Problem with Peugeot Dealer charging me but didn't fix the problem (change key battery)

Threaten them with the small claims court and if you do not get a positve response act on it, they will not want the negative publicity and it sounds as though you have a good case.

did both keys work before they got hold of them? if so then a battery change shouldnt have altered this and they shouldnt have needed to be reprogrammed to the car if this is the case then i suggest you talk to the manager ,as opposed to the 12,000 quid a year" target" they stick on the reception counter

Thanks. My only problem is to proof that the key was working when I gave it to them, and I think I found a way : I always deadlock the car, and it was deadlocked when I gave them the car for service. So they wouldn't have been able to desactivate the alarm if the key was not working..

Anyway, I should have an apointment with the manager this afternoon, but I think I know what they will offer : 50-50. They will ask me to pay for half of the price of the receiver+2 keys. But if I have to fo to the court, I'll go.

Thanks for the reply, Yann

Yes, both keys were perfectly working. One of them was not used (my spare key), so the battery on it was pretty good (I was able to open the car 50 meters away), and the one I was using everyday was a bit low in battery (I had to get closer, 10 meters max), but was working fine. My girl friend is now driving my car, so it's why I wanted to have 2 good keys. I didn't understand why I saw "train spare key" on the bill, I was just asking to get a new battery!

They are still trying to find a solution (other than buying 2 new keys+ receiver), but I am convainced that they did a wrong manip when changing the battery of the key. They are planing to send a third part company to my place, to try program the key. They know that I won't give up : I'm not a trouble guy, but I don't like to pay for something that they broke, and don't want to fix it back.

I have my car back in the meantime, and I did try to program it myself with this procedure :

Insert key into ignition. Turn key to position 2 Press and hold the larger of the two buttons for *about* 10 seconds, or until the little light on the key goes constant then goes off. If this does not work, try new batteries in the key

But no success. the key fash once when you press the button, but that's all.

Thanks, Yann

Which switch are you talking about? I have one in the right hand side, that I use to desactivate the alarm inside the car, but leave the external one (if you open any doors). Could you let me know what in the procedure to re program the key? I tried to hold down for a little while, but nothing happened...

Thanks, Yann

what year is the car mate it makes a difference

As I stated I've the V6 406 auto estate (1998model)but : - To the right of the steering wheel, on the dash just before it disappears into the footwell, I've a bank of three control pods; one is the override switch foe the cruise control, another is a red led which flashes when the alarm has been activated but is now silent and the third is an over ride switch for the alarm. I know 'cos some little b****d broke the rear quarter light. So by default of key fob failure I found that the central locking worked on the key but occasionally set the alarms off and by just pressing this switch cancelled everything noisy.

The reprogramming tip was passed to me by a Vauxhall owner, but it did work on my fob. Basically with the new battery in the fob, stand by the car, I stood by the driver's door, pressed the larger button on the fob, the smaller is the deadlock, for about 30 seconds. It's like reprogramming the TV, suddenly it comes on line. Well mine did. As I say that worked for me. I do have a list of other major problems but that's my fault for having a French made car.

406 coupe 2.0L petrol 1999 I checked the user manual of the car, they explain how to change the battery of the key, and there is no mention whatsoever or programing back the key....I really wonder what Peugeot did to my key...

Thanks for the detail explanation, I have to try that. My 406 coupe

2.0L 1999 has a different settings (I don't have this over ride switch that you are talking about), but it might work. I think my problem is that the key is broken and not able to transmit any signals anymore. The guy is Peugeot showed me this with a device that can receive the signals (IR or HF, I don't remember), and the broken key does not look to send anything (even if the red light is working).

I did meet with the Peugeot dealer manager, and they are going to send a third part company to my place (apparently they have a different computer for this kind of issue), and see what they can do.

Thanks, Yann

I'm no expert, but it sounds to me like they have broken a connection in the keyfob, or failed to locate the microswitches properly (had this on an old (l plate) Citroen (rubber over the microswitches when they replaced it for me, they put it on reversed, so the rubber was pressing both switches and thus ran the battery down in a few mins.. took a while to fix that little problem!!

or it could be the microswitch itself has broken..

(of course there's loads of other stuff it could also be, but this is an issue I've had with a plip key!! and may be of help)

HTH

Loopy

Ok, so to close this thread :

They tried everything then could, but they never managed to get my 2 keys working (I still have no idea how they broke one). So, they changed the receiver, and the two fobs, all free of charge.

Voila! Merci Peugeot!

Thanks for all the reply, Yann

Glad to hear a satisfactory outcome!! and good on your dealers!! (although they took too long!!)

Loopy

I use to work in a garage (when I was younger) the number of people who brought their cars back for faults that were unrated to the original repair was outrageous - so I can understand garages not trusting customers.