Remote plip/key will unlock but not lock

[c.morewood]

The subject says it all really.
I have to lock with the key but can unlock with the remote.
Couldn't find anything in the search. Any ideas gratefully received?

[Mandrake]

Is it a Xantia ? Does it use different buttons for locking and unlocking ?

If so one of the buttons probably needs soldering back onto the PCB - the legs on the button break away from the board as they are all that holds it against the force of pressing the button. Eventually the whole button falls off inside! If you are decent at soldering it's fairly easy to fix on a Xantia fob. Just solder the button back in place properly.

[CitroJim]

I had exactly that with one of Gabriel's Plips...

No way my old eyes are good enough now but Zel came and did the honours for me and he made it look very straightforward...

[Mandrake]

I had the button fall right off inside on the fob for my first V6 Jim. Soldered it back on (and soldered the other one too that was on the way out) and it outlasted the car!

[KennyW]

Chris,

You can by the buttons online and solder them on I have a spare xantia key fob and circuit board but unsure if this will be any use.

I don't know if you can reset the key code via lexia. I no longer have use for it, free to a good home.

Kenny

[CitroJim]

I don't know if you can reset the key code via lexia.

An S2 one you most definitely can as long as you have the confidential code for the CPH...

It's an easy process...

[c.morewood]

Thanks all, I was thinking it might be a problem with the car. A relief to find out its probably the buttons. I'll give soldering a try tomorrow.

[van ordinaire]

There's a very simple solution: replace with nice leather (or similar) fob & use the key for its intended purpose.

(&, never buy a car with keyless entry - can you imagine, 15 yrs or so down the road when they start to fail.

[elma]

Do you have separate lock and unlock buttons on a Mk2 Xantia?

[Mandrake]

There's a very simple solution: replace with nice leather (or similar) fob & use the key for its intended purpose.

(&, never buy a car with keyless entry - can you imagine, 15 yrs or so down the road when they start to fail.

So never buy a new car ever again ? Or are there new cars that still use keys ?

By the way, ALL the keyless entry systems are vulnerable to remote exploitation. As long as the key remains in about a 100 metre radius of the car it is possible to use an apparatus within a few metres of the car to amplify one of the normally short range signals sent from the car to the key so that the key can receive it at a greatly increase range and perform automatic proximity unlocking!

The only way it determines the range of the key from the car is signal strength of the signal...

Sophisticated steal to order thieves are having a field day with this! The only way to mitigate it is to turn off the auto (buttonless) unlock feature of the fob, but many cars don't let you do this.

Once again, security systems designed by people who are not security experts...

[c.morewood]

Yes James the plip has 2 buttons. They wouldn't get far with nine Simon.. Mine is only effective within 4 meters..regardless of battery power. I'll give the soldering a go today.

[wheeler]

The only way it determines the range of the key from the car is signal strength of the signal...

Sophisticated steal to order thieves are having a field day with this! The only way to mitigate it is to turn off the auto (buttonless) unlock feature of the fob, but many cars don't let you do this.

Or keep the keys in a faraday bag/wallet when not in use ?

[Mandrake]

Yes James the plip has 2 buttons. They wouldn't get far with nine Simon.. Mine is only effective within 4 meters..regardless of battery power. I'll give the soldering a go today.

I'm referring to proximity keyless entry systems.

The kind where just having your key in your pocket as you approach the car is enough to unlock the car without pressing any buttons. And just having it somewhere in the cabin of the car is enough to enable the start button in the car. On any car with that system with the proximity mode enabled (which cannot be turned off in some) the car can be opened and driven away by a thief with the right equipment (which could be in a back pack) as long as the key is within about 100 metres.

The only way it determines the range of the key from the car is signal strength of the signal...

Sophisticated steal to order thieves are having a field day with this! The only way to mitigate it is to turn off the auto (buttonless) unlock feature of the fob, but many cars don't let you do this.

Or keep the keys in a faraday bag/wallet when not in use ?

Yes, that is the only current workaround if the car doesn't allow the proximity unlock mode to be disabled.

It requires some specialised but not particularly expensive equipment to pull off, so your corner yobo opportunistic thief won't have the necessary equipment, but you can be sure all the steal to order criminals do! And the type of expensive cars they're looking for almost certainly have proximity unlock systems.

[elma]

At the end of the day though if someone is determined to steal a car they will find a way. It's not something I worried about when I had keyless entry. In fact it's so convenient that the extra risk seemed a small price to pay.

[c.morewood]

Aah! Too modern for an Old fogie like me Simon! Nobody wants to,pinch an old Xantia anyway!