Ford Keyfobs

I have had a new Ford from new it was supplied with 3 keys. One is red in colour, was told not to use it and keep it safe and never loose it, have you got this? Think this is needed to obtain extra keys, maybe someone will advise further.

Afraid not - just got the one 'normal' black plastic key.

AIUI the red one is the "master" key and is used to clone the other black ones . When I bought my s/h Mondeo I got two black ones and one red one . One of the black ones has the two buttons to operate the remote locking . Stuart

You could try going back to the seller and asking about the other keys

-not something an owner would throw away .

As far as non-radio keys are concerned ( and I may be wrong as these things change from time to time) I thought Ford had moved away from the red master key system in the late 90s. Basically you should be able to code a new "blank" into (and indeed uncode any existing key from) the car ECU/security system using any other two keys that are

*already coded* for that car. The theory is that only a bone-fide car owner has access to two keys, so you can add or revoke whatever keys you want.

If the OP's car's key system conforms to this approach he should have been given two keys otherwise he can't do the above himself and may need the dealer to assist. I've seen at least one key ID tag which I presume can help with this process.

I recall I was charged around 20 quid by a Ford dealer for a non-radio-remote replacement key, including cutting to pattern.

The two Focus cars I've had (2000 and 2001) were both supplied with just two keys. Likewise my '98 Mondeo, but it also came with a very slim all-metal "T" shaped key about 3cm long which purely opened the doors and couldn't be used to start the car. Probably intended for absent minded people to keep about their personage in case of locking themselves out of the car.

Tell me about it, I lost a Rover remote key fob and main dealer charged me £85 for a replacement, the key was another fiver. The real pisser, was when the lost fob turned up about a week later.

Well, after suffering at the hands of the main dealer, I did some research and came up with...

They are about half the cost of the Rover main dealer for replacement fobs and they seem to accommodate most other makes.

This site is well worth bookmarking IMHO.

HTH tox

If only one key is supplied a second can be cut ... has to be programmed to the car using WDS (World diagnostic system) This is Fords system that replaced FDS2000 in 2001... Earlier fords had indeed 3 keys ...Red master and 2 slaves...From 2001 on 2 keys were supplied.(No red master).. the 2 keys could be used to enable the PCM to go into learning mode so a 3rd key could be added... IN short..... if you only have one key then you will require dealer assistance to get a

2nd.

JK

This is true, but I've heard it said (on this NG) that post 1999 Fords=20 didn't have a red key, and were just supplied with one remote and one spare= .

I've got a 98 S Mondeo, and this is the time when their system was changed= =20 from with a red key, to without, and the only way I can find out if I need = a=20 red key is by going to Ford with my VIN and asking them.

Pete.

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The RED key system stopped in mid 98- cars after this were supplied with 2 normal black keys and you can use either to drive the car. However you (normall) need both to code a new key to disable the immobilizer, so its a good idea to have a 3rd key cut and coded when you get the car, so if you loose one, you can still code another new key without paying a dealer to do it!

If you have a Ford with a red key, do keep it safe as if you loose it and want to code others it is a dealer job.

Tim..

My car was built in 2000, with its Red key.