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Central Locking Key Repair - Pre-VS

Harts_94VR

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I have noticed quite a few people have had the same problem as me with their remote key. So I put this together with some photographs of how I repaired my key and saved myself about $100 for a new key. Can be done in under an hour.

THIS WILL ONLY WORK ON PRE-VS COMMODORES! (VR and earlier)

All VS and onwards keys (and also replacement keys) have a sealed unit that will wipe the internal memory of the key if it is opened up. Anything ORIGINAL from VR or before will be fine.
 

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manvr

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hey bro just found this thread, very helpful, i just need to get a mini screw driver
hey how come you didnt mention that that battery could be flat, or would that take ages and ages to happen?

cheeers again.
 

VTW@G0n

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Gday

Y does everyone keep saying that post VR keys once opened will wipe the memory? that is bull**** because read my thread in the how to's because i repaired my key for a vt 99, the only wy to wipe the memory would be to remove the battery, there is no circuit attached to the plastic casing that would cause it to lose its memory.

My key works as it always did, only with a repaired button now :D

Cheers
 

Harts_94VR

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Well, as far as the wiping memory thing, I was only passing on what the Holden guy had told me at the time. I assumed he would have known what he was talking about... but I don't own a VS or anything after that, and I have not repaired the key for one, so I have absoultely no experience in repairing them, and I have no intention of making out that I do. I simply thought that I wouldn't want to be responsible for anyone stuffing up their key and putting themsleves through a bunch of inconvenience.

So anyway, go easy troops, don't shoot the messenger. :bop:

I was just passing on what someone who should know more about these cars than me had told me. In the light of other people's experiences, it would seem that the Holden guy may have been wrong, and some people have pulled them apart without any issues. Forgive me for being cautious in that regard.

As for the issue of the battery itself being flat, my battery was actually ok, but I decided to replace it anyway, considering that it was like $4 for a new battery, and I didn't want to have to rip the key apart again in a few months if it died, so I replaced it while I did the repair.

Still working fine a few years later :)
 
J

JoeCamel

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I called Holden too, regarding replacement batteries for my '96 VS key.. They told me that I had to take the key and the CAR to holden for re-programming... WELL...

When i brought my car, for some STRANGE reason, it came with FIVE spare keys :)
I did what any normal person would have done and played with one of them..

I REMOVED the battery. Just to make the point, i left it out for TWO DAYS.

I went to the store and got the same model battery, de-soldered the flat one and re-soldered the new one in place.. all this was then held back in place with 2 part epoxy..

so i go out the front, try my newly repaired key and whaddaya know... IT WORKS.

So in my own experience, what Holden are telling us about keys is utter shite.

Oh.. I should mention this too: when I had the battery out of that key, i grabbed the key itself (the one that screws into the black button housing) and drove my car about 25kms.. Now, what was Holden saying about the immobilisers?? with just the key in the ignition there is no contact on those two metal whatsits near the keyhole, so the imobiliser should not turn off --> (effectivly the key is a very niclely shaped screwdriver, as there is no contact for the deactivation of the immobilser)
so much for immobilisers on the VS...


From what I have seen and played with, Holden VS's do not have any security when it comes to keys... Go ahead, change that battery :)
 

Harts_94VR

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Nice bit of investigative work there mate :)

I would have thought that the immobiliser is switched off when you first unlock the car though?
But yeah that thingy on the steering column is supposed to be a "key reader." Maybe those contacts are what's used to program the key to the car in the first place.
 
J

JoeCamel

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Harts_94VR said:
Nice bit of investigative work there mate :)

I would have thought that the immobiliser is switched off when you first unlock the car though?
But yeah that thingy on the steering column is supposed to be a "key reader." Maybe those contacts are what's used to program the key to the car in the first place.


could be..... maybe i am a skeptic tho, coz i'm thinking that there isnt a key reader system at all... just a bunch of bells, whistles, smoke and mirrors... but as i say.. i'm probably just a skeptic
 
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mor11J

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I actually thought the contacts were only to charge the battery in the remote? I didn't think there was any "key reader" involved whatsoever.
 

MaXiLeeCH

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Mate, you are a life saver!

Ive had a dud key here for ages, now all is well with it again.

Thanks alot.
 
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