Red Key

[Bob Hignett]

I've recently bought a fiat coupe....... but didn't get a red key.

I've only heard about the problems this can cause....... anyone got a solution out there ????

Thanks

Bob

 

[Smithy]

BANK JOB

Rob a bank cos you're gonna need plenty of wonga to get new red key matey.

 

[Smithy]

Seriously though...

...check out pages 14 & 17 for some previous discussions on this topic. I bought my Bravo HGT back in July and still on have one key, a blue one. Didn't know about the red key situation until i had found this forum.

 

[Chris]

The Red Key holds all of the electronic coding for your car. It's there in case you lose the blue one, in which case a replacement can be produced from it. However, if you don't have a Red Key a blue key replacement can't be made. This means a rather large bill to change the coding in your car (my Fiat dealer told me around £1,000). Whether or not he told me all this so I would buy the extended warranty I don't know, but if you have a warranty I've been told you're covered. In addition, you should only use the Red Key if it's vital, as continued use fick's up you injection or something.

Hope this helps

 

[Nick]

Blue key

The red key allows new blue keys to be programmed into the system - no more, no less.

It has no detrimental effect on the ignition system or anything else, however many times you use it.

It is not adviseable to use it though as losing it is expensive.

Blue keys can be copied (cloned)from other blue keys at some high street chains such as Timpsons. These don't need the red key to program them into the system as they are clones and are therefore identical to already leart keys. They work very well - I've used a copied key every day for over a year with no problems at all. It was £20 a key when I had mine done which was cheaper than Fiat could supply a new blue key for.

If you've only got a blue key, get it copied immediately. If you lose the red key and all the blue keys then you are completely stuffed.

Certain Bravas/bravos have doctored ECUs available which have the Fiat CODE system bypassed, therefore no need for a red key at all. Thus if you have lost all your keys you can replace the ECU with one of these at a significantly cheaper price. Look back in the forum for other discussions. ATP Electronics do them if I remember right.

 

[Chris]

Keys

Nick, you seem to know more than my Fiat dealer, maybe you should give them a call.

 

[steve]

not all gloom

Depending how recently you bought it you could still get the complete system changed for nothing.

I bought mine in june, without the red key.
I phoned the dealer after 4 days, After reading the hand book, and said I was concerned.

I spent two weeks of trying to find out exactly what the situation was. The only certain thing I found out was that without the red key the car is legally considered defective under the trade descriptions act. And therefore you are entitled to expect the seller to rectify the defect, come to some other compromise or refund you all the money in return for the car.

At that point I wrote to the dealer stating that. They wasted a couple of weeks trying to locate the key and trying to convince me it wasnt essential, probably hoping I would go away. As I didnt, they eventually replaced all locks, ECU and code box in order to provide a red key.

It wasnt a great deal of hassle but I did buy from a dealer that had some ties with a fiat garage. Dont
know whether that helped.

Bottom line is. You are entitled by law to expect the above. How much hassling you have to do depends on who you bought it from. Obviously keep tight control of any
all correspondance and get receipts for anything.

good luck if you pursue it.

 

[Nick]

Sold as seen

If you bought "Sold as seen" then you have no comeback

 

[steve]

Not neccessarily

This is obviousily an ambigous point.

I think If you bought from a dealer, you still get protection within the sales of goods act.

You may find that the amount you paid would influence what might be expected. You obviously cant see everything.