Corsa - Spare Key - EMS Oddity

Hi,

I recently bought a 1996 1.2 Corsa, and got a spare key cut for it.

Now for the strange part:
The new (spare) key opens the locks fine.
It turns in the ignition without a problem.
When I start the engine, it turns over a couple of times and then
dies, and the EMS light flashes. I can then take this key out, insert
my original key and the engine will start first time.

I'm pretty sure there's no chip or anything in the key (it is a key
with the hollow plastic grip), the car doesn't have central locking or
anything....
Surely if the key wasn't cut properly it wouldn't open the locks or
turn in the ignition at all ???

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this coz I'm totally baffled
!

Cheers

Mark.

 

The key does have an immobiliser chip in it. Whoever cut the key would have
known that but still sold you a key.

There are two ways around this.

Either, order a key from a Vauxhall dealer who will need the key code from
the radio pass or the supplying dealer. They will charge you for a code
search if you cannot find it.

Or, get a key cut by someone who can clone the old key. A lot of Vauxhall
dealers can do this too.

Finally, before you do this, go back to where you got the key cut and ask
for a refund or a proper programmed key.

--

Alan


New & used Vauxhall cars & vans, servicing, repairs & parts
www.steeles.co.uk

Vauxhall CD players & handbooks
http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/vauxhallradiosales

 

Thanks for your reply.. I've gone through the documents I have (I bought the
car second-hand privately) and I don't have the key code or anything like
that

I have just spoken to a couple of dealers who have quoted me a total price
of about 70 fkn quid for a new key ! They claim that the keys can't be
cloned either.

Does anyone know of anyone who can clone the key, preferable based in East
or North London, or Essex, and how much it's likely to cost ?

Surely I can get it cheaper than 70 quid ?

Cheers

Mark.

 

steve, Ijust had key cut for my vectra x reg, has to be programed into the
car, maybe the same sort of thing needs to be done for yours £60 but in
s.west.
regards
steve

 

We can only clone keys for older cars but I would ring around a few
locksmiths and check in Yellow Pages.

New keys are expensive though. They are proper immobiliser keys and security
does not come cheap.

--

Alan


New & used Vauxhall cars & vans, servicing, repairs & parts
www.steeles.co.uk

Vauxhall CD players & handbooks
http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/vauxhallradiosales

 

(Mark) wrote in

dealer should have supplied 2 keys unless they made you aware
at the time of purchase only 1 key was available.

Ivor

 

No.. it was from a private sale - never occured to me at the time that a
spare would be such a big deal - I assumed I could just get a copy cut from
the original

 

"County Locksmiths" in Southampton cut a new key and programmed the chip
from my old key for £22 (Vectra)
Have a look and see if they have a branch near you in the phone book.
Anything over £30 is daylight robbery.

 

Thats the problem with cars these days - a spare key can cost an arm and a
leg (and there's always the thought that someone has the missing key ...), a
small fault on an older car can turn out to cost more to fix than
replacemeing a major part - like an engine! - aircon costs more to service
than the rest of the car - and so on - it really is getting silly

God help youngsters looking for an older, godd-condition car - visually and
mechniacally they last longer than ever, but just get more and more
expensive to fix for the hidden things - that can cause MOT failure

 

The spare key might cost a fortune but at least the car won't get stolen
easily.

The cost is because of the built in immobiliser chip.

--

Alan


New & used Vauxhall cars & vans, servicing, repairs & parts
www.steeles.co.uk

Vauxhall CD players & handbooks
http://www.stores.ebay.co.uk/vauxhallradiosales