Technical Red/ blue keys

[Helz]

Do I need a 'red key' for my Bravo/a?

The red key?

The red key is the master which is needed for Fiat to make new blues up, or for certain work involving the ecu and immobiliser. This key shouldn't be used as your day to day key, but should be kept in a safe place.

Does my car need a red key?

with a fiat just look on any of the keys, if there a triangle and 2 semicircles on the metal blank it'll have a red key, if there's a triangle and 2 semicircles and a number 2 as well then it wont have a red key. all bravo/as were system1 anyway so they have a red key.

When might I need a red key?

there is a very small chance that if the battery is flat or disconnected for some time, the blue key codes may be lost by the codebox. in that situation you would need the red key. but there is only a very small chance and if it did happen you could then do something about it, so dont worry. the only other reason to get a red key is if you want to program other keys into the immob. there's no need to ever do that if you get a couple of clones made of your key at timpsons.

I haven't got a red key, what if it all goes wrong?

you would need to get a new ecu, codebox, and full set of keys, and if the dealer is nice they wont make you change the lockset as well. that would cost hundreds. dont bother.

hopefully you will never need the red key (very rarely do), but if you ever do, dont worry too much as there are several ways around it.

Such as?

If you really feel you need a new red key, they are not available from Fiat (other than full afore mentioned kit). I have made many replacement red keys which have always worked EXACTLY as the originals. You do not even have to open the immobiliser if you already have a blue key.

Today if you lose your red key its no big deal, there are so many ECU specialists around who can remove the code from it or repair it (Costs £75, compared to new ECU, keys and locks at fiat for £800). The transponder in the key hardly ever ever lose their code, usually its an ECU fault or the receiver around the ignition barrel.

If you lose all keys you can get new keys cut from your boot lock if sent in with your ECU to the specialists and they will repair or recode your ECU and make you some new keys from the boot lock.

See: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/datarecall/ or http://www.codeman.org/

I have a red key and need to make some blue keys, how do I do this?

You have red (master) key yes? And you want 2 blue (slave) keys yes?

OK here goes......

1)go to dealer/timpsons/woolworths/sunday market/asdas wherever you want to get 2 blue keys. I state dealer because alot of cheaper keys that you can get can sometimes have difficulty programming thats all not because i'm biased.
2)Get keys cut to same pattern as your red one.
3)Leave the shop/market/supermarket(delete as appropiate)
4)Try cut keys in car door to make sure they are cut correctly
5)Get in car
6)put red key in ignition & turn on,wait for code light to go out(about 3 secs)
7)take out red key & put one of the blue keys in,turn ignition on,wait for code light to go out(3 secs)
8)take key out & put other blue key in,turn ignition on,wait for code light to go out(3 secs)
9)take blue key out & put red key back in again,turn ignition on,wait for code light to go out(3 secs)
10)take red key out.
11)try both blue keys & make sure engine starts with them both.
12)put keys on key ring
13)drive home
14)switch on PC & access Fiat forum website
15)Donate £5.00 after all you have saved £££

How about cutting and cloning the blue key, or if I haven't got a red key?

Any good Fiat dealer should have the key cutting/cloning equipment.

Why not just get the blue key cloned at Timpsons?

the machine they use is very simple, it has 2 modes, read and write, they drop your key into a small compartment on the key, its code is then read and displayed on the digital display (or an error if the key is unreadable). then they remove your key and drop the new uncoded key into the same compartment and press the magic button. bingo a clone of your key is now made.

My blue keys were 'remote locking' keys, does this still apply?
As above and then......

to program new (or second hand) remote keys into your central locking, you need the 4 digit code from a remote key that is already programmed to work. that would include either of the 2 original remote keys.

what code? i hear you asking yourself. each remote key has its own 4 digit code. this code is on a small keyring when new, as shown in the following pic.

fiat did not keep a register of these codes, so if your codes are missing, they're missing for good. if you buy new keys, even with their codes, you still cant program them into your central locking unless you have the code from a remote that has already been programmed in to the central locking.

to program a remote you simply:

-Press the button that is between your courtesy light and the ultrasonic sensors on the roof of your car (near sunroof switch)
-Release the button after a second or two
-After a couple of seconds the LED will flash once
-Enter the first digit of your 4 digit code by pressing the button the relevant number of times
-After a couple of seconds the LED will flash once
-Repeat this for the next 3 digits of the code.

If the code was correct the LED will flash for approximately 10 seconds.
(If the code was incorrect the LED will remain on for 10seconds, so start from the beginning when the LED goes out)

-With the LED flashing press and hold the button on the car and then press and hold the button on the key. Keep them both pressed until the LED stops flashing and remains on.
-Release the button on the remote, then the one on the car.

now what heppens next depends on the age of the car. some cars have a red LED others have a green LED.

for a red LED, if the programming was successful the LED will flash 6 times, but if it was unsuccessful the LED will flash 18 times

for a green LED, if the programming was successful the LED will flash 8 times (i think, maybe less), but if it was unsuccessful the LED will stay on for a few seconds (8 i think?)