Megane Plip Key

Newbie Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 8

Hey peeps, first post here and I have read the advice about the codes and restarting the code. Now my spare key for my Megane 1.4 1996 hatch just stopped working one day, the main key still works but if that goes I'm fecked. The Renault dealership want. ehem Â£35 to do a test to tell me the key does not work and then anything between Â£35 and Â£80 to get a new key, as "it has to come from France" as though France is somewhere on the Crab Nebula near Betelguse.
I'm a bit wary of going into Renault firing off about legal rights, in case they stand firm and I have to go crawling back when the other key goes belly up
Apart from that the beast has been great for me , very little problems and a nice car to drive but this key thing and the price that Renault want to charge is driving me nuts. Shocked

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

go down they have to give it to you. Kick off about the law and they will back down, also mention watchdog if you have to wait more than 5 minutes.

but have you tried fitting new batteries to the spare key? Also press the interior central lockign button to locvk and unlock the doors and try the spare key.

Newbie Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 8

Hi Chris, yes I tried new batteries. I'll try the central locking button suggestion as well. Cheers! Smile

Newbie Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 8

Tried the central lock thing and no joy. Time to gird my loins and off down to Renault and kick some ass....

Newbie Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

I am trying to help an elderly friend who has a Jan.1998 1.6 Megane auto
with the plip key problem. I have spent many hours reading all I can find, on this great website. The problem my friend has is an intermittent one. Some days the keys work, opening the doors etc and starting the engine. At the present time she has temp solved the non-working keys by leaving one key in the ignition, turned on to the first stage ( Aux pos) and she uses the other key to lock the doors. She is fully aware not to leave the key positioned so that the ignition is on. Having read all your advice I got her to open the key fob to find the key number, but tells me there are no numbers present. I have all the car's details except the key number. Can I obtain a code from Renault from the Vin/Chassis/frame number and then re-sync the keys as you describe? Apparently both keys have fairly new batteries. My friend lives 20 miles away and I am going to visit her tomorrow to try to resolve the problem. Chris, can you please offer me some of your obvious words of wisdom. I am not a complete numb nut as in my younger days I rebuilt several engines, replaced clutches, including starter ring gear etc. Thanks a million. ChrisG[/b]

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

righty the number is hard to see and its black in a black key! You need to shine it to the light to get to see it.

Why leaving the key in the car makes it possible to lock/unlock with the other key I have no idea, I would say theres a wiring issue somewhere!

Newbie Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

Thanks for your time Chris and your reply. Actually, she uses the other key in the lock to lock the doors whilst the other key in the aux position keeps the immobiliser on. I will keep you updated as to what I discover tomorrow, it may help others in the future. Thanks again ChrisG

Newbie Joined: 13 Jun 2005 Posts: 3

I called on my elderly friend yesterday and I update those with the same problem. Once I opened the key fob I did find the number where you said it would be, but it is difficult to see and has to be angled towards a light source. I have seen Renault of Ilford mentioned in these messages, so I phoned them and asked if they would provide me with the key code if I were to visit them with all the docs. Without hesitation, they said, Yes, but a Â£15 admin charge would be made, which I suppose, is reasonable. However, Renault of Enfield was much closer to me, so I took my friend there armed with all the docs. On my arrival I was directed to the parts counter were I politely requested the said code. I was met with a refusal on the grounds of customer security, which of course is total nonsence, as we were in possession of all the correct legal documentation. Then he said it was policy not to disclose the code. For me, the word policy, meant he had nothing else to offer me as valid reason for refusing. I pointed out that he might have a LOCAL company policy, but that policy was at odds to the policy of Renault UK. I produced a wad of pages I had downloaded from this web site. I threw in the Consumer Act, the Data Protection Act, Watchdog and more importantly; Chris H, as I told him your pleasure would be very displeased. He did not say " who the f... is he?" He said, I will consult with the director. He returned ten minutes later, asked for the docs, entered the numbers into his computer and he handed me the code number written in a card. No charge. Armed with the code I returned to a sad looking Megan, followed your instructions and successfully activated the first key, after inserting new batteries. I followed the same procedure with the second key but with only 50% success. Whilst the key now activated the ignition and started the engine, it would not operate the central locking system. So taking the advice I read in another of your 'Words of Wisdom' replies - I used the LCD screen of a digital camera, pointed the key at the lens and discovered that the key I was having trouble with was not firing a beam from the black diode on the end of the fob, although the little red light did light up when the button was pressed. Whereas, I could clearly see a beam of light coming from the other key in LCD screen of the camera. So I carefully took the defective key fob apart ( feeling confident having just built my own computer). I noticed that the little circuit board just rests against the two little contacts of the LED. It occurred to me that it might just be the LED that was US and not the circuit board, in which case I could replace just the LED. However, these thoughts crashed, when I spoke with the Maplin technical helpline and was informed that these LEDs' last forever. They only fail if they are smashed, or a high current is passed through them. I am now wondering if I were to go to a breakers yard and obtain a couple of Megane keys, take in innards out, place them into my friends defective key and re-sync the central locking following the earlier procedure.

Any thoughts on that one Chris H?[/i]

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

Glad to hear you got the code. And slightly surprised to see that the mention of my name got a response! lol

I have a key (its for my white chamade) which the led lights up but only sometimes does the actual IR work. I am not entirely sure why this is.

But anyway another keys innards will work on your friends key as you are coding the key to it not it to the key.