Gulp!

[sparksie]

Cit nearly gave me a heart attack today.
Running late for an important meeting, I jumped in and turned on the ignition, only to hear "beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep" and see the key light flashing.
Naturally, she wouldn't start.
I have no remote and only one key.
I turned off, removed the key, reinserted it and tried again, thankfully with no problems this time.
I think the time may have come for me to invest in a Diagbox.
I really need to have more than one key and really, given her age and value, would like to disable the immobiliser. I know how to chisel the pump and access the solenoid, but would prefer not to. I'd still have the flashing key symbol and annoying beep to deal with!
I'm looking for advice about them.
Which one should I get to ensure I can do whatever I need on my Xantia, while also able to assist more modern Citroen owners.
I gather a lot of the Diagbox/Lexia devices available won't work with C5, for example!
Also, I still need to get the 4 digit PIN for the Xantia.
Anybody been able to do this lately?
If I have to, I suppose I can travel to a main dealer, with my proof of ownership/identity, but I'd expect much tooth sucking and possibly a need for a bank loan, before I come away with what I need.
Cheers guys

[Hell Razor5543]

OK, well getting the code in the UK costs about £15. I don't know how much it would be in R.O.I. If you contact The Birdman he may be able to help;

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/m ... le&u=11308" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This could help on the key front. If it has the electronics all you will need to do is to get it cut, and then introduced to the Xantia on your (soon to be purchased!) Lexia;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-BUTTON-REMO ... 233975806c" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

On the Lexia front, make sure to get one that can use over Diagbox 5.29. There are several suppliers, but the one I have used is Easy Diagnostics. Their kit is about £100, but it can handle most Citroen/Peugeot cars.

http://www.easydiagnostics.co.uk/#/shop ... ce/8000814" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You might also want to add this, if you think you were going to get work on the vans shown on the label;

http://www.easydiagnostics.co.uk/#/shop ... e./8012252" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

They were (when I contacted them) very helpful, asking important questions. The main ones was "What O/S on the computer? What bit width?". If you are running Windows XP, make sure to max out the memory, as the software needs a fair bit to run smoothly. If the O/S is later than XP, the bit width becomes important. Diagbox can handle 64bit, but when it has to deal with cars over a certain age it calls up the Lexia software, and that (as far as I am aware) is 16 bit and cannot work in a 64 bit environment, unless used via a Virtual Machine with clean access to the USB hardware.

If you mention that you are a member of this forum they might knock off the P&P (they did for me).

There are other Lexia suppliers, but I can only offer my opinion on what I bought. It does (sometimes) play up, but the way it does this is common to the Lexia kit, and is covered in their instructions.

[Northern_Mike]

Just out of interest James, do you (or anyone else) know anyone who will actually cut those keys? I couldn't find anyone local at all to cut new blades for the Berlingo when the key buttons wore out. I ended up buying a used key off Ebay and swapping half of the case over onto my old key. The "famous" key-cutters around here told me to go away.

[Hell Razor5543]

I haven't had to get one cut yet, but I do have an advantage in that I am friends with one key cutter (and one of my brothers had worked at another).

I bet you were told that they would only do keys they had supplied for warranty purposes.

I also have all three keys for Gracie, two remote and one plain, and they all work.

[Northern_Mike]

You're not wrong. Gits wouldn't even sharpen my penknife in case I went and stabbed someone with it! I suspect I have need to get one of those keys, get it cut, and introduce it to the car at some point.

[Hell Razor5543]

I will check with my friend that they will still do it then. Failing that, I will ask my brother if he can help. I will also let them know I have the relevant kit to introduce the key to the car.

[Northern_Mike]

That would be most kind of you.

[Sl4yer]

Hi.

It's unlikely to be a problem with the key.

I'd imagine even a TD S2 Xantia has more complex protection than the armour on the solenoid. I'm not sure if the immobilser can be disabled with Lexia though - one of those 'big balls' moments to reprogramme the CPH, especially if you need to use the car anytime soon.

I've only ever had immobiliser failure to start when someone opened the passenger door just as I was starting the engine - don't suppose anyone did this in your case?

James

[Northern_Mike]

I'd agree with this, I'm sure I've had it happen on Xantias in the past, where it's occurred once and never again. Not a bad idea to have a second key though.

[sparksie]

Has anybody heard from the Birdman lately, though?
His profile shows he hasn't been seen on here since Feb and he's not responding to PMs.
I read a thread somewhere, which I hope I can find again, where people got blades cut, based on a digital photo of their own keys.
Hard to believe, but there were several contributors who claimed to have had good results, so I suppose I could join their ranks.
None of it any use without the four digit immobiliser pin.
I'll have a look and see where I might find a Citroen dealer. Enniskillen and £15 sounds pretty good, to me, if that's a current price...
When I have the code I'll go Lexia hunting.
Code or no code, I think I'll try for a key anyway.
Only a matter of time until I lock the working key inside the car and a key that'll open it, even if it won't start it, will be a lifesaver!
Thanks, as always, for the support.
You guys make things altogether different, especially for a life-long Citro-phobic such as me!

[c.morewood]

Sparksie,
That only happens to me when I've been really quick inserting the key in the ignition and turning it straight away.. normally its a second or two before I turn the key.. So I always thought it was the car taking a few milliseconds to register the correct key.. I may be wrong and frequently am .. according to the missus:-)

[Hell Razor5543]

I believe that Ben82 had keys cut using digital photos.

If you look on the link I posted to The Birdman you will see a link to his website whereby you can start the code request.

If you were a Citro-phobic you probably wouldn't have bought one, so you were a Citro-virgin.

EDIT; Check the following link. Ben82 has given all the info needed to get a C5 key cut from a photo. I doubt a Xantia key is that much different;

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... 11&t=43271" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gibbo2286]

This is the guy who did Citroen coded keys for me, came to my house, supplied cut and programmed the main key and supplied a spare un-coded key for the door locks all for £92 less a 10% pensioner's discount.
Might be useful for owners within his range if not others.
http://www.locksmithscardiff.co.uk/

[citronut]

for the Berlingo when the key buttons wore out.

can you just buy the rubbery bits of the buttons through ebay Mike, i know you can for the Xsara Picasoooooo,
or was it the micro switch's that died

[Northern_Mike]

It was the rubbery round one that had worn through Malcolm. I bought a cheap clone key off eBay with a blank blade but the blade fits in different to a factory key and the plastics won't fit properly. The circuit board did, but I couldn't get anyone to cut the blade and the half of the key top with the buttons wouldn't fit my original key.

Sent from my GT-I9505