Technical Locked out! ECU + Keys + Ignition swap?

[EloThere]

Hello! Long time no post (might have blown up my Coupe on the nurburgring..!)

Question: if i bought a used ECU, ignition barrel and matching key(s), would this work to start my car? I have found a matching set near me on the used market for £110, which is infinitely cheaper than any other option I’ve found. Happy enough to fit it all myself.

(Part no. Matches exactly)

Context:
I bought a lovely 1.1 SPI Seicento back in November, and on the 2nd of Jan was the victim of a burglary. Both keys were taken (from different places, before you say!)

I now can’t get my insurance to cover a repair without a ‘new’ (never been in a car before) set of locks fitted to the car. And not a single locksmith in Yorkshire/Derbyshire can find a replacement, even Fiat/Stellantis’ vintage branch themselves!

I can of course pay a private locksmith to get new keys programmed, but that’ll be expensive (cheapest quote for a single key was £325 i believe from Phoenix) and will match the same as the old key, not exactly secure…

Thanks for the help!

 

[bugsymike]

Hello! Long time no post (might have blown up my Coupe on the nurburgring..!)

Question: if i bought a used ECU, ignition barrel and matching key(s), would this work to start my car? I have found a matching set near me on the used market for £110, which is infinitely cheaper than any other option I’ve found. Happy enough to fit it all myself.

(Part no. Matches exactly)

Context:
I bought a lovely 1.1 SPI Seicento back in November, and on the 2nd of Jan was the victim of a burglary. Both keys were taken (from different places, before you say!)

I now can’t get my insurance to cover a repair without a ‘new’ (never been in a car before) set of locks fitted to the car. And not a single locksmith in Yorkshire/Derbyshire can find a replacement, even Fiat/Stellantis’ vintage branch themselves!

I can of course pay a private locksmith to get new keys programmed, but that’ll be expensive (cheapest quote for a single key was £325 i believe from Phoenix) and will match the same as the old key, not exactly secure…

Thanks for the help!

On later vehicles you have to have the ECU, BCM, speedo, chipped keys etc. I am not sure if just those you mentioned will be enough, what does the seller say?

 

[FiatMatt94]

I don't see why the used parts with all matching numbers wouldn't work if you'll be changing the whole lot, this would probably be the best option as although used will be genuine & also if you're on a budget as long as the barrels, keys etc are decent, although you can buy new aftermarket keys & barrels off eBay but unsure what the quality would be like I think we all know the answer to this one , the only elephant in the room is it'll be unknown if the ECU works until you plug it in, another thing that could be worth doing is as you'll have a spare ECU assuming the replacement works is send the other one to a specialist firm to have the key code immobilizer removed/deactivated as there are still a few firms that do these early ECU's & at some point the SPI Immobilizers will start playing up as they were prone to it on all SPI Fiat's, I think on newer MPI cars onwards they improved them, anyway if you did this with the spare ECU then if this problem ever did arise which it no doubt will at some stage being an SPI you'll have an Immobilizer bypassed ECU ready to go straight in & be used without having to reprogram any keys etc

 

[icheatatscrabble]

I would definitely check the product number on your ECU and see that it matches with what you are interested in buying. Also there was no mention of the receiver ring in the list of parts you mentioned buying for £110 - make sure this is included too.

 

[bugsymike]

I would definitely check the product number on your ECU and see that it matches with what you are interested in buying. Also there was no mention of the receiver ring in the list of parts you mentioned buying for £110 - make sure this is included too.

Always useful to have the antenae ring that receives the signal from the chipped key, although I believe it just transfers the signal to the computer.

 

[icheatatscrabble]

Always useful to have the antenae ring that receives the signal from the chipped key, although I believe it just transfers the signal to the computer.

Didn't know that - learnt something new!