the reply. I will check the code box voltages as suggested.

The key is a blue key but does not have Fiat on it anywhere, however there is a circular depression on it where there has possibly been a circular Fiat badge at some time.

Will post findings

Many Thanks

Checked all voltages which were ok. Checked continuity of sensing collar (32 ohms)

Removed sensing collar from barrel and held it next to key and it worked every time.
Put sensing collar back on barrel and intermittent problem returned.

Held sensing collar forward slightly and tried again and it worked every time.

Called in at local dealers and they verified the key was a genuine fiat part, also said they could check it out for me. £76+ vat. Beat a hasty retreat at this point.

It would appear that although the sensing collar appears to be ok (continuity 32 ohms) it is the problem.

Looks like my options are a new sensing collar or a home made spacer to go behind the original one that will bring it forward by 1-2mm

Razza said:

Checked all voltages which were ok. Checked continuity of sensing collar (32 ohms)

Removed sensing collar from barrel and held it next to key and it worked every time.
Put sensing collar back on barrel and intermittent problem returned.

Held sensing collar forward slightly and tried again and it worked every time.

Called in at local dealers and they verified the key was a genuine fiat part, also said they could check it out for me. £76+ vat. Beat a hasty retreat at this point.

It would appear that although the sensing collar appears to be ok (continuity 32 ohms) it is the problem.

Looks like my options are a new sensing collar or a home made spacer to go behind the original one that will bring it forward by 1-2mm

Click to expand...

believe it should be 15ohms on your car i have seen these fail in this way before

there not to expensive anyway so might aswell buy one

could always find one at the scrapers

but it must be from a punto as they vary from different models

littlepip17 said:

believe it should be 15ohms on your car i have seen these fail in this way before

there not to expensive anyway so might aswell buy one

could always find one at the scrapers

but it must be from a punto as they vary from different models

Click to expand...

forget what i said before i was thinking of mk1 code box

mk2 you cant really check anything manually any more

but yes i would go with a new collar