Replacement Key Info Required

[Doo]

Hi all, had a collision last night, BMW decided to execute a right turn at last second, cutting the junction to avoid oncoming traffic (rather than just stop and wait ) the last second decision coupled with this cutting the junction left me with no place to go

I ended up trying to go round with him, but because he's cut the junction so much I slammed into his rear quarter. I'm bruised & battered, bikes a mess and to top it off, I lost wife's spare key for our C4.

We went to look last night, but nowhere to be found....

I was looking at replacement keys on the Bay, Key + Electronics To Program Citroen C4 Picasso 3 Button Headlight

Can this be programmed by the Lexia? Just seems very cheap for a fob and gubbins

I would have thought I needed the chip, so is there a chip inside that needs to be programmed to our car? It states: Returns for this product are not accepted because once associated with a vehicle the key can no longer be programmed.

Any advice??

Thanks, a painful Doo

[GiveMeABreak]

Lexia can programme the car keys but bear the following in mind:

You will need to code ALL the keys again in the same session - any not done at the same time will be locked out.
Be wary of cheap fobs - some may provide basic locking and unlocking but may not provide other functionality
Depending on whether you are buying the shell or a complete fob with circuitry, they will have a transponder chip in that is permanently written-to when coded with Lexia.
You will need your confidential customer code before you can programme the keys with Lexia - if you don't have this, then you can obtain them from Citroen on proof of ownership, ID and a utility bill or similar.

[Paul-R]

It can certainly be done. I bought an uncut key for my C5 X7 and programmed it in using Diagbox. The key itself was £8.76 (Feb 2019) through Aliexpress and it cost me a further £18 (I think) for a keysmith to cut it using my existing key as template. The trick is to make sure you order the correct key as there are a multitude of wrong ones as well.

It also cost me £30 for the dealer to supply all the codes for the car.

[Hell Razor5543]

Doo, I hope that you are OK (other than battered and bruised)?

I had responded to this thread but (without so much as a "by your leave" or explanation) it has since been deleted, and not by me. Yes, some of what I had written had also been written by somebody else, but not everything.

[myglaren]

Do you have an insurance claim against the BMW driver?
If so then see if they will cover you for the loss of the key, in addition to any other claim you have.

Alternatively, check your own insurance, you may be covered for loss of keys there.

[wheeler]

There are 2 different frequency types FSK & ASK if you get the wrong type it wont program correctly. With how cheap they are you could always just order 1 of each?
I have had success with the cheap keys too.
Even if you have lexia & the code you will still need to get the blade cut, the issue you may have is getting an auto locksmith to cut a cheap keyblade, some can be a bit funny about doing this as the cutter bits for the machines are very expensive & they can be damaged by cheap keys. I know PaulR had someone do it for him so you may be lucky.

[Hell Razor5543]

Some locksmiths (Timpsons, possibly) can read the frequency of a key (they may charge a fee for this; I don't know) so you could take a known working key to them so they can let you know what frequency it operates on.

[Paul-R]

It'll almost certainly be 433MHz for anywhere in Europe. It might even be written on the existing key somewhere (try looking in the slot where the blade folds into). And it'll probably be ASK. That's for a rectangular key fob. Is yours that type, oval or something else?

Wheeler is right about keysmiths being funny about cutting other blades. One place I went to refused point blank to cut my blade even if I were to supply him with the key blade code.

FWIW this is the description for my key:

Uncut Remote Car Key 3 Buttons For PEUGEOT 807 407 308 307 207 CC SW For Citroen key 433Mhz CE0523 ASK signal HU83 Blade

[Gibbo2286]

It'll almost certainly be 433MHz for anywhere in Europe. It might even be written on the existing key somewhere (try looking in the slot where the blade folds into). And it'll probably be ASK. That's for a rectangular key fob. Is yours that type, oval or something else?

Wheeler is right about keysmiths being funny about cutting other blades. One place I went to refused point blank to cut my blade even if I were to supply him with the key blade code.

FWIW this is the description for my key:

Uncut Remote Car Key 3 Buttons For PEUGEOT 807 407 308 307 207 CC SW For Citroen key 433Mhz CE0523 ASK signal HU83 Blade

Never thought of looking in there for anything. Just had a look at my C5 key, it has CE 0523 and a circle with an exclamation mark inside.

[wheeler]

It'll almost certainly be 433MHz for anywhere in Europe. It might even be written on the existing key somewhere (try looking in the slot where the blade folds into). And it'll probably be ASK. That's for a rectangular key fob. Is yours that type, oval or something else?

Yes it will be 433 MHz but just because it’s rectangular type doesn’t mean its ASK, you really need to test the signal. Going by the remotes below the likleyhood it its ASK though.
The pics below are a 3 button C5, a 2 button C3 picasso & the odd shaped one is a 3 button C4. The C4 one is an aftermarket key but the original would have been the rectangular type, the middle button is actually a headlight button although the pic shows a boot release.
If its a regular C4 you will likely need a VA2 type blade.

[Doo]

It'll almost certainly be 433MHz for anywhere in Europe. It might even be written on the existing key somewhere (try looking in the slot where the blade folds into). And it'll probably be ASK. That's for a rectangular key fob. Is yours that type, oval or something else?

Yes it will be 433 MHz but just because it’s rectangular type doesn’t mean its ASK, you really need to test the signal. Going by the remotes below the likleyhood it its ASK though.
The pics below are a 3 button C5, a 2 button C3 picasso & the odd shaped one is a 3 button C4. The C4 one is an aftermarket key but the original would have been the rectangular type, the middle button is actually a headlight button although the pic shows a boot release.
If its a regular C4 you will likely need a VA2 type blade.

Thank you all for the info. Much appreciated. We still have the flip key with 3 buttons, one of which is for the lights.

I've read through, but not sure "how" I go about programming the new key and the original flip key

Do I need the blue box as above?

Without the benefit of a frequency reader, how do I tell if mine is a specific frequency? Will it say so in the printed circuit board on our original flip key? Or is it a trip to Citroen and their inane questions about why I am doing this myself and why don't I want to take it into their workshop...

Sorry for the miriad questions, I just want to get things right.

I'm going to go through all your replies again to see if I missed something the first three times I read it

[wheeler]

You dont need the blue device, thats for programming blank universal remotes, it just also happens to have a frequency tester in it.
I’d be amazed if anyone at the dealer could tell you if its FSK or ASK unless they test the remote.
Programming with Lexia is very simple once you have the security code, Lexia will guide you through it.
Once you select BSI then learning then key programming it will guide you through it, it will ask you to enter the security code and then the amount of keys you want to program (this includes any existing ones). Any old keys not programmed at the same will be ignored by the BSI unless re programmed back in agan.

[Paul-R]

There is specialist equipment that locksmiths use to clone keys but what we're talking about here is using the PSA diagnostic reader (Diagbox) to code a virgin key to the car. As has already been said, given the small cost of the Chinese copies, you could get both an ASK and an FSK key. It will be 433MHz so there's no option there.

The only other things you need to be sure of is that the key blade is the correct type (with or without a groove) and that the casing has the correct light symbol on it. You'll need the security code as well.

The most difficult thing will be finding some one to cut the blade I reckon. That and finding someone or buying a Diagbox.

[Doo]

There is specialist equipment that locksmiths use to clone keys but what we're talking about here is using the PSA diagnostic reader (Diagbox) to code a virgin key to the car. As has already been said, given the small cost of the Chinese copies, you could get both an ASK and an FSK key. It will be 433MHz so there's no option there.

The only other things you need to be sure of is that the key blade is the correct type (with or without a groove) and that the casing has the correct light symbol on it. You'll need the security code as well.

The most difficult thing will be finding some one to cut the blade I reckon. That and finding someone or buying a Diagbox.

I have the Diagbox & Lexia programmed into a laptop. I bought it when we were having fun (NOT fun ) with the Citroen before. More recently, wife was having issues with the gearbox doing things it wasn't supposed to. Although I rather think some of the issues were in her head because I never managed to replicate any of the problems she described, such as jumping into gear while turning the engine to start it. I can only surmise (after replacing the battery and the alternator belt snapping so replacing that too) that the battery was never getting a full charge, but the car is well maintained so fires up immediately, so it got to the stage where the engine was turning slowly, causing a shudder, which may have felt like it trying to "jump" forwards...

I digress. But the crux of the issue was that Diagbox found no faults which initially confused me, but then led me to understand that the lack of voltage, coupled with the slipping belt was creating inexplicable conundrums.

Thus I have never indulged in the true capabilities of the Lexi and DG box. I'd love to get the hang of it, but am worried I make a ham of things and end up with a dead Citroen and an apoplectic wife

How do I programme two keys at the same time? I new one and the original?

I'd actually like 3 keys so one each and a spare at home just in case I get flung off the bike again Although, lesson learned. Keep the bunch under the seat next time

[wheeler]

As you are working through the procedure Lexia will ask you how many keys you want to program, you enter the total amount of keys including any existing ones. Lexia will then get you to turn the ignition off and on with each key in turn. It does not matter which order you do each key in whether you do the old or new keys first. You get about 15 seconds to do each key.
The screen will say:
Insert the key & switch the ignition on with the 1st key within 15 seconds.
Remove the key.
Insert the key & switch the ignition on with the 2nd key within 15 seconds.
Remove the key.
It with repeat this for any other keys you want to program (up to 5).
At the end of the process it will confirm how many keys were programmed.
Like i say Lexia prompts you through the whole thing.
Don’t worry if you mess it up. You just go back in & repeat the process again.