What is the point in a spare key?

[tyranical]

A while back, I went to the lake district and took my car keys, my dad needed to move my car but couldn't because my spare key doesn't disable the alarm.

My brother has gone to work in my dads car as he has a flat, asked if I will change it and once again his key does not disable the alarm so I cannot do it.

[funkyrobot]

Is the spare key for that car?

[tyranical]

yes, it opens the door locks but doesn't disable the alarm its just a key in the lock key not a remote like the main one.

[ZOLLAR]

If you unlock,lock and then unlock again in quick succesion it should disable the alarm (its worked on my last few cars when i'm using the spare key.)

[mnkiboy]

Sure it's not an aftermarket alarm?

My spare has to be physically inserted in the lock, but when you put it in the iginition it disables the alarm (I think you get 5-10 secs before the alarm sounds).

What car is it?

[N88]

You should have a spare alarm fob as well.

[eybic]

some "spare" keys are just for valeting etc so the car can be locked/unlocked but not started.

[theaxe]

mnkiboy said:

My spare has to be physically inserted in the lock, but when you put it in the iginition it disables the alarm (I think you get 5-10 secs before the alarm sounds).

What car is it?

My wife's Focus is like this, you have to turn the ignition on within 10 seconds of opening the door but otherwise it's fine.

[Paul_Dids]

theaxe said:

mnkiboy said:

My spare has to be physically inserted in the lock, but when you put it in the iginition it disables the alarm (I think you get 5-10 secs before the alarm sounds).

What car is it?

My wife's Focus is like this, you have to turn the ignition on within 10 seconds of opening the door but otherwise it's fine.

Same for our CMAX too.. not as good as a full remote key but it does work

[sim16v]

If it is a transponder key, it might just need re coding.

[reggie82]

theaxe said:

mnkiboy said:

My spare has to be physically inserted in the lock, but when you put it in the iginition it disables the alarm (I think you get 5-10 secs before the alarm sounds).

What car is it?

My wife's Focus is like this, you have to turn the ignition on within 10 seconds of opening the door but otherwise it's fine.

Yup my dad's mondeo is the same.

It was really annoying as when I was younger and didn't have a car I used to borrow it quite a bit. He always used to give me the spare key, so when I opened the door I always had to jump and and start the engine as quickly as possible or else the alarm would go off - was quite embarressing at times!

[AJI]

Does the mobile phone trick work?
Or is it a myth?

[reggie82]

AJI said:

Does the mobile phone trick work?
Or is it a myth?

Myth

[RobM77]

ZOLLAR said:

If you unlock,lock and then unlock again in quick succesion it should disable the alarm (its worked on my last few cars when i'm using the spare key.)

Careful of doing this as it doesn't work with all cars.

A few years ago the battery in the key fob on my 328i went flat and I didn't have a spare, so I tried to open the car with the key, then disable the alarm using the alarm key under the bonnet. However, the immobiliser locked down and needed replacing at the cost of several hundred pounds before I could drive the car.

Regarding spare keys in general, both of my cars and my girlfriend's car have a spare that's identical in look and function to the main key; in fact for my girlfriend's car we use both keys equally, as she has one and I have the other.