After my Mazda dealer couldn’t code in a spare key (tried two new keys and another immobiliser unit) I’m trying to find a good auto electrician near Norwich who could have a go. I have no confidence in my dealer now! I was told (by Mazda) to see if I can have the immobiliser deactivated so need to look at this also. I suspect this will not be possible but this did come from a member of staff at Mazda!
Roadster Robbie is probably your best bet, he can be contacted through this forum, as far as Mazda dealers go which one was unhelpfull?
I’ve been thinking about this, and I wonder if your key reminder switch is faulty. It’s a switch that is inside the ign key barrel that tells the PCM weather the key is in or out. If it’s not working then the immobiliser will not go into program mode. Do you know if your dealer has checked the key reminder switch? I’m pretty sure it can be checked on the instrument cluster input/output check mode.
I don’t think they tried anything other than trying to code in the new keys twice. I have a feeling they plugged in a machine to check for any fault codes - there were none. I was told originally that it was the last part of the coding process that failed - akin to pressing the ‘enter’ key. I’m not sure now how acurate that info was. I don’t know enough about the process to make any judgement on that and I was not present when the technician did the coding. I also belive the technicians did not know how the process worked either. They followed the workshop manual instructions and when that didn’t work, gave up.
If this switch is not working will the working key still be recognised? It must be as I can start the car with this.
I have contacted Mazda head office and they are looking in to things. It will obviously go back to the dealer again!
The switch just tells the PCM that the key is in or out, not the same as when you turn the key to ACC, ON or START position and the immobiliser system reading the chip in the key is another system altogether. The PCM monitors the key reminder switch to put itself in program mode.
I am very interested to see this “fault”, do you attend the ER Norwich meets?
Thanks for the reply Robbie.
I haven’t attended any meets yet as I they generally clash with the MG owners club meets. (I have a 1971 Austin Sprite - MG Midget with a different badge). However, I have been meaning to get along to one. This may be a good excuse. Do you get there often. I know it’s a bit of a treck from Ely to Norwich.
I now have two spare keys from Mazda. I don’t however have any numbers. The Mazda dealer didn’t give me any when he handed over the keys. Does this mean they are now useless? or can another garage get them from Mazda again? What info is needed for another person to try coding these keys in?
I’ve just heard back from Mazda (the dealer) in response to my letter to head office. They have given me the number of a specialist who deals with these kind of things. He has asked me to get the 8 digit number from Mazda which should code the key to the immobiliser. He should be over on Monday. He says the last MX5 he did was quite trickey to get the timing right. How exactly do they code it in?
This is getting to be an expensive key!