Immobilizer Chip Extraction from Key - 1999 Volvo V70

maurinquina · Post by **maurinquina** » 14 Jan 2014, 17:25

Not sure where post this since I'm a newbie. I had issue with my 1999 V70 where I lost key. Nightmare began involving having car towed to dealer. 1st dealer had a serious attitude and wanted me to buy a new key from his parts department and wouldn't use a new key I had which wasn't programmed but I kept it to lock/unlock doors in emergency issues. Had to tow car to another dealer who did accept my key but couldn't program it saying that it was defective. The next day. Day 2 without transportation I had to buy new key from them. Also, I had to get new fob programmed because when they program new keys remotes have to be programmed as well. After $687 later I still have only one working ignition key and 1 remote.

That was almost 3 years ago. Ever since I have read up on all the Volvo forums trying to find a viable solution. I always liked the remedy where you remove the chip from a working key and tape/crazy glue it near or inside the immobilizer ring. After that just cut away on any key you can find and it should work even though I've been told that a unprogrammed chip will interfere with this mod so you have to remove the unprogrammed chip from the key. Here are pictures on how to do this. I have 2 keys as I mentioned before. One with a programmed chip and the other without or malfunctioned chip which the dealer couldn't program. I removed both chips. 1st the defective chip key on which I cut a little too close to the chip and took off a corner but fortunately that DIDN'T matter and I did it correctly on the programmed key. I think earlier Volvo's have a glass capsule with the chip in it but mine had these squarish chips in it. They come out easily. Just make sure you cut into the side where the blue dot isn't located. After cutting down the side of key towards the key blade you cut sideways widening the area to loosen the plastic around the chip and chip will just slide out by itself. This chip is more robust than the glass capsule version so a few hard cuts won't damage it. Please study pictures carefully especially the cut going down. If you feel resistance DON"T force it. Reposition and try again. Good luck !

Post by **osman** » 14 Jan 2014, 17:35

Nice little bit of surgery.

maurinquina · Post by **maurinquina** » 15 Jan 2014, 16:02

You mean "butchery" LOL. The aftermath you can always fix with glue and it'll look OK. Better than dishing out few hundred for one high security key for a car that no one would want to steal. Let's face it, thief's want sports, luxury or off-road vehicles and also imagine all the money the VOLVO corporation has earned because of this feature until today. It's just not fair that you have to tow the car to a dealership to get it started. Usually having the key-code from the dealer will get you a key cut by most locksmiths and that should be good enough for a 15 year old car. I have even dealt with a locksmith in the UK that cut a Mercedes W126 key solely by me sending him a scanned image of the original. Key arrived after 6 days and fit perfectly. He could've done the same for the Volvo and it would've cost $35 inc shipping. That's $35 total and no towing or 2 days of not having my car and then having to get someone to drop me at the dealership. Too much work for a key for a 15 year old car. BTW today I was able to get into the car and start experimenting with the chip. Turns out that the reader can read the chip even from 8 inches away so mounting it is really up to you. I was worried that it has to be in close proximity in order to work. One thing is for sure that it has to be secure yet not permanent because in case you want to exchange parts around the instrument cluster you don't want to break the chip trying to get it off the surface. I decided against using crazy-glue or anything like that. Also the reader doesn't care about the orientation of the chip. I'll mount it inside the reader in a 6 o'clock position with cloth tape. That way I don't have to worry about gravity taking it's toll over the seasons and dropping the tape with the chip. One day I'll vacuum and the chip will be gone. Try explaining to the dealer how you tried to beat the Volvo system AND then boldly posted it online so Volvo dealers will lose money all over this country ( with HD pictures mind you !!!! ). They won't take too kindly to that.

Make it a "good, secure" location.

FCPEURO · Post by **FCPEURO** » 17 Jan 2014, 18:39

Very nice mod. So you didn't have any issues with the chip once you did this?

Post by **j-dawg** » 18 Jan 2014, 09:46

maurinquina wrote:One thing is for sure that it has to be secure yet not permanent because in case you want to exchange parts around the instrument cluster you don't want to break the chip trying to get it off the surface. I decided against using crazy-glue or anything like that. Also the reader doesn't care about the orientation of the chip. I'll mount it inside the reader in a 6 o'clock position with cloth tape.

Make it a "good, secure" location.

how about casting it in resin and hanging it off your keychain?

might make a neat conversation piece, if nothing else.

Thanatos2489 · Post by **Thanatos2489** » 19 Jan 2014, 14:54

Transfer the chip to one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/VOLVO-S40-V40-S ... 5af3482ac3 then transfer the remote to it as well this is what I did and it works fine.

Post by **precopster** » 20 Jan 2014, 04:10

For afew dollars I ordered a flip key conversion kit to suit early P2s. This is how it went:

Cutting the glass encased chip required gentle angled cuts so the blade stayed well away from the glass. The earth strap looks a little loose on the battery however with some tensioning should be OK. I like the idea of having something more modern looking and the flip design keeps the blade away from wear and tear in the pocket.

Next step is to find out the key code from the dealer and get the new blade cut.

Thanatos2489 · Post by **Thanatos2489** » 20 Jan 2014, 12:42

As your using you original transponder chip there's no need to get the code from the dealers any good locksmith will just be able to cut the blade and alls good

Post by **precopster** » 20 Jan 2014, 18:27

Thanatos2489 wrote:As your using you original transponder chip there's no need to get the code from the dealers any good locksmith will just be able to cut the blade and alls good

Both locksmiths in my area insist on the dealer key code before they'll cut a Volvo key for me. This is the case even on an older 850. Volvos are rare here in the northern suburbs so a serious lack of experience at the local locksmiths.

maurinquina · Post by **maurinquina** » 20 Jan 2014, 23:39

FCPGroton wrote:Very nice mod. So you didn't have any issues with the chip once you did this?

None whatsoever. I removed the immobilizer chip reader a few days ago and used some cloth tape to stick the chip into the reader right over the cutout for the bulb socket. You can't affix the chip anywhere else
because then you won't be able to slide the reader back over the ignition barrel. I have used both keys
that I have (One with no chip and another with the damaged chip) and there's been no issues. Wished I had done this 3 years ago. The dealer got me good on this one. Live and learn.