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Stealing a new Fiat 500?

Both of my cars set the alarm off if you've not started the engine within about 30 seconds of opening the door using the key. One is a 10 year old car, the other 3 years old with keyless entry and the key only used as an emergency measure.

I'm also fairly certain that the steering lock only disengages when the transponder is checked in the older car - it takes about 2-3 seconds after turning the key before it starts up. The newer car requires the key to be placed in a key slot then the start button to be pressed, and it is only after the button is pressed that the steering lock is removed. I'm not sure about the transponder check on this car however.

Reply to
Simon Finnigan
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Believe it or not many months before I had taken a photograph using my car key as a size guide/point of referance.

The key company

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Cut it from the picture.

Thinking about it now, i got one transponder key and one dumb key blade. When the auto locksmith came he gave me a transponder chip and a blade holder for the dumb key. So now i have two keys. One that Zaps the car and one that just opens it manually and starts it.

Reply to
Tom Burton

You don't need physical spare keys, just the key mechanical pattern details and the code which can be stored electronically.

That will cost another £100

Reply to
alan

That's definitely not the case for VAG cars. Keys are pre-coded, but the key's code can be matched to (and removed from) the immobiliser afterwards. You need a SKC or access to VAG's online tools to do it though:

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Reply to
Chris Bartram
[...]

That's also the case for most makes.

Chris

Reply to
Chris Whelan

Apparently, we're talking about Ford.

Ford Europe sell about a million and a quarter cars per year. That's a nice round TEN MILLION keys. Per year. Average life of a new car is, what, a dozen years? So that's 120,000,000 keys in stock.

How do they know how to keep track of this stock? How do they know when to bin a set? Or do they keep them _forever_, just in case?

Reply to
Adrian

It only takes two people to pick it up and walk off with it.

Reply to
The Revd

Crane over the roof? It's in the neighbour's shed.

Reply to
Grimly Curmudgeon

Hah, took journalists a while to catch on to that one. Small boys everywhere knew what would fit what, especially what locks were best fitted by worn keys.

Reply to
Grimly Curmudgeon

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