# Remote central locking: Fob not working - Help!



## jameseyb (Feb 7, 2015)

It's a pretty feeble call for help really, given that the key itself works when used in the old skool way and there's nothing wrong with the actual locking mechanism, but...

I had to drive my wife to the hospital yesterday. On arrival I left the car in one of the drop-off spaces and then, after getting her settled, moved the car to the proper car park. It was there that I noticed that the key I had with me for my 57 plate Mk.2 V6 Coupe would not unlock the doors or open the boot via the fob.

Before anyone says anythign, I've trawled the forum and tried the Hoggy method and the one on the owners' manual several times, as well as this one (



) I found on YouTube. None of them work. What is more frustrating is that the spare key (another one with a remote fob) has stopped working as well.

I don't have an ODB2 reader, so can't tell if there is a fault stored in the ECU, but the hardware is all good as far as I can tell, with no fuses blown in either the engine or internal fuse boxes. The car starts and drives as normal and everything appears to work. There are no errors or unusual lights coming up on the dash either.

Can anyone help, or should I be prepared to spend a fortunette with my local garage to find out what's wrong with it?


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Have you replaced the Fob battery ?
Hoggy.


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## jameseyb (Feb 7, 2015)

Yup, the first thing I did. The old one still made the LED blink on button presses though, so I am not sure it was empty.


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Try pressing lock on the fob twice before locking with key in door.
Some have said make sure passenger door is unlocked before trying the resync.
Hoggy.


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## jameseyb (Feb 7, 2015)

Will do.

Is it likely that the ECU will retain an error code if something has gone wrong internally? I don't have an ODB2 reader, but I know a man who has.


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## jameseyb (Feb 7, 2015)

No joy on the double fob/lock thing by the way.

Would there be any advantage to just taking a terminal off the battery and letting the whole system reboot, or is that a good way to knacker everything?

Also, how come there are so many different ways to re-synch keys?


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Disconnecting battery won't cause any harm other than radio code & window reset may be required.
**If you do disconnect Negative battery lead, make sure drivers door is closed & dashpod off before disconnecting & reconnecting. Surge can damage dashpod."" Edit .. Mk1 may not affect MK2.
My Fob batteries went flat last week, 8 months after replacement & C/L resynch has always worked for me.
Hoggy.


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## jameseyb (Feb 7, 2015)

If that's the case, it looks like something's wrong on the car end of things. I'm not keen on causing more trouble for myself, so the battery will stay on for now.

I think that the local garage will be getting money...


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, You mustn't give up that easy,  
Hoggy.


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## jameseyb (Feb 7, 2015)

You've not met me. I _can_ give up that easy!


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## jameseyb (Feb 7, 2015)

The strangest thing... The fob just started working again yesterday. I'm not complaining, but it is weird.


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## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

Mine seems to go funny every now and then (mk1), putting them in the lock turning them a few times whilst mashing the buttons tend to get it working again.


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## tangapants (Oct 10, 2012)

Digging up old post.

My remote locking is not working anymore. Red light flashes on fob when pressed so guessing not battery, ordered one anyway and will see.

Tried pressing buttons when keys inserted in door, but nothing.

Thing is it slowly happened, the odd time it didn't work but then did, but now its not working at all.

Stumped


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