Astra J estate central locking query

Bought a mufti ex-police Astra J estate in August – awesome car, lovely to drive, zero frills but cheap as chips to run and proper roomy. Had an underboost issue and went into the garage on warranty (for four frickin’ weeks, but that’s another story, grr…), that appears to have resolved itself but when I got it home Friday, I found it wouldn’t lock from the remote, and the key won’t turn in the door, so we have to leave it unlocked, which is sub-optimal. Replaced battery x2 but still the same – manual talks about resetting the remote by locking/unlocking the door but the key just won’t turn, internet talks about reseating fuses but is vague about what. It talks more specifically about the fuses in the boot, but there’s no obvious fuseboard behind either of the panels at the back. Any ideas? There’ll be an angry call to the garage tomorrow anyway, but we’re away until Christmas eve and they’re shut until the new year. At the minute, all we can do is use the button inside to lock all doors except the driver’s, fold the mirrors in to make it look more locked, and fit our hastily-purchased steering wheel lock. Any thoughts…? TIA. 🙂

Reset key

Ignition on lock 2x unlock 2x this should reset the key.

They do break the loom in the rear doors though as well

As above. Try resetting it. But If the key doesn’t work in the door, you’ve been given the wrong key surely?

I guess you could get a new key made from an emergency key locksmith in the meantime.

We’re you using the physical key to lock the doors previously? Or just the fob? The lock could have seized up from lack of use – be careful what you try for un-seizing it though some lubricants, even ones marketed for car locks gum things up in the longer run

Ignition on lock 2x unlock 2x this should reset the key.

No joy. 🙁

But If the key doesn’t work in the door, you’ve been given the wrong key surely?

It works in the ignition – presumably it means it’s the right key? Not gonna put it past this garage to give me the wrong key, mind…

I guess you could get a new key made from an emergency key locksmith in the meantime.

Good interim measure, ta! 🙂

We’re you using the physical key to lock the doors previously? Or just the fob? The lock could have seized up from lack of use – be careful what you try for un-seizing it though some lubricants, even ones marketed for car locks gum things up in the longer run

Only ever used the remote before, so the key might never have turned in the lock – it does feel locked solid, key goes in but won’t budge. I did spray some generic supermarket light oil in there but it doesn’t seem to have made a difference.

It works in the ignition – presumably it means it’s the right key

might be worth checking what the garage did to fix the problem you took it in with, if it was an electronic problem sometimes an easy fix is to just swap the ECU for one from a donor car, but on the Astra that can mean having to swap the locks and key too. Not sure if you can get away with doing half the job and only swap the ignition

of course the reverse is true – if the lock needs changing then that’s difficult without getting the ECU involved

might be worth checking what the garage did to fix the problem you took it in with…

It was the engine going into limp mode reporting underboost, so they’ve been faffing with the induction side of things, called this morning and they say they didn’t even disconnect the battery. Called some local garages (we’re on holiday in Cornwall), they were too busy to take a look but one recommended Key Machine in Penruth(kudos to @cyclistm for the same idea! 🙂 ), who were great – key fob definitely not sending out a signal, he had it apart and ran some diagnostics but couldn’t figure out why. But he did us a new key, diagnosed that the physical lock was just seized and freed it with the judicial use of penetrative oil and blunt force. So we can at least lock the thing now, and I’ll chase the garage for a new key when we get back. Thanks all! 🙂

good stuff!

my first Astra wasn’t as fussy about keys – I once drove from fife to Bristol and it was only when I got there I realised I’d left my car keys at home and had picked up the keys to a Mercedes T1 instead

K.l.c.k

Are lock merchants who stock the keys and fobs.

They break the micro switch on the board.

Yiu can just replace them (or you u could on older keys)