Stainless
Member
I found this on another forum and thought it deserved a place here.
I'm posting it here, maybe the site administrators will decide to move it elsewhere. That is up to them.
Nov 2006
Re: Immobiliser
Hi there, I work for Renault and have been interested by the uproar caused by the immobiliser systems. I can however understand frustration caused when the key no longer works.
There are two main types of immobiliser sytem, the infrared which can be identified by the small glass ball at the base of the black part of the key and the ultrasonic or radio type system. These differ in two ways. The first infrared system relies on the button on the key being pressed to deactivate the imobiliser. The second has a seperate chip and a decoder ring around the ignition barrell and even if the key does not operate the central locking should have no adverse effect on the car starting.
If you have the first system which is the earlier of the two and was phased out around 1998 a good way to check if the key is still operational (even if the red light comes on) is to point the key at a mobile phone camera and you should be able to see blue light coming from the glass ball on the key. If there is no light then the key is usually unsalvageable and would require replacement. If there is light coming out of the key yet it does not start the car it is most likely that the key and the car have gone 'out of sync' and will need to be 're-phased'. On anything other than a megane or scenic it requires the Renault Diagnostic computer to be connected to the vehicle before the key can be rephased.
Over-riding the imobiliser is possible but you will need the imobiliser code which contary to popular belief is avaliable from Renault dealers (usually about £10+vat). Renault UK have issued a document to dealers that authorise them to pass on this information provided you have shown photo id and the V5 registration document (The code is obtained from the chassis number). For a Laguna you will need to use the pedal and wiper stalk method of code entry and for a megane or scenic the code is entered via the central locking button. Immolbilser codes are not inside the key!! The number on the key together with the chassis number when entered into a crypted Renault database then produce an immobiliser code.
If you have the later radio type key there are no 'cheats' to over-ride the system and a diagnostic routine will be the way to go. You could guess and replace coded ring around the steering lock but these rarely give trouble and are often incorrectly diagnosed as the fault.
There is not a design fault with these systems, perphaps what is more of a problem is that inside your key is delicate circuitry that is unfortunatley often over delicate and anything such as magnets, heat, cold, dropping the key or sitting on it could have an adverse effect on it. As such my advice to you all would be to treat your key like gold dust as in 90% of cases the key is the problem rather than the car itself.
I hope this provides some answers and whilst i'm not strictly defending Renault I hope it provides a view from the other side of the fence. By the way an honest and reputable dealer should not charge you more than half an hour's labour to 're-phase' the key and again if you are replacing the key (which is about £70+vat) the labour charge should not be more than half an hour (definately less then £50inc vat).
I'm posting it here, maybe the site administrators will decide to move it elsewhere. That is up to them.
Nov 2006
Re: Immobiliser
Hi there, I work for Renault and have been interested by the uproar caused by the immobiliser systems. I can however understand frustration caused when the key no longer works.
There are two main types of immobiliser sytem, the infrared which can be identified by the small glass ball at the base of the black part of the key and the ultrasonic or radio type system. These differ in two ways. The first infrared system relies on the button on the key being pressed to deactivate the imobiliser. The second has a seperate chip and a decoder ring around the ignition barrell and even if the key does not operate the central locking should have no adverse effect on the car starting.
If you have the first system which is the earlier of the two and was phased out around 1998 a good way to check if the key is still operational (even if the red light comes on) is to point the key at a mobile phone camera and you should be able to see blue light coming from the glass ball on the key. If there is no light then the key is usually unsalvageable and would require replacement. If there is light coming out of the key yet it does not start the car it is most likely that the key and the car have gone 'out of sync' and will need to be 're-phased'. On anything other than a megane or scenic it requires the Renault Diagnostic computer to be connected to the vehicle before the key can be rephased.
Over-riding the imobiliser is possible but you will need the imobiliser code which contary to popular belief is avaliable from Renault dealers (usually about £10+vat). Renault UK have issued a document to dealers that authorise them to pass on this information provided you have shown photo id and the V5 registration document (The code is obtained from the chassis number). For a Laguna you will need to use the pedal and wiper stalk method of code entry and for a megane or scenic the code is entered via the central locking button. Immolbilser codes are not inside the key!! The number on the key together with the chassis number when entered into a crypted Renault database then produce an immobiliser code.
If you have the later radio type key there are no 'cheats' to over-ride the system and a diagnostic routine will be the way to go. You could guess and replace coded ring around the steering lock but these rarely give trouble and are often incorrectly diagnosed as the fault.
There is not a design fault with these systems, perphaps what is more of a problem is that inside your key is delicate circuitry that is unfortunatley often over delicate and anything such as magnets, heat, cold, dropping the key or sitting on it could have an adverse effect on it. As such my advice to you all would be to treat your key like gold dust as in 90% of cases the key is the problem rather than the car itself.
I hope this provides some answers and whilst i'm not strictly defending Renault I hope it provides a view from the other side of the fence. By the way an honest and reputable dealer should not charge you more than half an hour's labour to 're-phase' the key and again if you are replacing the key (which is about £70+vat) the labour charge should not be more than half an hour (definately less then £50inc vat).
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