C4 '06 - Programming new remotes & keys

[teuski]

It's only logical that the remote sync procedure can only be done with an authorized key in the ignition to be sure it's the owner doing the sync. But the answers here have led me to believe, that the car also checks that the remote to be synchronized is also somehow paired to the car or the immo chip previously by some darker magic.

So the sync only works with remotes that have already worked with the car in the past, and even though Lexia says otherwise the dealership/lexia key pairing procedure also conjures up this dark magic to make the remotes work with the individual car, and after that mere mortals are able to resync them by flicking a key and pressing a button.

Damn these things, i never should have touched a citroen with coil springs!

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok so the immo chip and the remote work together in some way? I was thinking they are two separate things, as Lexia states the remote syncing procedure could also be done by itself.

The BSI, the Engine ECU and the Transponder all work together. Programming of the Key (when new / blank) is one task and requires Lexia / Diagbox. Later (or maybe never - depending on use) you may need to Synchronise or re-pair the Key - this is not re-programming and does not need Lexia. This is done by putting the key in the ignition and holding the lock button for 5-10 seconds as I explained previously.

So now i have two options, either get just the code from a citroen shop and try if i can pair a used remote with a chip to my car using my Lexia and take a risk it doesn't work out OR get a whole new remote key and sync from the shop?

Let's look at this another way - by the time you've bought half a dozen key fobs that don't work and got the code, it will probably of been cheaper to get the new key fob from Citroen. The 2 button one for a C4 currently costs £109 inclusive of our 20% VAT - so may well be cheaper in Finland.

Is it the same thing with older oval C5 keys? I have a '03 C5 with just one key and a bunch of old remotes from other cars. Could i reuse them if i have the code and just need to get an another key blade?

No you can't, the same thing applies, the key fob and transponder chip are coded to the vehicle and won't work in another car.

[teuski]

OK.

But they sell new remotes on ebay, but how could i get one to work? Let's forget about getting an another key for the immo, just a new remote.

I just called the local Citroen garage and got the price for a new remote key coded paired to the car, 220€. that includes the finnish 24% VAT. That equals to 194£. bah...
They'll call me back for the price of the code only, but i don't know if i even want to hear the price...

I wonder if i could get the code and a virgin remote from them and do the pairing myself with Lexia. I won't need the blade cut as i already have an extra one.

[GiveMeABreak]

So that price looks like they are charging a standard hour Labour for coding! To my knowledge the price is for a complete unit of remote and cut key for your car. I dont know whether they will supply a remote only, or they may still charge the same as I can’t see a separate part or price for the remote alone.

All I would say is to be careful that you don’t buy anything with a used chip on eBay as you will be no better off and to make sure that it is a compatible remote with the correct circuitry.

There are no guarantees buying these from places like eBay that they will work as in all likelihood they won’t be genuine. But if you do am age to find a compatible one with virgin or blank chip, and you have the code, there shouldn’t be any reason why you can’t code it yourself. But remember you will have to do ALL the keys, new and old in the same programming session. Each transponder has an ID and if you don’t do the lot, it will remove the known ID of the key you already have from the BSI and that won’t work either.

[teuski]

I didn't get the price for only the key yet, but at least i can get the code free of charge. I'll try to visit the place today and then try to code the chinese remote myself.

I also asked an another dealership too, they gave me a price of 178€ for a new cut key (i asked for non-cut) and 40€ for coding.

At least with a blank key they just need a blank key, not having to order one from France just for my car.

[GiveMeABreak]

The price is almost the same as the previous dealer if you add the coding fee to the key price 220 Euros v 218 - pretty standard.

You have nothing to loose at this point by trying to code your Chinese fob, now that you have your code - I just hope it is compatible.....

[Paul-R]

Another line of thought.

Many shoe repairers (including Timpsons) offer key cutting services which include modern immobiliser fobs with and without remote locking facilities. They can code these to the car (not sure how they do this - maybe they clone the ID of an existing key) so maybe worthwhile asking around first.

[GiveMeABreak]

I'm not sure if they have a Timpsons in Finland, but if they are like anything over here they'll probably charge more than the dealer

[teuski]

Our shoe repairers do keys & immo too, and also cost as much or more than official dealers too

I just tried to code the keys. I only managed to code the working chip, no remotes. Diagbox itself seems to have no role in the remote pairing procedure.

How do i know an ebay remote is the right kind? I don't have any old remotes for this individual car. Unless the one without a blade and with broken buttons i found in the parts car is the old one. But the seller said he broke the chip abd threw it all away. That ruin of a remote still has the coil thingy. I tried to code it with the car by putting the working key blade in ignition and holding the broken remote's chip next to it but failed so maybe it belongs to the parts car too...

All my official remotes have a light button in the middle, and that's what the finnish handbook says there should be. The chinese one has the trunk button, so maybe it's the wrong kind? The official remotes (the new one for the parts car and the broken one without blade) have different pcb's with different markings. They both have 94V-0 marked on them but that gets no results on ebay.

Since i have no sure way of knowing the original remote type i guess my only option is to order a new key from the dealership.

[GiveMeABreak]

Ok, if you can PM or post your VIN for the car, I can tell you the correct part number - that will help with your search - there are probably better ones than ebay - but I'll need the VIN to get the right one for you.

[Hell Razor5543]

Sometimes the micro buttons on the circuit boards can fail. It is possible to buy repair kits, but you need to be good with a soldering iron to fit the new switches. Here are a couple of links;

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fits-CITROEN ... SwKtlWqPKY
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-BUTTON-FLI ... SwHMJYNUvr

[GiveMeABreak]

James - it won't code because the transponder chip is from another car, the wrong type or non virginised. - If it won't code, the microswitches are neither here nor there.

[teuski]

Ok, if you can PM or post your VIN for the car, I can tell you the correct part number - that will help with your search - there are probably better ones than ebay - but I'll need the VIN to get the right one for you.

Oh, it never occured to me the remote would have a part number too!

Service gave me 6554 TE. Thanks for the tip!

That seems to be a 315MHz remote. There are similar looking ones for newer cars on ebay with 433MHz.

[GiveMeABreak]

I need your VIN for this - as I don't want to guess and I don't have confidence in what some part person has said without verifying.

There are 4 different part numbers - this is one of them - but there are 2 types of fob and 6 part numbers in total.... so best to be sure.

As for the 315 MHz Heterodyn - that is the correct one, but there are also others that are not 315 MHz and another reason to check the part and not to use a generic one from the bay of evil - unless they are GENUINE ones.

[GiveMeABreak]

I got your PM, so confirmed the choices are below:

6554 TE for the Cut Key (£133.97)
6490 97 for a Raw uncut key (£136.12)

So you can now seaarch for the parts and hopefully get a decent one!

Here's one for starters - it's a genuine Delphi one used by Citroen and it's the last one! £59!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Citr ... SwZjJVAd2K