Managed to ‘dispose’ of my Ford Focus remote key while dumping rubbish out of the car into the wheelie bin. Worked out what I’d done about 10 mins after the bin lorry had sailed off into the sunset. 😳

I still have the spare (non-remote). Anyone got any recommendations for companies/locksmiths who’ll sort out a new one in North/West Yorks? Even asking the main dealer for a price will probably give me an aneurysm.

What year is the car?

Programming a remote for a Ford is easy, you can just get any equivalent Ford remote key and recode it. Or at least, you could until recent models, done it a few times- don’t know what year your car is. But combining it with a functioning key isn’t, because there’s 3 stages- the physical key, the transponder thing, and the lock remote.

So if you just want to disarm the alarm, fine, just recode a fob. But it won’t start the car. Stick a remote fob on your existing key and recode it (you can probably have the key combined with the fob but I didn’t bother, I just used it like a keyfob). But if you want a whole new key, expense.

Hi Somouk – Its an 07.

It’s more a case of not having a spare any more in case of further stupidity.

I found Timpsons cheaper than the dealers when I needed one, but they have to test it before you can have it and if you car is immobile, that could be a problem.
The Aa offer a mobile service and some insurance companies offer it as part of your policy, but this may effect your premiums / claims.

I’ll give Timpsons a go – I can still drive the car with the spare, it’s just a faff as the alarm threatens to go off everytime you get in.

Thanks all

Mines done that for years (fob stopped working), I’d be interested to know what it costs you.

I’d heard that you can just buy an old fob off ebay (scrappies selling them), take it to timpson who can replace the ‘key’ bit, then matching it to the car is simply a case of putting it in the ignition and going through a sequence of switching it on/off repeatedly until the car goes into some programming mode and voilla, sorted.

Never tried it because the faff of having no key would be worse than having to disarm the alarm!

I’d heard that you can just buy an old fob off ebay (scrappies selling them), take it to timpson who can replace the ‘key’ bit, then matching it to the car is simply a case of putting it in the ignition and going through a sequence of switching it on/off repeatedly until the car goes into some programming mode and voilla, sorted.

I vaguely remember doing this when I changed the battery on the fob a while back. Don’t know if it will work for a completely different fob.

Something to do with the fob is given a code by the car when you lock it, and the car will only unlock for that key and code (or the spare which presumably it also remembers).

As far as I know you need two keys to program a new one, so you may have a problem. I can recommend Chris Aston in Stockport as a good auto locksmith dedicated to fixing his customers’ problems, but he’s a fair distance away for you.

http://www.mirez.co.uk/KeyProg.htm

Judging by this, I’ll need both my keys to reprogramme a new one myself because of the immobiliser.