Reading data stored on car keys

[daz3210]

Don't know about the keys, but the Lotus ECU stores details of how an Elise has been driven over its life (K Series S2), including number of standing starts, redlines etc etc.

I got a printout presented at first service which proved I had followed the running in recommendations. Was necessary to validate warranty apparantly.

[jayfrancis]

blueg33 said:

Audi A6 stores info that identifies each key, it then remembers your last radio station, memory seat positions, mirror positions etc. So when I use my key I get radio 4 a low seating position, all door unlock on 1 press of the remote, etc, when mrs B uses her key she gets radio 2, high seat position, drivers door only on 1 press of the remote etc

I quite like the idea that you could have a key left hanging around in case some thieving scroat breaks into your house with the intention of finding the keys to nick your car that sets the seat to the highest position, moves the steering column into the lowest position so pinning him by the gonads whilst the radio plays Des O'connor until the BiB turn up to nick them.

[supersport]

It is quite impressive what the Porsche ECU records and how much of its history is stored back at the factory, assuming the car goes back to main dealers for servicing. Having seen a demo of a car plugged in it seems to record endless values and running information.

It would certainly be worth getting a look at it before buying one.

[BadgerBenji]

supermono said:

My M5 threw a fault and went into limp home mid overtake on a s/c road. Luckily it had enough speed to complete the overtake before coasting into a handy layby. Later at the dealer mechanic came out with a printout saying something like 'the fault was logged at 98mph in 3rd gear and 6475rpm, 98% throttle' then looked sort of enquiringly at me. I just frowned and said 'hmmm, only 98% throttle you say?'

SM

Freeze frame data available under EOBD on just about any car, very easy to access, when a DTC is logged, the parameters at the time are logged. This does vary from car to car, but can prove very useful for diagnosis of fault.

Few cars also record how many times they have hit the rev limiter.

[HiAsAKite]

streaky said:

All my car keys store the thumbprint of the last user.

Streaky

As do all of mine....

[maser_spyder]

mrmr96 said:

S3_Graham said:

Im not sure in partiucular to the info you were asking about but i can say 100% that BMW keys hold WAAAYYYYYYYY more than alarm data + personal setup items like stereo and seat position.

Saw the print out of my 130 key data whilst it was in for service, had things like water temperature and oil level on it. Had service items also like brake pad life on it also.

For sure. My mate has an E91 and had all that and a fault code read by the dealer using the key. It is a clever feature as it means the dealer can quickly check things and possibly find extra work by pulling service data off the key. Much more efficient for the service rep to be able to do it there and then, rather than make the customer eat whilst they take a machine out to the car, and then download and print in the office.

But as above, it's snapshot data on the key I believe.

Yup, thirded. A friend of mine dropped his BMW in to the dealer for something, they plugged in the key, and told him one of the headlight bulbs had blown, even knew which side.

Quite handy for things like that I guess, as long as all the sensors are working properly!

[Petemate]

Whether 'tis true or not, my dealer told me about the Saab. A few weeks after I bought the car (used) it developed a fault in the instrument panel. While driving along it would intermittently light up like Blackpool Illuminations together with the gauges all plummetting to zero then back to normal. No change in the rest of the car. An old Mini etc would have had me looking for the common panel earth. However, the only way the dealer was able to fix it was with a panel swap with a car from the showroom. They apologised that I ended up with the correct mileage! and when I asked how that was done, I was told it was something to do with the key (I had been asked to leave both keys there when they finally sorted it on the day they changed the panel, after a couple of abortive attempts to find the fault)

[Pontoneer]

snuffle said:

One of my keys starts 2 of my cars, both different makes, and also a friends MGA

Do they still make the FS keys , as used in Triumph Herald etc then ?