Lost Only Key Can I Swap Ignition Barrel And Immobiliser ?

[garethsage]

Hi all got a good one for ya ! Iv lost my only key for my voyager 2003. I have a doner car in back garden which has two keys. If I take the barrol and immobiliser pick up ring off the doner car and swap them for mine in my working voyager will this start the car or will I damage the ecu somehow ???? Please help as meant to be taking kids caravaning this weekend !!!! Any advise is greatly appreciated

! Thanks all

[bignev]

If you swapped the ecu as well it MIGHT work, because the key transponder is programmed to the particular ecu.

 

Or it might all decide to not want to play with each other when it's been out and disturbed.

 

Personally I would probably call a mobile auto locksmith (not electrician) who can cut and make you a new key in probably 10 minutes.

[mikebh8]

As bignev says, you need to replace the ecu too. If the other car has two keys, yes do it, but you also need to replace the door locks. A locksmith will charge you around 90-110 plus the chip..while the spare car is free.

 

Hope it helps.

[mikebh8]

I almost forgot, when I swapped mine, I lost the radio code for the satnav/DVD/ radio player. I swap it back over as was just a test, but if you have access to the code it shouldn't be a problem, or take the radio from the other car too.

 

Hope it helps.

Edited August 1, 2017 by mikebh8

[garethsage]

Thanks for reply chaps its real help . Basically I just wrote a massive reply and I deleted it ! Oh my god it took ages lol il keep it short This time !! I have no idea how the other car broke I simply bought it as it was cheap and got straight to work strippin it to better my working voyager. If its ecu is faulty would it damage my car and can I take it to be tested in any way to see if it's safe ?? Also would the remote key fob work my locks if all went well during this lock change ??? Thanks for your help

[garethsage]

P.s the doner car keys has two spare fobs too would them fobs work or could I keep using the original fob if it turns up ?? Thanks again

[garethsage]

Why did u swap ur ecu mike is it a voyager ? Iv never played with an ecu, can they range ur car if swapped about ???

[garethsage]

Damage i meant lol not range.......i hate this phone :/

[bignev]

Hi Gareth, sadly of course then it's a guess if the other ecu works anyway, and may not talk to the other component ecu's, transmission and powertrain and others around the car without reprogramming but I don't know.

 

I tried a replacement ecu on my old petrol 3.3 as a (cheap) desperate attempt, but it didn't help with the problem I had, however once I put the original back in it had no ill effects.

 

So worth a try in your case -

 

Battery disconnected first!

 

Just swap the ecu and ignition barrel. The remote fobs and keys are coded to that ecu so I'm quite sure will work with it. Assuming they did to start with of course!! But your old one won't. And you shouldn't need to move the sensor ring, it senses the key immobiliser.

 

I personally hardly ever use the door keys so obviously you could do that job later and get the weekend out of the way. Oh just a safety caution - leave the windows open when you do it - better safe than locked out!!

Edited August 1, 2017 by bignev

[garethsage]

That's great thanks nev I will have to try tomorrow as can't let kids down !!! Lucky for me car is unlocked and I'm not locked out ! So just to confirm plug in the doner ecu and change only the barrel, put battery leads back on and turn the key ? Sounds too easy lol thanks mate il let ya know how it goes !!!

[garethsage]

Nervous man took ages making this car sweet and worried swapping its ecu will somehow damage my loved car lol !!!!!!

[bignev]

Yep that's the job in a nutshell, I'm slightly wary every time I have to do stuff on mine recently as it's an ungrateful bugger and it almost always ends up leading to something else too.

[garethsage]

Ye tell me bout it haha

Cheers nev

[mikebh8]

Why did u swap ur ecu mike is it a voyager ? Iv never played with an ecu, can they range ur car if swapped about ???

Hi, was an attempt to start a "new " engine that I had it fitted, with the new ecu and totally different engine, after I left the check engine to clear out (the key dance) the only fault on the diagnostic software was the immobiliser which led me to the ASR( autoshoutdown relay), and eventually getting the engine running.

However, fitting back the old ecu started the car, no problem because the replacement.

[mikebh8]

That's great thanks nev I will have to try tomorrow as can't let kids down !!! Lucky for me car is unlocked and I'm not locked out ! So just to confirm plug in the doner ecu and change only the barrel, put battery leads back on and turn the key ? Sounds too easy lol thanks mate il let ya know how it goes !!!

If the "new" ecu is working, the engine management light will go out, otherwise, the car won't start and then you know the ecu is not good.

 

It is easy when you have a spare ecu, you just saved....something like 300-400 including the locks.

 

Bear in mind you have to remove the right headlight as one bolt(10mm) is behind there.

On a car model, all the ECU's with all the sensors are "paired", on the same parameters, I swapped an engine and it works without replacing the ecu.

 

Hope it helps.

[mikebh8]

P.s the doner car keys has two spare fobs too would them fobs work or could I keep using the original fob if it turns up ?? Thanks again

The alarm is a separate unit yours will work only with the original one unless you replace the alarm module too, or try pairing the fobs with the alarm module.

 

Look on YouTube how to pair an extra alarm fob to the existing ones, I'm not sure but you might need the existing one.

[garethsage]

Great advice thanks guys sounds like u know your stuff and I am defo gonna do the swap and see wat happens im sure it will be fine after reading what you chaps have done, I'm gonna come clean and tell ya my amazin other half has found my key In a wooden beer crate under the stairs ! Bloody kids will be the death if me ! I'm gonna get the weekend out of the way (which is actually Sunday - Thursday, in withernsea if ya know were that is haha....) thanks mike and nev

[garethsage]

HEy mike just to rattle ya brains.....where is the alarm module........lol cheers guys =)

[garethsage]

I only ask as my now found existing key fob doesn't seem to "arm" the car wen I lock it, but sometimes I hear a faint sound from the siron wen I unlock the car using buttons, weird I know .........

[bignev]

Oooh as my Mrs would say - did you do a man look???

 

Ah, I was thinking the ecu was the "main" unit in the chain, and this would control the alarm from it.

 

On my petrol I changed the "Powertrain Control Module" because the "Transmission Control Module" wasn't communicating. There is also of course the "Body Control Module" as well. Not to mention the control modules in the sliding doors and the tailgate!

 

I tried pairing the extra fob on mine from the details, but no joy, so I had the auto locksmith code it in. (I had an original to do it with).

 

None of  mine have made any sound on arm or dis arm - but plenty when they go off!!

 

Personally, for all the hassle you will most likely get, now you have a key and fob again, I'd get a second hand remote and get the auto locksmith to code it in when he cuts you the new key and transponder! That's what I did.

Edited August 2, 2017 by bignev

[garethsage]

And were is the siron haha milkin it I know!!!! but wen I hear it on unlocking its very faint and its like 1 in 20 times it makes a sound ! Is this common ??? Cheers

[garethsage]

And were is the siron haha milkin it I know!!!! but wen I hear it on unlocking its very faint and its like 1 in 20 times it makes a sound ! Is this common ??? Cheers

[garethsage]

Haha ye I did a "man look" and the whole sulk thing saying we can't go away if we don't find it haha u know the one

That's alot of modules nev my phone almost crashed wen I was takin it in lol I thought the ecu was the brain and wasn't to be tampered with lol any brain surgery is risky I'm led to believe how much do ya reckon a new key would be + tuning one the spare fobs in be, from a mobile lock smith guy ? (assuming the spare fobs work

[mikebh8]

HEy mike just to rattle ya brains.....where is the alarm module........lol cheers guys =)

Is behind the cluster( speedometer).

 

Happy it work out the cheapest and the easiest way.

[garethsage]

Cheers bud thanks for your help

[bignev]

yep I know the one, with the little strop too, who's ruddy moved it etc hee hee. Followed by piss taking by the wife.

 

They have way too many separate bits of ruddy kit for my liking, too many different brains all thinking different thoughts!!!!!

 

My local guy charged £70 for the key and transponder, coded in to the car, and another £30 to code in the remote as he needed a code from Chrysler which he had to pay for. I know he's genuine, my MOT man uses him too.

Of course that also pays for him to turn up at your house too.

 

The other "shopfront" guys were cheaper for a key, £50, but said the fob was a main dealer only job, which it wasn't.

And would need a new fob, which it doesn't.

Edited August 2, 2017 by bignev