Immobilser fell out of key. Now what?

[sebhaque]

After doing some DIY earlier with my keys in my pocket I went to start my car and it wouldn't fire up. Closer inspection of the key shows the little immobiliser chip has fallen out. I've turned the house upside down but I have a horrible feeling it got sucked up in the vacuum after I'd tidied up. The car's only worth £300 at most - aside from paying a local scrote to hotwire the car, what can I do? The car's a Rover 623 (Honda-engined) but I really don't want to spend over £100 on a new key/immobiliser.

Any suggestions? TIA!

[Magic919]

Try waving hoover bag around near ignition.

[Zerotonine]

My first port of call would be to mobile auto-electricians, as it is just a shed I would see if they can disable the immobiliser. I think that without a 'red key' one is pretty screwed otherwise. I would be happy to be proven wrong though.

[Troubleatmill]

Magic919 said:

Try waving hoover bag around near ignition.

red wine on the sofa now, you git!!

[calibrax]

I'm a little puzzled as to how the chip could have fallen out. Do you have a pic of the key?

As has already been said, putting the hoover near the ignition and trying to start it would show if it's in there or not. Try it, if it works you can go through the hoover bag to see if you can find it.

[Buff Mchugelarge]

Magic919 said:

Try waving hoover bag around near ignition.

[sebhaque]

Zerotonine said:

My first port of call would be to mobile auto-electricians, as it is just a shed I would see if they can disable the immobiliser. I think that without a 'red key' one is pretty screwed otherwise. I would be happy to be proven wrong though.

Sounds like a good port of call, thanks.

As for the key - pic below. The immobiliser is a little chip that sits in that slot. I've obviously nicked the slot at some point and opened it letting the chip fall out. Not best pleased.

WRT the hoover suggestion - I'm a posh fker and I have a Dyson. The contents of which are now in my wheelie bin! Don't particularly fancy driving around with that in the back, it'll be awfully smelly and I'll miss bin day.

[jjones]

stand wheely bin next to car door, if the car fires up get rummaging through the bin like a tramp chasing a chip wrapper.

[Jim AK]

Bad luck OP.

My local Key cutting cobbler, Timpsons type place, has a sign in window saying he can supply & code `Transponder keys` if that helps.

[Toaster Pilot]

Jim AK said:

Bad luck OP.

My local Key cutting cobbler, Timpsons type place, has a sign in window saying he can supply & code `Transponder keys` if that helps.

Unfortunately they do that by cloning the existing transponder key - their machine reads it in the same way the car does.

[sebhaque]

Well, as it turned out the transponder had fallen out of the key in my Nissan and somehow managed to wedge itself in one of the seat runners. I nearly dismantled the car looking for it but didn't think to check directly under where the seat was mounted. A bit of a poke with a screwdriver and the Rover is back in business. Crisis averted

[BHC]

You were lucky to find that!

[Jim AK]

Quick. Go buy a lottery ticket for the next draw!!!!!

U lucky lucky man.

[chris1roll]

Best thing to do now is to tape it to the induction ring inside the steering column so you can't lose it again.
This has the added bonus that you can get spare keys cut for about £2.50

[Toaster Pilot]

Either do the above or now would be a great time to go to somewhere like Timpson and get a copy made including the transponder !

[Gareth79]

chris1roll said:

Best thing to do now is to tape it to the induction ring inside the steering column so you can't lose it again.

Or better still - Araldite!