Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Spare Ignition Key ............

I'm just home after my 5th visit to Timpsons for their "expert" to make me an Ignition key that actually starts the car.

£120 charged and 6 hours worth of standing around waiting for them and the car STILL will not start - Just to add insult to injury, I've got to go back yet AGAIN to see the guy I originally paid and try to get a refund (GRRR - rant over).

Has anybody had spare Ignition keys cut for a Series 5 A8 that actually work ?. Where ?. Side question - is there something special here about the immobiliser ?.

Once you have a key that operates lock barrel you will need to swap over passive transducer, or maybe clone blank one from that on spare key, to deactivate immobiliser

Hi Richard.

Thats what they have been trying to do. The read / write tranducer kit says its read and copied the OEM passive transducer OK .... but then it does not work.

They have so far tried 5 different peices of kit to do this and made 12 supposedly copied transducer chips. I'm thinking there's something unusual / special about this particular appliocation.

The Autel machine they had mentions rolling codes and "Manchester Coding" whatever that is.

Manchester coding is a form of data coding used to transmit data from one device to another, in your case the car and the key.

Rolling coding is used for security reasons to make it more difficult for someone to steal you car. Each key you have has its own identity think of it as its user name. It also has a code, think of that as its password. When you operate the key to start the car the cars computer recognises the user name and expects the correct password. If all is ok it not only allows the car to start, but it erases the keys password and issues it with a new one for next time. Hence rolling code.

I think you might be better to go to a dedicated car key locksmith. According to AI you cannot simply copy an existing key if your system uses rolling codes. Rolling codes means the key code is changed every time you use it and each separate key you have has its own unique rolling code sequence. Here is what AI has to say about it.




Why Direct Cloning Fails
Desynchronization:

A rolling code changes its authorization code every time you press the button. If you make an exact electronic clone, both keys will have the same sequence point. Using one key will instantly desynchronize and disable the other because the car expects the next code in line, not a repeated or out-of-order sequence

.Security Conflict:
If your car's computer detects two separate physical units transmitting identical rolling IDs or conflicting cryptographic handshakes, it may lock out both keys for security reasons.


How to Get a Spare Key

Programming a New Key:
Rather than cloning, a locksmith or dealership must program a brand-new, unique transponder key or fob directly into your car's onboard computer via the OBD port.

Adding a Distinct ID:
This programming process gives the spare key its own separate rolling-code sequence. Your car will then recognize both the original and the spare independently without any system conflicts.

Regards



Tony

I've found the answers to my questions ..........

The OEM key is supplied to MMC by BMW. They can be duplicated by BMW HQ for Morgan upon production of a V5 with the requesters name & address on. The key arrives in 4-6 weeks completely "ready to use".

Production involves mechanical cutting but also producing a chip that is encoded as paired with the particular (Unique S/N) ECU that is actually fitted to your car.

Apparently none of the "Key Clone" solutions will work and the software to program from scratch is BMW proprietory.

Good news if you want to make your car harder to pinch I suppose

Key was £168 inc VAT, not cheap ........ but looks favorable against a McLaren key (£700) or my friends Iveco truck (£1000). I found MMC very straightforward and prompt to deal with, bodes well for the future.

TBH the fact you can't clone a new key yourself is encouraging from the security point of view.

£146 for a replacement key is peanuts in the modern car world. Not meant in a rude manner.

New AMG owner lost his keys and the bill was £600 for a replacement.

The key issue certainly with Mercedes became a hot topic a few years back, when they supplied a key to an expensive Mercedes owned by the husdand who unknown to them had recently divorced his now ex wife and she had the key made,took the car and sold it. Mercedes as I understood it were sued for the car's value, hence now the greater requirements around the key cutting and the jacking up of the prices immediately following the court case, to discourage key replacement.

I love this story - clearly a lot smarter than him..

A woman scorned is the most dangerous mammal on the planet bar none..

Final note

Collected my new from the factory today, worked perfectly 1st time.

If I've understood what they told me today correctly apparently the ref number they need to make one is the "ESS" number which is printed on the BMW engine ECU (which sits underneath the Skyships ECU's inside the fuse box).

They can derive the ESS no from their records of Chassis no's if needed.

World. Saved.