Immobilizer keys = PITA

So when I bought my LGT Limited Wagon, some how the other two keys disappeared from the dealership. I picked up the car after the service/parts department was closed so they couldn't make new keys. So I went in today after work to get replacement keys made. Turns out they can make the keys in less than 10 minutes, but they would have to call Subaru to get them registered. It was close to 5pm so they couldn't do it. Now I have to drop off my car on Monday so they can get the new keys registered with Subaru. They have to call Subaru, then wait for Subaru to call them back. This could take up to FOUR HOURS!

 

OMG, FOUR HOURS to register a key. That's pretty pathetic in this day and age. I'm just astonish that it could possibly take that long. That's pretty pathetic on Subaru's part.

 

So what ever you do, don't get down to one key left or you will be screwed if you lose the last key. Oh, it's also $85 for a key.

Maybe you should've chosen an LGT with a full set of 3 keys instead.

 

I know if I'm buying a car and it is missing something, I would've gotten another car or tell them to try selling me that car again once they fix that.

Who would have thought 2 keys would be that big of a deal.

 

Was just thinking, hypothetical situation. What if you were on vacation and lost your keys say Friday night. You are f-ed till Monday because Subaru isn't open on the weekends.

My major concern would be the where abouts of the missing keys.

some how the other two keys disappeared from the dealership.

 

that sounds an awful lot like "inside job to plan to steal the car." then again i live in NJ

I would require them to rekey the car, or give me a different car.

 

But I'm paranoid like that..

What do they have to register with subaru?

 

They have to use their computer interface to register the chips in the keys with the immobilizer system. That should take 15 minutes of a tech's time, not 4 hours.

 

Seems to me they lost the keys and are now taking you for a joyride.

 

According to some stuff I've read, the immobilizer system only has room for 4 keys in memory. Have them make you up one more and you won't have to worry about the lost keys starting your car (though they will open the doors).

ya thats what happened when i had to replace my ecu

 

but it only took 5 mins for me to register it

 

i bet the didnt have the security id and had to call up/look up registries and stuff

Hi,

I could be a LGT owner very soon, up from my WRX.

From the thread, I gather that you are suppose to get 3 full set of keys?

Thanks.

Yes, you should get three keys on delivery- 2 full keys, 1 valet key and 2 remotes and two little metal tags that have the key code/registration numbers that you need to get new keys made.

 

At least that's what came with my LGT Ltd wagon.

 

I also remember the dealer saying it's ~$100 to get a new key. !!!!!!

Thanks. Not that I don't trust the dealer to tell me if they are missing a key

The car can support a total of four keys, including the valet key. I ordered a fourth key, and they had to re-set (re-register? dunno) all four keys. That is, they could not simply add a key to an existing set of three, but had to create a new set of four. Took only about an hour, though.

 

To clarify: they used the existing three keys and I added a fourth, but all four had to go through the process of announcing themselves to the car.

I was told it could take anywhere from 5 minutes to 4 hours depending on when Subaru's tech line gets back to them. Since Subaru's tech line is only available M-F 8-5, it's kind of hard to work within those hours since I too have to work during those hours. So they are giving me another car to drive to work.

 

I'm not too concern about the missing keys. If someone was actually stupid enough to try to steal the car, they better be prepared for a case of high velocity lead poisoning.

If it is like toyota then you probably have the valet key which means they have to reset the immobilizer ecu. This will actually rule out the missing keys because they will be wiped out. As for the reason why it will take so long they have to get a one time use security seed code from subaru in order to reset the ecu. Then they will go through the reset process.

I have the regular key, not the valet key.

I have the regular key, not the valet key.

 

did they at least give you two of the overly-sensitive remotes?

I do have two remotes. I haven't found them to be over sensitive....yet.

Why on earth does SOA need to know about your keys? Register for what, the publisher's clearinghouse?

 

However, a dealer that loses keys to any car on their lot is doing something wrong, and that would be unacceptable to me. It does reek of incompetence, and possibly foul play.

 

The transponder code needs to be registered to the ECU, then the car will work... I fail to see what else would need to be done...

 

And I have a feeling that you or I could probably program another key. If it is anything like Ford PATS, which I have programmed, you need two keys to verify that you are the owner (so that someone can't steal your car keys, cut a match, and program it to your car. They would need to steal 2 keys to program a third.)

 

You insert one key, turn to run so many times, then insert the second key and do the same, I think the dash security beacon blinks, and you can insert the un-programmed key, and it will learn it.

 

Subaru's system might be slightly different, but I'll bet not too much different.

 

The dealer can do it without the repitition, via the diagnostic scanner, and I believe that is required for programming additional keyless remotes...

 

I know I had to have the dealer do both when my truck keys went missing (my own fault...) because I only had one key and one remote left.

I did a some searching in the service manual. Here's what I found.

It must be that SOA controls who can use the program.

OK, and what ludicrous price does the stealership charge to re-program all of your keys when you want to add one?

 

It sounds like a service department boon. Pure profit generator. Usually I am not upposed to companies making profits, but this kind of thing, where you have to take it to a dealer, you can't do it yourself in an emergency, is rediculous.

 

What happens when you have lost your keys and you live, or have traveled somewhere that is nowhere near a subaru dealer? You probably can't buy a blank key anyway, and even if you could get a hold of one, you couldn't program it to start your car to get where you need to go. (let alone get you to the subaru dealer to have them program your car.)

On paper it's a great system. But in reality, it's pretty stupid. I'll be sending a complaint letter to SOA about this.

 

I know it's $85 for a new key. But if you lose your keys like on vacation and manage to get a new key at a Subaru dealership between the hours of 8-5 M-F, well your keys at home won't work anymore. So you have to shell out more money and get everything re-registered. Major PITA.

 

I dropped off my car today and asked how long it normally take, 2 HOURS. So I'm driving a rental today. This is just an inconvience to me. It is costing the dealer $170 for the keys, plus $30 for rental car.

Sorry to dig up the somewhat-old thread, I'm still learning some of this stuff. But hey, be happy I use the "search' function

 

I am building up a list of things for when I either a) go in for plates, or b) go in for my 1000 mile oil change, whichever comes first, for the dealer to fix/service/program. When I was researching the GT (an Evo RS was actually the first car on my new car checklist until Mitsu wouldn't budge on the price AT ALL) I saw that the immobilizer was standard in the GT, but when I went in to the dealership the dealer said it wasn't installed. I thought this was odd given the absurdly large size of the keys, but he said I was probably looking at specs for the 2006 models which had a bunch of new things standard.

 

Now this was all well and fine until I was about to implement my "spare" key plan. I always kept a spare key cut at the dealer in my wallet. You know, just the plain old flat metal blank so it would fit in a wallet. In fact you can even have them cut into a credit-card sized thing and then "punch" it out and use it to get into your car in case you just locked your keys in it. Now with the immobilizer chip in the key this is pretty much impossible now, yeah? Now if SOA added something akin to OnStar if even so simply as to call up and just get it unlocked if you're in the middle of nowhere this would be OK with me. Like a lot of folks these days my cell phone is pretty much always attached to me somewhere and work pays for all my exorbitant roaming charges.

 

And yes, I did lock myself out of my car once in a remote area. Luckily my brother was only about a half hour away and was able to drive me the four hours home AND back with another key. And this was back when I had my 96 Impreza L that you had to hold the door handle when shutting it in order to let the doors lock. I realized I threw the keys on the passenger seat just as I let go of the handle when it was shut

You can still have a regular flat key made to keep yourself from locking yourself out of the car. The key can open the driver door, since that's the only lock on the car. The key cannot be used to drive the car since it won't start without the chip.

 

I have never lock the keys inside my car. It's pretty simple. Don't ever use the internal door lock. Use the keyless entry to lock the car. My last car, I had to shoot some oil into the lock mechanism because it was never used for almost 10 years. I used the lock the first week until I realize the dealer screwed up and install the OEM alarm that had keyless entry even though I paid for the one without.

Whoa, thinking must have escaped me this morning when I wrote this. I was able to use the search function but the common-sense thing hadn't started up yet I guess.

 

Yes, all I would need is a plain key to get back in the car to retrieve the keys locked in and thus be able to drive the car. I think since I've been using the spare key idea for so long and haven't been locked out of a car since my brain has decided that having the spare key is sort of a good luck charm to keep me from doing that ever again.

Your dealer sucks ginormous @ss.