2006 XC70 Key fob question

[scot850]

Firstly Happy New Year to one and all on MVS!

I finally got around to replacing the antenna ring on this car due to a non-starting issue (kept saying try again). It seemed to be temperature (high) related over summer but then disappeared after I got the new antenna ring. When the problem re-occurred when the temp got low (below 0C) I decided to change the ring. Next day back to the same non-start issue, so presumably the ring was fine (car has thrown no codes and confirmed by the dealer).

Experimented with the 2 key fobs and had a (so far) 100% fail rate with one key. The fail does not happen 100% when you try to start, but when the fail happens it so far appears to be the same fob. Fob works 100% for door opening/closing.

Assuming the issue is a problem with the chip in the key, where is that located? Dealer says there are 2 ships, one for opening/closing and a second for starting. Both need to be programmed.

Question then is where is the chip located? You can separate the fob into 2 main parts. The section with the flip out key, and the part with the buttons for the door opening. Where is the starter chip located? Don't want to have to buy both parts and new key if not required.

Thanks,

Neil.

[precopster]

Hi Neil. Dealer is incorrect; a Volvo service controller's job seems to be to confuse the public and at the same time bring maximum revenue to the dealership. Only one needs programming.

The fob with control board speaks to the rear view mirror or UEM as it's known. This only controls locks and can turn on the alarm if fitted.

The ID48 megamos transponder is embedded just next to the keyhead and is responsible for immobilser function and can be removed only by cracking open the case and therefore breaking the keyhead. Careful drilling can be done to remove the transponder however it is a delicate operation.

Photo above shows a new keyhead which must be glued together while tensioning the key return spring (easier said than done)

Doublebug can program a new transponder with keyhead (look on Ali Express seller ECU-Sells.com) on post 2005 cars using your Dice and his software. He did this for me on a customer's 2006 XC70 just before Christmas. We introduced 2 new transponders so we supplied 2 new keyheads however we used the old keyblades. It took about 25 minutes to program.

[scot850]

Hi Mike and a Happy New Year to you and the family!

Actually to the credit of the foreman he was correct in the fact that both 'halves' have a part to play. So if I don't want to play around with the transponder, I can just replace the 'key' portion and have it programmed at the dealer. I am currently hacked off with playing with cars after the marathon session with the old 'R', so want a break, if nothing else but to tidy up the garage and sort all the pick-n-pull parts I've salvaged!

As always, many thanks for your help, and I may still look into doing the repair out of interest sometime in the future.

Neil.

[precopster]

Hi Neil. Thanks and best wishes to yours. The transponder is the tiny glass chip in the photto above. You can see it as a small capsule-like shape in the right keyhead half. This is the only thing that requires programming; not the board which has the onboard battery.

When we programmed the customer's 2006 XC70 afew weeks ago which like yours had that Starting Prevented message, all we had to do was place new transponder codes on the CEM and place new keyheads near the antenna ring while Henry logged in to do his magic. The remotes could have been in China and we would still have been able to program the keyheads. So dealer has no basis in saying this or perhaps your terminology of the components is a little fuzzy.

It was a very simple exercise. I simply taped the glass transponder capsule to the customer's old keyhead and inserted into ignition. The old transponder chips had to be physically removed to avoid interference. The new keyheads arrived the following week.

It was a long story for the customer who had attempted transponder reloads at the dealer multiple times and at a cost of $210.

[scot850]

I think I get this now, but as I mentioned (must have been writing at the same time as you were), do you have a link you can post to the transponder supplier. Tried going to the company web-page, but couldn't find the transponder. There appears to be many different versions, so how do you know what to buy?

Thanks again,

Neil.

[precopster]

Hi Neil try this link it's straight from my Ali Application on my smartphone from a recent purchase history: Volvo Flip Fob Key Head with ID48 chip Remote S80 S60 V70 XC70 XC90 2004-2011
http://s.aliexpress.com/jMZvam6n
(from AliExpress Android)

They sent 2 x keyheads out within 10 days from China and they also sent afew remote cases within a similar timeframe. The only issue is a small burr within the keyhead prevents a flush fitment. I cut off the burr from both of them and all is good. Hope this works on a desktop.

[cn90]

Exact same thing happed to my 2005 XC90 2.5T.
One key does not start engine and the spare key is perfect.
It was NOT the antenna, it turned out to be a bad transponder in the key.

You can search the web until you eyes go blue or dark, but the bottom line is I had to pay some $210 for a new key.
I am talking spending $210 just the mechanical key + the transponder + programming cost + the goofy licensing cost (aka "extortion" cost).
I kept the old FOB.
Sad but true, the Volvo dealer has monopoly over a new key.

PS: For comparison purposes, my 1998 S70 key costs $5 but those days are over. All new cars now have chip in the key, an anti-theft thingy but costly when going wrong.

[scot850]

Thanks for the link Mike and sympathy from cn90!

Link does work great and now that we know the transponder type there are loads of folks selling that on Ali (ID48). As we have no other terms of reference then I guess that must be it. May need to buy just some of the transponders themselves as the key portion is fine. That way we poor owners of keys for these cars may be able to get a partial break on fixing them.

Neil.

[precopster]

The early CEMs are a little too technical for most owners to put into boot mode to allow Doublebug to access to program mode (pins need shorting)

The later CEMs (post 2004) can be hacked and programmed with no more than a Dice and internet connection.

Best to order the keyhead even if you don't want to cut a new key due to difficulty in not damaging the casing when removing the old transponder.

Photo shows drill point for old transponder removal

[scot850]

Good call on the buying of the spare heads. At the cost it makes sense to buy a couple and have the transponders all programmed at the same time and keep one as a spare.

So, in this case (no pun intended!), you didn't separate the 2 halves of the key portion, you drilled an access hole (drill size?) to remove the transponder and then refilled with what, epoxy? I take it, it isn't important that the transponder doesn't need to be orientated as per the original photo you posted. It is just a case of proximity, not orientation or position.

I also assume you went the drill route so as to not have to deal with the key re-tensioning issues?

Neil.