key card

[onlydiesels]

posted earlier that my keycard was working when it wanted,but has been ok for the last few days.now it has stopped working altogether and as i don`t have a spare,can anyone tell me how i can be sure that its the card and not a component on the car?
to start the car i now have to put the card in the slot,which is no great pain,but as you can`t lock the car with the keys in,i thought i`d try the following- sit in car with key in hand,o/s/f window open,reach out and press handle button to try to lock-NOTHING/DEAD.
sit in car,key in slot,window open,reach out to press handle button to lock it,LOCK/UNLOCK which is what i would expect,so if it`s the card thats the fault,why would it work the central locking when it`s in the slot? any ideas??
also,when the card is`nt working,how do i open the tailgate?

[cactusbob]

You have changed the battery havent you?

[onlydiesels]

changed the battery twice.just to make sure.

[cactusbob]

In that case, do pushing the buttons on the card lock the doors?

[onlydiesels]

do you mean when the card is in the slot?

[cactusbob]

No when it's not? There are two ways of locking the car with the wireless key. You can either push the button on the key or you can push the button on the door handle. Different antennas are used for each method

[onlydiesels]

thanks for your replies,yes, i know there are the two methods,but if the card is`nt working,then obviously the buttons on the handle won`t work,what i really want to know is- IF THE CARD IS FAULTY REGARDS THE C/LOCKING,WHY,WHEN THE CARD IS IN THE SLOT,WOULD THE HANDLE BUTTON WORK IE.RAPID LOCK/UNLOCK???

[silencer51]

There are two different radiotransmitters in the card.

There's the hands free transmitter that concerns the locking/unlocking of the vehicle and then there's an RFID chip that is read when the keycard goes in the slot.

The most common failure is he card's radiotransmitter for the locking system.

On my car though it was the antenna on the UCH that failed and I had it replaced...

If the card does not work then to lock the car you have to manually close all windows (and make sure they 're closed!) and then open the driver's door, keep the 'lock' button on the center console pressed for around 5-6 seconds until you hear the locking sound and then get out of the car and close the door. If all has gone well all doors should be locked.

To get in you use the small key inside the card.

[m.bedforth]

Warning - when following the above DO NOT shut the driver's door after pressing the lock button on the central console leaving the car keys inside and the dog in the boot. AA to the rescue and me red-faced.