[VforVolvetta]

Hey everybody, I'm brand new to this forum and brand new to V40 ownership . I picked up a 2000 V40 (the first production year) about two weeks ago and I need to replace the key on it because the keyhole snapped off. The Volvo dealership has said that it'll cost ~US$300 since they'd have to replace the transponder. That's a lot of money, which I really, really don't want to spend. Looking online, I found this replacement Transponder Key FOB Shell/Case with blank blade for £1.79, and I'd love to simply pick it up and transfer my transponder to it on the cheap. The one locksmith that I've spoken to however, has said that it wouldn't be quite so easy, and would cost more than I thought, as well as possibly end up ruining the transponder. So does anyone have any ideas about the cheapest, most effective way to do this?

Thanks!

Here's the key in its current state. The sharp ends have been filed down.

 

[brissim]

Welcome to the forums - although probably can't directly help you. This forum is for the current model 2013+ V40/V40CC which isn't currently available in the US.

Suggest you try the relevant sub-forum on US-orientated Swedespeed forums - http://forums.swedespeed.com/forumdisplay.php?11-S40-V40-(1995-2004)

Tony

 

[Mr Fro]

I can however help you...

I had this same problem on my 2000 V70, the old key plastic/rubber bits were badly perished.

I got an identical blank key from ebay for about £7 and had my local locksmith cut the blade for me.

The replacement key had a little hidey hole in the plastic bit for the transponder so I very carefully used a scalpel to shave the plastic off the old key until I found the transponder, whipped it out and put it in the new key. Job done. Took me about 15 mins to dig the transponder out and cost me a total of about £12.

The transponder didn't look particularly fragile but so long as you're careful, you'll be fine.

 

[VforVolvetta]

Hey Mr Fro, thanks so much for the response and sorry for taking so long to respond. I wasn't set up to receive email notifications for this thread so didn't check it until now. Here's what I ended up doing, which cost me exactly $0. I just found a piece of wire and wrapped it around the key forming a loop for a key chain. It's surprisingly strong.

Ironically however, this just happened to my fob. So now I've got to find another ghetto fix. I'll look online for a replacement for this guy though, because I'm pretty sure it's just a matter of popping out the internal chip/buttons and popping them into a new one.

 

[anixie]

gotta love ghetto mods

 

[Rodrigo Smith]

I really don't know about such locking systems, whenever i came in trouble with locking system, the only thing i do that time is to call a professional Locksmith to repair the locking system whether it is of my home or my car.

 

[rick smith]

I bought a chipped key off ebay for 12 bucks, took it to the local Evanston Locksmith and paid 2 bucks to have it cut. Programed it in my driveway for free using the two keys that came with the Jeep. Now if I loose one, I still have two programmed chipped keys. Sure the spare doesn't have a key fob, but it was good cheap insurance. I'd recommend everyone to buy a chipped blank, pay a pro to cut it and program it. It take two keys to program it and if you loose one, that is when it gets expensive.

 

[kevinlufc]

I bought a chipped key off ebay for 12 bucks, took it to the local Evanston Locksmith and paid 2 bucks to have it cut. Programed it in my driveway for free using the two keys that came with the Jeep. Now if I loose one, I still have two programmed chipped keys. Sure the spare doesn't have a key fob, but it was good cheap insurance. I'd recommend everyone to buy a chipped blank, pay a pro to cut it and program it. It take two keys to program it and if you loose one, that is when it gets expensive.

Can you explain how you program the key? :nerd:

 

[buzby]

Can you explain how you program the key? :nerd:

Programming new keys for his Jeep and programing them on a recent Volvo are two very different processes.

The Jeep sounds like it uses the 'two key' process to program a new key into the car (Ford and some other manufacturers use this too). If you already have two keys, by using both of them and turning the keys in a sequence of positions in the ignition switch you can put the car into programming mode, where you then put your new key into the igniiton and turn it through a sequence of positions and it will then be programmed to the car.

Modern Volvos don't have keys for the ignition, They have a radio transponder that works the ignition immobiliser and the remote that locks and unlocks the car and alarm integrated into one unit. Both the transponder and remote need to be programmed to the car, and Volvo have decided to make this a dealer-only operation for securityreasons (though I'm sure profit also comes into it). To program the fob the car needs to be connected to a VIDA terminal and interact with Volvo's vehicle configuration database back in Sweden.

 

[chiptivo]

Get a blank key, and get it cut.
Place the broken transponder chip in the column of your steering column, close to the receiver.

No one will ever know, and knowing it has an imobiliser no one will attempt to steal it anyway.