Ford Ka immobilised

[graham chalk]

Originally Posted by mr_bo

Where are you with this?

I don't get what the mechanic is saying, need a new lock set as the black box is buggered? If you ordered a lock set it doesn't come with a black box, is he someone whose services you've employed?

Have you tried the retrieved key? If the sole remaing key works and is the master key (red) you can add subsequent keys without the need of a ford main dealer to a max of 5 before the ecu will accept no more. If you don't have the master key and the one you got works ok then I'd expect to pay around £80 ish for a ford main dealer to supply and code a new spare key. It's simply a case of programming with ford diagnostic system (FDS or WDS) and is not labour intensive.

First you need to try the retrieved key and see where you are.

ok-the current situation is........disaster
The mechanic initially buggered the ignition barrel thinking he could just start it like they do in the movies...then he thought that all we needed was the chip out of the keys (which we recovered) and another ignition barrel with the old chip in the new key...
When he fitted the new ignition switch: the dashboard lights up but engine won't start.The immobiliser light is still flashing too
He has now asked advice (about time) and been told that the whole thing needs recoding??.......He thought that if the key chip that the immobiliser was coded to was now being used in the new ignition key....Bingo...........seems not !!
My partner wrote the above.
I wasn't present while mechanic was coming to this conclusion. If I had been present I think I might have struck him with something large and heavy.
Incidentally though I describe him as a mechanic, he's a friend who normally fixes our vehicles. He isn't someone we can sue the bejasus out of at this point. If he had been I would be.

[graham chalk]

Seems to me that you need to get somebody who understands how the whole system works rather than someone who just uses a bigger hammer.
I couldn't agree more.
I think the black box is ok. I think I added it to the list of busted stuff by mistake.
I'll try doing what you suggest and search for someone local (an auto electrician?) who understands car electronics.

[Lord Nikon]

Better seeking an auto locksmith. But I think I know the issue before you start. I will assume the antenna coil round the ignition lock is broken, they are quite delicate and the 'mechanic' probably damaged it. Try another coil, usually a black ring with two wires coming off it. The flashing immobiliser light is normally a sign that the key cannot be read. You may be able to pick one up from the scrapyards or worst case - Ford.

You could also have got a new ignition barrel from ford coded to your original key based off the key number. (If you don't know your key number drop me a pm with a picture of the blade of the key in as high a quality as possible) Ford Ka tend to use the Tibbe locks which are easy to decode and build to order. (Apart from the new ones which are a Fiat lock as it's a modified Fiat 500)

Maybe the cheapest solution is just to scrap the car and get another for £250 ?

[graham chalk]

Originally Posted by Paul M

Maybe the cheapest solution is just to scrap the car and get another for £250 ?

Possibly. Depends on how much this costs to get sorted. Car just has a fresh mot and I recently was made redundant so money is short right now.

[mr_bo]

I agree with what Lord Nikon said, check the inductive pick-up coil. If the guy does not know what he is doing and has managed to break an ignition lock barrell then there is a good chance he has broken the coil, or simply hasn't re-connected it.

You are looking at £109.62 + labour although very easy to fit (part no 1040813) to replace the said item.

[Lord Nikon]

There's a couple of ECU / Pickup coils on ebay for under 60 quid at the moment depending on the engine size, no reprogramming, just swap the pair (Turns out the ka's immo transponder code system is part of the coil)

[graham chalk]

ok, finally................
I promised to let you good folks know when the last chapter was written
the saga of the dead £250 Ka is now written.
The mechanic sourced a new set of locks from the scrapyard (including ignition) , fitted them and........nothing
A week later he went back to the same scrappy and got the "black box" ignition unit and the ECU from the same dead Ka.
fitted these and ....nothing.
might not be enough juice in the battery"
jumper cables out
nothing
My partner helpfully suggested:
"are you sure you've put the right chip into the key"
He'd put the old chip in the new key then the new ECU in the car to replace the old ECU......
"Yes of course I have"
Swapped them round and vuooooomph
car starts
well done Shaun!
Dunno how I'm paying him as I owe him about £15,000 by now....but the boy -finally-did good.

[Kymmy]

Finally did it is one thing.. Perhaps though he should have done it days ago

Glad you're sorted