Using the emergency key in ignition barrel. Keyless entry CC

[jls]

Hi all,
General problem is a K12 CC that won't crank or start. Problem developed gradually with increasing difficulty unlocking and starting. Red key icon is displayed when trying to use the keyless start. It may well have now locked out after 5 failed attempts, not sure on that one. The key is putting out a signal, as tested by Nissan but since the car is immobile at home we don't know if it's the right signal. We have two keys but the second key was dead when we bought the car. We have never been able to use the emergency key on either fob to start the ignition but both unlock the passenger door. Had a closer look at that today and it seems the key wont insert fully in the barrel. Door unlock/lock button between seats doesn't function currently and it's showing P1611(00) Control unit 10 on my very cheap OBD 2 scanner. I attempted to clear the code but rereading gave a similar P1611(F5) Control unit 10. Have fitted new batteries to both car and fobs, left battery disconnected for a week (Christmas). Any help or advice gratefully received.....

So much for the background, here's the question. My plan is to find a locksmith that can repair the mechanical issue (at least I presume it's mechanical) in the lock barrel so the emergency key can be fully inserted. Would this allow the car to start and bypass the NATS or does the NATS look for a correct signal from the key at all times even when using the emergency key blade? If this would normally work would it reset the NATS if it has entered a locked state?

Thanks in advance

 

[jls]

Just to update in case it's of any use to someone. Took the lock to Wessex Locksmiths in Weymouth. No affiliation to them so I assume it's OK to name them. They stripped it down and repaired it and once back on the car both blade keys can be used to start the car so some progress at least. Neither fob work as an intelligent key so we still can't lock or unlock the car or use the keyless start and it still throws a NATS malfunction code but at least options have increased.

 

[Waggy13]

Just to update in case it's of any use to someone. Took the lock to Wessex Locksmiths in Weymouth. No affiliation to them so I assume it's OK to name them. They stripped it down and repaired it and once back on the car both blade keys can be used to start the car so some progress at least. Neither fob work as an intelligent key so we still can't lock or unlock the car or use the keyless start and it still throws a NATS malfunction code but at least options have increased.

Hi, could I ask what year your K12 is please? The reason for my question is that my ignition just won't turn with or without the key so I cannot release the steering lock and I have tried every tip suggested online but am still no further forward in resolving my issue. I have contacted a local mechanic who said I would need an auto locksmith, the locksmith said that he can't help with this type of keyless ignition but he suggested I contact someone who could strip and repair the lock. I have contacted 2 local companies who do this but they won't touch my particular ignition so I am currently at a loss. If you have found someone who can do this then I may be able to contact them to check if they could sort mine out if I posted it out to them.

 

[jls]

Ours is a 2006 but I'd hazard a guess they'd be able to help no matter what the year if it really is a mechanical issue. If i remember correctly, I believe there's a solenoid that locks the steering lock until a registered key is detected. Sounds to me like that might have failed on yours. Have you got a manual? How handy are you with the spanners and a multimeter?

 

[Waggy13]

Ours is a 2006 but I'd hazard a guess they'd be able to help no matter what the year if it really is a mechanical issue. If i remember correctly, I believe there's a solenoid that locks the steering lock until a registered key is detected. Sounds to me like that might have failed on yours. Have you got a manual? How handy are you with the spanners and a multimeter?

Mine is also 2006 so it sounds the same ignition. When you ask if I have a manual do you the transmission or like a Haynes manual? I can be handy with spanners if needed but I don't have a multimeter (would get one if it could help me) so I have no idea what I would need to do. I am not getting any red key light on the dash though when I try to start the car with or without the key so I am assuming it recognises it? I played the feeble female card and a neighbour offered to run a diagnostic check on the car but then realised that he wouldn't be able to do that as we can't switch the ignition on.

 

[jls]

I meant the official workshop manual, Haynes are rubbish and usually not worth bothering with.

 

[jls]

I'm not at home at the moment but when I am we can work out a way for me to send you a copy if you like

 

[Waggy13]

I meant the official workshop manual, Haynes are rubbish and usually not worth bothering with.

I only have a service manual, is that the one that I need?

 

[jls]

Thinking about it again, maybe it's not the solenoid after all. Had you been able to turn the lock and then still not been able to turn the wheel then maybe but since you don't get that far... when I took mine apart it became apparent I wasn't the first to want to do so. It should be held on with security bolts whereas ours had normal bolts so you'll need a dremel/drill/some other nefarious method to get it off.

 

[Waggy13]

Thinking about it again, maybe it's not the solenoid after all. Had you been able to turn the lock and then still not been able to turn the wheel then maybe but since you don't get that far... when I took mine apart it became apparent I wasn't the first to want to do so. It should be held on with security bolts whereas ours had normal bolts so you'll need a dremel/drill/some other nefarious method to get it off.

Can't turn the key out off the lock position. Several people have tried doing the whole turning the steering wheel and the key at the same time with obviously no result. This only happened to me when I changed the battery on the car (coincidence maybe?) which is so frustrating. I have the cowling off the steering column so I can see the security bolts that need to be undone. I don't have a dremel but might try and get a centre punch as that is supposed to be good for getting the bolts to turn. Or I could just get a mechanic to come out and remove it which he might do if I am not expecting him to repair it.

 

[jls]

There's certainly more than one way to do it, it just comes down to what you have available, I assume you've also tried graphite powder in the lock? Not a great believer in coincidence particularly when it comes to working on mechanical things. Can you lock and unlock the car?

 

[Mika The Finn]

... you've also tried graphite powder in the lock?...

This can be done with soft pencil, just draw/smear all over the key, gently wipe off the excess!

 

[Waggy13]

This can be done with soft pencil, just draw/smear all over the key, gently wipe off the excess!

Yes I have tried graphite powder and compressed air and silicone lubricant and carb cleaner. And yes I can lock unlock the car and the central locking works fine. I have put a new battery in the key fob though, just in case that was the issue.

 

[jls]

How odd, its hard imagine how such symptoms could be brought about by changing the battery, so perhaps in this case it is purely coincidental.

 

[Waggy13]

How odd, its hard imagine how such symptoms could be brought about by changing the battery, so perhaps in this case it is purely coincidental.

I spoke to the locksmith that you used today and they have agreed to take a look at mine for me so once I get it taken off I can post it to them. If that doesn't work then at least I know that I have exhausted all possible options.

 

[jls]

Not all possible options, if man built it, man can repair it. Sometimes it's just not an easy route.

 

[jls]

I spoke to the locksmith that you used today and they have agreed to take a look at mine for me so once I get it taken off I can post it to them. If that doesn't work then at least I know that I have exhausted all possible options.

You get a result on this?

 

[Waggy13]

You get a result on this?

Not yet, been on my hols but back now so looking to get a mechanic to remove the ignition for me as I don't have the tools or the time to do it myself at the minute and then I will send it off to the locksmith and keep my fingers crossed.

 

[jls]

So just to round out my story, although I'd still like to know how Waggy got on, I bought a fairly cheap (not the cheapest but close) replacement key on Ebay, swapped out the transmitter part with the non functioning OEM key. Bought an Xtool A30M in the hope that it would tell me something useful. It didn't but did do some interesting bi-directional stuff. So ended up taking it to a dealer, Would love to give them a shout out but I got the distinct impression they had to bend some rules. The end, and much unexpected, result was that we now have a fully functional car with two working keys. So it would seem that in this case the car had just lost contact with the intelligent key, who knows why, The dealer said that they could read the car but not the keys and ended up having to "wipe the car completely" what that actually involved I don't know. I've a very strong suspicion that another more local dealer would have charged a lot more (in fact I know as much as they told me that a key reprogramme would be in addition to any labour costs) and come up with a far less favourable result. So take aways are : some ebay keys can be useful, dealers vary in quality so don't rely on the word of one and if man made it. man can repair it.

 

[Waggy13]

So just to round out my story, although I'd still like to know how Waggy got on, I bought a fairly cheap (not the cheapest but close) replacement key on Ebay, swapped out the transmitter part with the non functioning OEM key. Bought an Xtool A30M in the hope that it would tell me something useful. It didn't but did do some interesting bi-directional stuff. So ended up taking it to a dealer, Would love to give them a shout out but I got the distinct impression they had to bend some rules. The end, and much unexpected, result was that we now have a fully functional car with two working keys. So it would seem that in this case the car had just lost contact with the intelligent key, who knows why, The dealer said that they could read the car but not the keys and ended up having to "wipe the car completely" what that actually involved I don't know. I've a very strong suspicion that another more local dealer would have charged a lot more (in fact I know as much as they told me that a key reprogramme would be in addition to any labour costs) and come up with a far less favourable result. So take aways are : some ebay keys can be useful, dealers vary in quality so don't rely on the word of one and if man made it. man can repair it.

I am happy to see you got a good final result on this, well done I am well chuffed for you. My update so far, I called a mechanic to see if they could remove the ignition for me, they said no it would be an auto locksmith. Spoke to the locksmith and explained what I wanted and he said no he wouldn't touch my kind of ignition. At this point I am now banging my head on a brick wall! All of the mechanics & locksmiths I have spoken to so far have been recommend by others so I decided to pick somebody totally random (a locksmith) who was local to me. I asked if it would be him or a mechanic who would be able to swap the parts over (by this point I had found a replacement part on an auction site that exactly matched what I needed). He said a mechanic should do this so I explained my whole tale of woe to him. He asked me to send him a pic of the part and he would check with the mechanics he deals and get a price for it. Once he saw that it was the keyless ignition he messaged and said now I know why nobody will deal with this! My heart sank at this point (again). He called me and it has piqued his interest why my ignition won't work and he wants to come and run a diagnostic on my car as he doesn't think I need a replacement part. So right now I am waiting for him to let me know when he can come and have a look at it. I am now hopeful that this guy can come and identify the problem and if it does need to be replaced I have the part here to be able to do it and if it doesn't I now have this part to sell on. Fingers crossed I get a result as good as yours. Just to add I did speak to the local dealer who said they would charge £100 just to diagnose the problem and I would have to arrange to get the car to them at an extra cost!

 

[jls]

If you have no joy with him, get yourself a dremel clone (my last one was ~£30 ) use the circular cutting disks to cut slots in the heads of the tamper proof bolts and then use a flat blade screwdriver to remove them. Just use normal bolts when replacing. Swapping the steering lock might not work without getting the key programed.