New Key now car wont start and cuts out when km's on cluster start flashing :(

[rowiejoan]

Hi all!

Have a mojor problem with my 98 model VT wagon.

Took it to work on Friday and somehow throughout the day I lost my key!!!

So had to leave my car at work overnight, went back on Saturday and called a lock place (as Holden said they were too busy, I had to get the car towed there and it was going to cost me $120 an hour plus parts to have the key done) so called this lock place who programs keys without having to take your car in as they took my vin and called holden to get the bcm number and Key number so they could cut and program my key. Once it was done they said to take they key back to my car, start it up and leave to engine running for a minute which should make the buttons on the key work with my car...

So went back to work tried to start the wags and it kicks over and sounds like it really wants to start but just wont start... put a new battery in just in case it was that and still wont start.

I did however notice that... ya know when you start a commodore and how many km's you've done start flashing on the cluster. well... When I try to start the car it sounds like it's trying to start and as soon as the km's start flashing it cuts out and dies. If the km's are still flashing and I try to start the car again you just turn the key and there's nothing it's just dead. Once the km's stop flashing you can try to start it again and it tries to start but once the km's start flashing again it'll die!!!

ANY help at all would be great! My poor little wags is still at work in our shed

Thanks guys

[aaronevolution]

I thought that VT onwards needs tech2 to program the keys? VR/VS I think you can program yourself though.

[rowiejoan]

would the car still try to start though if the key wasn't programmed?

[lout]

do a search on here for programming keys, there is a sequence you need to follow, may be too late now though
something like open door with key, turn ignition on close door press remote open then remote lock but can't remember exact sequence

[cor3yz]

It will crank but not fire if you have the right cut key but the wrong electronic key for the bcm.

[rowiejoan]

so that means it was programmed wrong then? possibly they got the wrong bcm or something?

[keza87]

Do the buttons on the remote make the car respond? Does lock actually lock the doors or not?
They may have programmed it correctly to what Holden has told them with regards to the VIN and BCM numbers but do you know if the BCM has been replaced before?
Sounds like the key isn't matching the BCM.

I do not believe the VT has any key programming sequence.
Never heard of the odometer flashing when it doesn't start. I have my 'service' key that I use just for the radio and have tried starting it and not noticed anything like that.
If the key does not match the BCM the security light should flash or something as you try and start. The light is where the trip computer buttons are.

[rowiejoan]

nah don't think the bcm has been replaced. . The light on the radio keeps flashing. The flashing doesn't stop when I put the key in and try to start the car.

The km's on my odometer always flashes when I start the car but I just noticed that when it starts to flash up that's when the car cuts out. Not sure if it's got something to do with the computer or something :/

[Mick1988]

If the red flashing light next to your Mode switch is flashing, the immobilizer isn't disengaged and that means your car will turn over but not start. Incorrectly programmed keys cause this.

[madcapmagician]

definitely bum programming on ya key head. You don't need tech2 to program VX key heads either. My bro in law runs a locksmith business and he has done several new keys for my VXII berlina with no dramas.

[rowiejoan]

Biggest pain in the butt, losing my key!

Got my car towed from my work to Goldy Motors which is just down the street from work (Holden dealer in Midland, Perth)... NEVER EVER EVER TAKE YOUR CAR THERE!!!!

I told them I just wanted the key reprogrammed and nothing else done. I gave them all the parts of the key, genuine and brand new and just asked them to program it. I explained to the guy on the phone what was happening and he said yep, definately the key.

Got a call the next day and they tell me I need a new ignition barrell and it will cost me $280 for the barrell and $130 labour! Which I told them was crap considering at work we actually sell them complete genuine barrells for less than $50 dollars. I also told them it is not the barrell and all I want is the key programmed...


They call back an hour or so later and tell me they need to reconnect my bcm in order to find out what is wrong with my car as they are now telling me the car is not running at all and there's no way to move it and it will not start etc etc etc... and this will supposedly cost me $280 plus another $130 labour... My brother who works for Holden down south tells me that reconnecting a bcm takes literally ten seconds.. but I also tell Goldy's that there is NOTHING wrong with my car and I ask them is they've even done my key yet???

They tell me they haven't done my key yet because my ignition barrell is stuffed and they need to reconnect my bcm before they can even start on anything else... so... at this point I'm pretty peaved and tell them they're talking complete crap to me! and tell them I'm going to get my car towed and not to touch it and don't worry about the key.

They call me back 15 mins later and tell me before I get my car towed I owe them...
$80 for programming the key
$130 for the labour involved in programming the key (which I know only takes about 10 mins)
Plus at least another $260 labour for looking at the car to find out what is wrong!

They also tell me they can still fix my car for me as it is not running and will not start and this will be the cost...

$80 key programming
$130 labour of programming key
$260 looking over car to find fault
$280 bcm reconnecting
$250 new ignition barrell
$130 labour for fitting new barrell

Which is $1130 all up and then after I pay that they can then find the fault as to why my car will not start....

So obviously I'm quite crabby by this time so... I call my brother... he calls me back and tells me he talked to the manager there and told the manager what was going on... and that Holden where he works only charges people $80 for a new key and they is the cost of the key and programming included... that bcm reconnecting is never charged where he works cause it literally takes 10 seconds etc etc etc...

My brother calles me back about an hour later and tells me to go pick up my car it's going to cost me $50!
Then he also informs me that the manager said my car is running.

So I pick up my car and as I walk over to unlock it some f%$& head from service tells me that I'll have a lot of trouble starting it and I should have had the barrell etc etc replaced... I tell him I've never had a problem and all they had to do was do my key... I hop in my car and it starts in one shot and has been running as good as it always has ever since... Also in the process of stuffing around with my car they somehow cracked part of my ignition barrell but only the little plastic bit so it doesn't effect anything...

But thanks everyone for your help it was the key prigramming in the end and like I said... NEVER EVER EVER GO TO GOLDY HOLDEN IN MIDLAND!!!!!

I'm not the kind that'll run down a business and I don't enjoy doing it but this just kinda took it to a whole new level and I'd hate to see others caught in the same circumstance I was.

[normie666]

Holy #### they tried to rip you big time. Sounds like someone going to pocket all the extra money haha. What a load of twats. Good to hear it is all working now

[rowiejoan]

Yeah think someone wanted a nice little holiday but from what I've heard over the last couple of days it's not an uncommon occurance at Goldy's.

[browny08]

holy crap ive lost my key..99vt wagon ive re barrelled the ignition coz it was screwd now i need the electric head bit ...it wont crank ,,immmobilizer is flashing,,this car is stuck on the street,,,i have re barrelled the whole car as i have a 97 vt as well in bitz

[MrSirWantalot]

do a search on here for programming keys, there is a sequence you need to follow, may be too late now though
something like open door with key, turn ignition on close door press remote open then remote lock but can't remember exact sequence

Ur right mate im sure there is a sequence, but i cant remember either

[VTS5]

Hi all!
Once it was done they said to take they key back to my car, start it up and leave to engine running for a minute which should make the buttons on the key work with my car...
Thanks guys

I got mine done by Mr.Minute,But,my instructions was different,press button to unlock,stick it into ignition turn it on to ACC.but dont start it turn it off then turn it back on to ACC. first then start it.Since then working like a charm no probs.