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Car Forum / Ford / Ford Focus / August 2006

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Advice - Warning - Focus (Ford) Keys

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Paul R - 11 Aug 2006 18:43 GMT
I lost the remote key to my 2001 UK Focus last Saturday - don't ask, I
don't know the answer.

The net is, I am now some GBP83 lighter.  So my advice, given previously
I know, is get yourself a third key, and save yourself agro and time if
you find yourself in the same position.

To resolve my problem, I bought two keys, a plain, and a remote, from
keymanuk99 on eBay for GBP8.70 and GBP27.00 respectively.  I then paid
Keyfax of Dukinfield (Greater Manchester) £47.00 to reprogramme the now
three keys to operate my car.

So my recommendation is to get a GBP8.70 key (keymanuk99 cuts the key as
well, at no additional cost, programme it to the car - instructions at
http://www.mirez.co.uk/KeyProg.htm) and put is somewhere safe - that way
you save GBP47.00 (or more if you choose to use a Ford Dealer).

And just in case you were tempted to ask - I have no relationship with
any of the above companies - just found them to provide a satisfactory
service.

Please also note: check the above key arrangement applies to your car
before committing to expense.

Paul R

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Craig - 11 Aug 2006 19:19 GMT
"Paul R" <paul@X1alwaysfast1X.co.uk> wrote...

>I lost the remote key to my 2001 UK Focus last Saturday - don't ask, I
>don't know the answer.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> Paul R

 Good advice. In fact, I'd add the following for car buyers:

-When buying any new car with "chipped" keys, see if you can have the dealer
cut and program a third key for you as part of your purchase contract with
them. That way, if you ever lose a key, you still have two which makes
getting a replacement much cheaper (and more widely available) than if you
find that you're down to one key. Since a car sale will depend on getting an
additional key, you may find that you'll get the key free or at least pay
less than full retail for the extra.

-When buying a used Focus or other car with "chipped" keys, make sure that
the seller has two or more functioning keys. If not, negotiate the price
downward since getting another key(s) will cost you a bundle if you buy a
vehicle with a single key.

Craig
Bill R - 11 Aug 2006 21:03 GMT
> "Paul R" <paul@X1alwaysfast1X.co.uk> wrote...
>
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
>
> Craig

Craig and Paul,

That is all very good advice.  And if your dealers won't throw in an
extra key you can always buy a Focus uncut key on the net (sometimes for
less than $10 U.S.) and have ANY place that cuts keys cut it for you.
Then all you have to do is have your Focus learn its code (instructions
are in your manual).

After learning that my neighbor (who has a Ford, but not a Focus) was
charged over $100 to get a new key (after he lost one) and have it
programmed I got two spares for my Focus.
Signature

Bill R.

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Thibaud Taudin Chabot - 12 Aug 2006 08:14 GMT
Bill R schreef:
>> "Paul R" <paul@X1alwaysfast1X.co.uk> wrote...
>>
[quoted text clipped - 54 lines]
> charged over $100 to get a new key (after he lost one) and have it
> programmed I got two spares for my Focus.

Well according to my operation manual you can reprogram any key if you
at least to keys. So if you buy a car with one simple key and one remote
key you can program yourself the third remote key. This applies to the
ignition lock. As soon as you have two remote keys you can also
reprogram the remote doorlocks yourself according to my operation manual.
Thibaud Chabot
Bob Minchin - 12 Aug 2006 13:28 GMT
> Bill R schreef:
> >> "Paul R" <paul@X1alwaysfast1X.co.uk> wrote...
[quoted text clipped - 62 lines]
> reprogram the remote doorlocks yourself according to my operation manual.
> Thibaud Chabot

Be aware that Ford are moving towards a system where new keys can only be
added by connecting the car to WDS which makes it a dealer-only operation.
You can still potentially save by buying blanks on ebay but they still need
to be cut and the car programmed to accept them. Not sure if non ford
service agents can do this job or not.
This is certainly the case with my 54plate Cmax and is likely to be so with
the MK2 Foci too.

Bob
Nick the Greek - 12 Aug 2006 20:39 GMT
>> Bill R schreef:
>> >> "Paul R" <paul@X1alwaysfast1X.co.uk> wrote...
[quoted text clipped - 72 lines]
>
>Bob

The New Focus is like that as well.

-Nick
Neill Massello - 12 Aug 2006 21:59 GMT
> Well according to my operation manual you can reprogram any key if you
> at least to keys.

Just to clarify: it's the car, not the keys, that gets porgrammed. The
chips in the keys are read-only.
Gary - 12 Aug 2006 14:39 GMT
> To resolve my problem, I bought two keys, a plain, and a remote, from
> <DELETED> on eBay...

Does anyone know if there would be a potential security risk from buying
keys on E-Bay like this? Basically I'd be supplying the T-Number of my key,
and my address. I'd then be programming my car to accept the new key, so if
it was possible for someone to clone the transponder in the key then that
would obviously be a way of gaining access to my car!

Just to make absolutely clear - this is just a hypothetical question and no
comment whatsoever on the seller in E-Bay!

Gary.
Bill R - 13 Aug 2006 03:34 GMT
>>To resolve my problem, I bought two keys, a plain, and a remote, from
>><DELETED> on eBay...
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Gary.

Gary,

DON'T supply ANYTHING to the person you are buying the key from.  All I
did is buy blank (uncut) keys for the year and make (Ford Focus) I
needed a key for.  Then I took them to a hardware store along with one
of the keys that came with my Focus.  The guy at the hardware store said
even if he cut it the key would work because it had to be programmed by
the dealer. I knew he was full of carp (I didn't tell him that) and I
asked him to cut them anyway.  Once they were cut (he charged me $1 per
key) I taught the Focus the keys and I have been using them ever since.
Signature

Bill R.

Remove nospam_ in e-mail address to reply by e-mail

Gary - 13 Aug 2006 13:58 GMT
> DON'T supply ANYTHING to the person you are buying the key from.  All I
> did is buy blank (uncut) keys for the year and make (Ford Focus) I needed
> a key for...

Hi Bill,

Many thanks for the advice. I did supply all the details, however in this
case I'm OK because I was ordering the key on behalf of a friend (but
delivered to my registered E-Bay address.) I was then going to order one for
myself, as I also have a Focus and the price for the key was excellent, when
the security issues occurred to me and I stopped. I suppose though I could
always get a friend to order it for me. That way the address wouldn't be
linked with my car!

Gary.
 
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