15 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHNewbie Key question
Leading reported evidence
Replace battery
Suggestion or failed attempt
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
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Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Leading evidence: 'Replace battery' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Replace battery' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
That you were unsuccessful attempting to use the RFID pill on the known key to provide the signal to allow the engine to start using another key is therefore expected.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
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Suggestion
No big deal, use the key to lock/unlock and start.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
That you were unsuccessful attempting to use the RFID pill on the known key to provide the signal to allow the engine to start using another key is therefore expected.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
That you were unsuccessful attempting to use the RFID pill on the known key to provide the signal to allow the engine to start using another key is therefore expected.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
That you were unsuccessful attempting to use the RFID pill on the known key to provide the signal to allow the engine to start using another key is therefore expected.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
15 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T091943Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Just picked up a 99 in Ocean Blue. Love it so far. Put a new ignition switch in it last night, which solved a few problems. I having an issue though with one of the keys. One key works fine. The key fob works and the key works. The other, the key fob will not work and they key itself will not start the car. It will open the door manually and unlock both doors. It fits in the ignition fine and can turn it and all the lights and radio come one, but the car itself will not start. Nothing happens at all when I turn it all the way to right.
I have looked through the various threads, but most seem to discuss a faulty key fob, but the key itself still works. Anyone have any ideas?
By the way, I did replace the battery. The fob seems dead. No LED light or anything. I can deal with a dead keyfob. I just wished the actual key would work.
You probably have a good chance that you are missing or have the wrong "pill" in your second key fob. A correct pill that is coded to the immobilizer is needed or the car will not start.
Try this: put your non working key in the ignition and then hold your working key right next to it and then try starting it. Does it start?
That was a good suggestion. Nothing. I think I have a dead fob and dead key. At least it unlocks the doors if I happen to be stupid and lock the good key in it.
Did you open up the non-functioning key fob to see if the RFID pill is in there? Could be missing, or it got zapped somehow. That's a trip to the dealer. Otherwise, since it works to unlock the car, maybe just a spare.
Four parts to the key:
1) Key blade - laser cut key that works the locks and ignition
2) RFID pill - that communicates with the immobilizer. Car will not start if the pill is missing, or not programmed. The RFID pill does not need a functioning key fob battery to work. Mine has been dead for years. The car is programmed to the RFID pill. Requires dealer to match the key RFID pill with the immobilizer. There is a "ring" around the ignition switch that reads the RFID pill, matching the key to the immobilizer and allowing for start.
3) Circuit board - communicates with the car to lock/unlock. This depends on the key fob battery to function, but has nothing to do with the RFID pill. Most of the time the circuit board cracks and no longer functions to communicate with the car. No big deal, use the key to lock/unlock and start. Again, a dealer visit to get the circuit board and car to communicate with each other.
4) Key fob housing - holds everything.
One caveat: I have a "valet key" that works the locks and ignition. It even starts up the car. However, it is very small and does not seem to contain an RFID pill like the bigger key fob. I have no explanation why it works, but it does. And everything works just fine with it. 99 C2
"Dead fob" has nothing to do with the starting sequence only locking/arming. etc. Your non-working key (as others have suggested) is missing the transponder chip or it needs to be re-initialized. Dealer can do that at a cost or I believe there is a procedure that has been posted that will allow you to do it.
Just noticed that Mr. Fracture already posted the solution for re-initializing - see link in post #3 above and then go to post #15 in that link.
Holding the key with the known good pill next to the other key is not a fool proof test.
The optimal position of the RFID pill is very critical and there is not much room for positional error. The RFID pill wants to be very close to where it is in the key head. There is an antenna behind the ring around where the key is inserted. When the key is turned an RF signal is broadcast from this antenna and this energizes the RFID pill and its electronic circuitry and it in turn broadcast's its ID which is received by this antenna.
That you were unsuccessful attempting to use the RFID pill on the known key to provide the signal to allow the engine to start using another key is therefore expected.
If you can insert a key and turn it all the way to right as far as you can turn any other key that fits and can start the engine the key is ok. What is lacking is a working RFID pill or one that is known the security system.
Getting a replacement "eventually" is a very dangerous game. Search around here and find the thread about a guy who did just that. And then he lost his only working key and his car became stuck in the bowels of a garage, with not enough room to get a tow truck in to pull him out and get him to a dealer. Or go see the movie Grand Canyon, about a guy who breaks down at the worst time and in the worst place. Not having a fully functional second key is being very lazy...or stupid. Get that second key now.
