Key Programming

[Lou777]

During all the trials and tribulations of the first month of ownership of L33t's 2006 MCS, we learned something. Well, we learned a lot of somethings, but the one that you'll be interested in is how the key gets programmed to talk to your car.

- Insert the key into the ignition and turn to the second postion (2 clicks)
- Immediately turn it off and remove the key
- Press and hold the unlock button on your fob for about 2 seconds, then simultaneously press the lock button 3 times
- When you let go of the buttons it will take about 2 seconds and then your doors should click to signify that the key is now synched with the car.

Things I'm not sure of:
- If this means that any key can be paired to any car
- If Big Brother can tell that your key has been reprogrammed when you go in for service
- If this undoes any programming (opening windows and sunroof or special lock sequences) that was part of the original pairing. It didn't bother anything on L33t's MINI, but he didn't want all the fussy programming that I have and that I believe to be part of the normal delivery.

If this makes your car stop responding to your key, I'm pretty sure that you can call service and they will walk you through the reprogramming...they did it with us after we drove off and then couldn't get the key to unlock the car....that's how we know how to do it.

[onefastmini]

Lou, Thanks for that, The procedure may have changed on the newer models since I worked for Flow, but here is the sequence from the training manual published in 2001:
*Press either lock or unlock button 4 times in succession
*With car unlocked, switch ignition on briefly and then off, remove key and within 10 seconds, press press the lock and unlock buttons in succession

There are 2 seperate systems present in your keys, the remote for central locking and the transponder for the anti-theft EWS system which recognizes keys for starting the engine. So, You can program someone elses key remote to lock/unlock the car, but even if it did turn the ignition lock, it would still not allow the engine to start.
You may program up to 4 key remotes per car, and you do not need to syncronize all the keys at the same time, since it works with a rolling code just like most modern garage door openers.

--Dan