Renault Master Ignition Key Problem

[Cattwg]

Our camper is based on the 2.8TD, year 2000, W reg, Renault Master van.

 

One of the two ignition keys that I have is intermittently (about 50/50) not being recognised by the vehicle immobiliser - the red dash light keeps flashing after the key is inserted.

 

I have changed the battery but no improvement.

 

The other key works first time, every time, so the fault is almost certainly with the key.

 

As the problem is intermittent I am not convinced that the fault is with the electronics of the dodgy key. If it were I would expect the key not to work at all – or maybe I’m just wrong? Does the key's blade have any role in its recognition?

 

A strange symptom – if I insert the good key, turn on the ignition then remove that key and insert the faulty one the faulty key is recognised and will start the vehicle. This happens every time.

 

Each key has just one, large button.

 

I would appreciate any thought or suggestions.

 

:-D :-S

[w1ntersun]

From your excellent description I would say that when you turn the key it switches on the vehicles system which in turn reads your key. I would deduce that the old key is worn at the point on it that switches the vehicle system on.

 

You need a replacement key or use the spare one and keep the old one as a spare knowing it will work 50% of the time.

 

Richard

[Cattwg]

Thank you w1ntersun for your reply. Yes, I was thinking that it may be a problem with the blade of the key rather than the electronics.

Cattwg :-D

[Keithl]

Hi Cattwg,

 

Does the faulty key turn and if it does what happens to the dash warning lights, ie the battery charge light, etc?

If the blade of the key is faulty then all that will happen is it will not turn.

The immobiliser pickup is a small coil of wire located in the plastic trim around the ignition lock. If you remove half of the trim you will see it clearly.

I would put my money on the 'transponder' in the key being faulty. This is a small microchip (a bit like you have in your pets) which receives a signal from the pickup when the key is inserted and then replies with an answer which turns off the immobiliser.

The battery in the key only powers the lock/unlock function and has nothing to do with the immobiliser.

My surmise would be that the microchip is faulty in your key and would guess the only answer is to get it replaced.

 

There are specialists out there who will come to you and fix these problems a lot cheaper than going to a main dealer so try Googling your problem description to see what you can find.

 

HTH.

Keith.

[Brambles]

Agree with what Kieth is saying.

Its the transponder in the key fob. What you can do if the key fob comes apart to replace batteries is look for the little transponder, usually a short tubular looking thing and check there is no crud built up around it. Often when keys get damp or wet much gets carries in. However chances are it is glued into place and the glue should keep any dirt away from it but worth checking anyway.

Often if you just reprogram the vehicle system to accept it as a new key it solves the problem.

Good Luck as replacemnet keys can be very expensive, so seaching Ebay is worth while, even getting an old key for another vehicle and just canging the blade part with your original blade is sometimes possible and the program the system to accept the 'new' key fob.

[Cattwg]

Hi Keith,

Thank you for your reply.

The faulty key does turn and all the dash lights behave normally. All that is except the immobiliser red light that flashes faster then normal.

 

Please don’t think I’m being arrogant but if it’s the microchip that’s faulty I don’t understand why the problem does not occur every time with the faulty key and also the strange symptom I described. i.e. If I insert the good key, turn on the ignition then remove it and insert the faulty key then the faulty key is recognised and will start the vehicle – this happens every time?

 

Just been to the 'van and I think I've answered the 'strange symptom' question. If I do as above but wait several seconds before inserting the faulty key then it's not recognised. Could it be that the immobiliser takes time to reset and swapping the keys quickly as I had been doing does not allow this to happen – so the faulty key is recognised?

 

Probably it’s just that I don’t want to admit it is the microchip and so have to spent lots of dosh!!!!!! And maybe a specialist is the answer as you suggest.

:-S :-D

 

John

[Cattwg]

Hi Bramles,

Thank you for your reply.

I have checked the key as you suggest but there’s no obvious problem.

When you say ‘the system, this is the ‘van immobiliser system? And presumably that is a specialist job?

 

John

:-D

[Keithl]

Hi John,

 

Yes you have answered your 'strange symptom' yourself in that there will be a delay in the immobiliser resetting after you remove the good key.

I'm sorry but a visit to a specialist is the only answer I can come up with.

It's definitely worth trying to find an independent specialist as a main dealer is likely to be very expensive. But saying that do ask them for a price as a comparison to use against others.

 

Keith.