Ignition key chip

jwshort · Post by **jwshort** » 24 Mar 2016, 18:06

My switchblade key went bad and wouldn't flip. I bought a replacement without a chip in it. I accidently damaged the chip. Now my key won't start my xc90. What is my solution?

Davidisnumber1 · Post by **Davidisnumber1** » 27 Mar 2016, 04:10

Bad Deal. I just went through the same ordeal. My Key was in the driver side door and my wife caught it with a grocery bag she was carrying in and it split. I managed to find the grain of rice sized chip but it was damaged. The ignition wouldn't read it and it was the only key we had. The Volvo dealer in Nashville Tn made me have the vehicle towed 67 miles to them and then charged me $418 for a valet key and 15 min of time spent to download the new chip code to the vehicle computer.. I Had Taken all i could take that day, out of anger and disgust for the jolly-rogering I was corn holed into i stormed out of the dealer, opened the back of my vehicle where my tool set that is a must if you drive one of these, I proceeded to cut the head off the new valet key, then disassembled the steering column, removed the transponder antenna wire ring from around the ignition barrel, inserted the severed head of the valet key into the center of the wire antenna ring, then wrapped it in electrical tape and crammed it in the dash after some clever rerouting of the wires. Then used my original "reassembled black and now hazy white around the edges from the superglue" fob/key to start the money pit and drove the under powered hunk to a local lock smith in bowling green who had in the past made keys for my 97 850 for me and had 4 blanks cut to match my ignition key for 52 bucks. And a bonus for me... I haven't had the Starting Prevented Try Again bull crap message since then.

After having it towed down to Nashville "$396" later and paying the stealership their bend ya over the barrel price. I later was explaining the headache to me car insurance agent at state farm why my carinsurance was going to be late because of the added expenses that found me this month he uttered the words "If you would have lost the key instead of breaking it your accessory coverage on your policy would have covered all of that but it seems you have it taken care of" Talk about salt in a wound.....

One good thing did come of all of this Uber pia... I am now able to finally install my aftermarket remote start add on kit... hit the lock button on the orig. key fob and it fires up. and twice more and it shuts off... no new remote, no aftermarket transponder add on crap... simple and trouble free....

jwshort · Post by **jwshort** » 27 Mar 2016, 19:11

You mentioned a '97 850 but what model are you talking about in your adventure?
We have a key that works to get us to Billings, MT from Rapid City, SD. I ordered a new chip from Ebay. I am hoping not to have to pay the $418 only the 15 minutes of downloading the new chip code. We are needing to go to Billings to have some other checking done on the '04 XC90 anyway. It has turned in to a money pit of late. We replaced the turbo (Chinese) only to find that the new turbo overboosted to the tune of 20#. Fortunately the company will stand behind the bad turbo but we will probably have to stand good on the labor. We have a Volvo turbo this time around. The overboost condition confused the computer so badly I had to disconnect the battery to get it to forget the bad stuff so we can drive it again. 2 more days before they can get at our job. (But I'm whining.)

Post by **oragex** » 27 Mar 2016, 20:37

The by-pass is to carefully (it's a fragile piece) remove the chip from the remaining key - (online DIY show exactly where the chip is placed inside the rubber piece) - tape it inside the steering column near the ignition barrel - tape because glue can melt and damage the chip. You can then cut blank keys and use them without a chip inside.