Topic

Hello … I am hoping to program a new key fob for 2004 TF 160 mems3, I have purchased the p-scan reader, excellent, I have purchased the new fobs from reputable supplier with the 22 digit code and I have watched the video on how to do it many times, however Phillip says in the video that if you can’t get the EKA code, which I have got courtesy of the p-scan TO WORK, YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR EXISTING FOB … I have accessed the EKA coke on my car and 2 others and have tried it many times with no success, on all three cars … other contributors to this forum “seem to” have programmed a new fob, with difficulty and end up with a working fob but don’t know why? I would like to know if anyone has coded a new fob without actually getting the EKA code to work, although having the EKA code, or indeed has anybody lost their existing fob while trying to carry out the procedure?
Thanks Daryl

If the re-initialisation process goes wrong then you will have no working fobs. At this point the only way back into the ECU is usng the EKA. If the EKA doesn't work then at that point your car becomes immobile and no diagnostic tool will be able to access the Pektron.

My warning to make sure that you can enter and use the EKA is serious, for that reason.

Thankyou … I appreciate the seriousness more fully now, so would I be right in thinking that I have to keep trying with the method on the pscan site page until I get it to work, my EKA for the TF is 7566, my EKA code for my ZS180 is 2527 and my friends TF is 2528 … pointless to give you these numbers I know but should I change them using p-scan to something with less key turns like 4321 as suggested on the forum? Would a stethoscope be of any use to listen for a sound indicating the key turn has engaged? … I’m in Australia, the TFs have a 315 MHz fob over here and the ZS has the 433 Mhz fob, is that of any significance? Thanks Daryl

Hi Daryl, it sounds like you are in the same place as me right now. I also want to proramme a new fob with pscan. Like you, I retrieved the EKA code using pscan and found that the code I was given when I bought the car was correct. Like you, try as I may, I cannot make the EKA work. I have followed the method in the car's owner's manual many, many times without success. The method shown on the pscan website is more or less the same but has a bit more detail about the dash alarm LED behaviour after entering the code.

One thing I have noticed is that every time I start to enter any number of the EKA code, be it the 1st or the 4th, the indicators flash once (with the first key turn only). I have not seen or heard mention of this behaviour anywhere. I should probably add that the car seems to 'superlock' (one flash followed by three flashes on the indicators) automatically every time I lock it with the fob

I have managed to make the EKA work just once in many hours of messing around but I have no idea what I did that was different. I certainly cannot repeat it.

Here are a couple of suggestions to help with troubleshooting:

• Use the pscan to change the EKA code to small numbers. 1111 doesn't work but 2221 does. This makes it quicker to enter the code when trying it for the 100th time.
• Remove the horn and connect a small 12v bulb or buzzer in its place. This way you can monitor the endless alarms without disturbing the neigbours.
• Make sure that the car battery is fully charged as I believe that, if it is flat, you are heading down another rabbit hole.

I have one other issue which I think might be connected with this problem. In the Pektron section of pscan, you can view live data. there are a few checks relating to the doors/locks. They are Door Key Switch, Drivers Door Switch, and Passenger Door Switch. I have found that:

• The Door Key Switch is indicated by pscan with every key turn, either clockwise or anti-clockwise.
• The Passenger Door Switch indicates open or closed, exactly as expected, when the passenger door is opened or closed.
• The Drivers Door Switch is very slow to react on opening. It shows 'closed' as the driver door is closed but when the driver door is opened, there is always a delay of between 5s and 90s before pscan indicates it as 'open'.

I strongly suspect that the latter has a bearing on my problem but I don't know how to fix it.

Good luck with your EKA. Please report any successes and I will do the same

You said that drivers door switch is slow on opening by looking into pscan. My question is if it is the same with door lock itself - what I want to ask is door slow to open generaly and when you turn the key you need to wait up to 90 sec to be able to open the door?
If it is this way, as far as I know switches are integral part of door lock in case of MG TF, so you might have problem with door lock. Maybe replacement of door lock might solve your problem?

I found the problem of inputing a long EKA code rather exasperating . More so when it came to the last digit as by then you start to think that watching paint dry is interesting. Changing to lower numbers helps but the turning of the key has to be precise and making sure that the key is fully turned left ,right and vertical. The switches are located in the latch and the movement of the lock pushes rods attached to both lock and door latch . These switches are micro type switches so, maybe the slowness of the opening is due to these sticking . 🤔

Roverlike wrote:

You said that drivers door switch is slow on opening by looking into pscan. My question is if it is the same with door lock itself - what I want to ask is door slow to open generaly and when you turn the key you need to wait up to 90 sec to be able to open the door?
If it is this way, as far as I know switches are integral part of door lock in case of MG TF, so you might have problem with door lock. Maybe replacement of door lock might solve your problem?

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. The driver's door seems to open, close and lock perfectly. I never suspected a problem until I tried to use the EKA.

I am fairly new to pscan. It is clearly an amazing piece of kit in the right hands. I probably didn't explain this particular problem very well.

In the Pektron part of the pscan software, there is a section called Live Data. Here, there is a long list of things that can be checked in realtime. Given that I am having trouble with the Emergency Key Access, I concentrated my attention on the obvious security functions: Tailgate (boot) switch, Bonnet switch, Passenger door switch, Drivers door switch, Door key switch, and Ignition switch.

The ignition switch, tailgate switch, and bonnet switch are all shown by pscan to function correctly. i.e. when the boot and bonnet are opened and closed, they are shown as 'open' or 'closed' in pscan correctly, in realtime. Same with the ignition switch; when it is on or off, it is indicated correctly by pscan.

There are 3 switches related to the doors (as mentioned above). The door key switch seems to be just that, a switch in the driver's door lock that is activated when the key is turned in either direction. This makes sense since it must be the switch with enters the code into the car. This seems to work perfectly well in realtime. That leaves the passenger door switch and the drivers door switch.

The Passenger door switch seems to work correctly; when the door is opened it is immediately shown as "Open" by pscan and when it is closed, pscan immediately responds with closed.

All good so far.

The Drivers door switch function does not work the same way in my car. When the door is closed, pscan indicates that it is "Closed". This is completely reliable and occurs in realtime. When I open the driver's door, pscan does not report it in a repeatable way. There is always some kind of delay (I have measured up to 90s) between the door being pulled open and the status changing from "Closed" to "Open". To me, this indicates a problem with the driver's door switch in my car. I assume that it is inside the lock?

As you say, I probably need a new door lock. They are not available new from Rimmers. I worry about a secondhand part as there is a lot in these locks to go wrong. I don't want to solve one problem only to introduce another. I wonder if the lock is repairable?...

Ok, I understand what you say regarding slowness of your drivers door. However, since this might be well measured by multimeter, I would be inclined to test at door lock connector (the one you can get to when you remove door card) if movements at door lock are really at door lock itself that slow, or slowness results because of something else along the lines.
If you are good with multimeter, and willing to try I can provide you info what to measure on the connector. This is another option to be sure where real problem is.

Roverlike wrote:

Ok, I understand what you say regarding slowness of your drivers door. However, since this might be well measured by multimeter, I would be inclined to test at door lock connector (the one you can get to when you remove door card) if movements at door lock are really at door lock itself that slow, or slowness results because of something else along the lines.
If you are good with multimeter, and willing to try I can provide you info what to measure on the connector. This is another option to be sure where real problem is.

First of all, thank you. Your suggestion of checking the lock switching electrics in situ makes good sense. I have a multimeter and know how to use it. I'll take the door card off tomorrow .

Apologies to Ionatf / Daryl; I have inadvertently hijacked his post. But we are both failing to make the EKA work. Having given the problem more thought, I am starting to think that the drivers door lock open/closed switch might be a side issue because the EKA procedure is carried out with the door closed and the switch always seems to indicated this correctly.

Thanks Bruce … my problem has been resolved I now have two working fobs, my solution was to call a mobile locksmith, job done with his expertise and his equipment … he also said that if I didn’t have the new fob and 22 digit number he could have supplied a generic universal fob and generated the 22 digit number with his equipment … hope this information helps, as far as the EKA code is concerned I’m still totally over informed and will not be trying it again any time soon.
Cheers and good luck

Roverlike wrote:

Ok, I understand what you say regarding slowness of your drivers door. However, since this might be well measured by multimeter, I would be inclined to test at door lock connector (the one you can get to when you remove door card) if movements at door lock are really at door lock itself that slow, or slowness results because of something else along the lines.
If you are good with multimeter, and willing to try I can provide you info what to measure on the connector. This is another option to be sure where real problem is.

Thank you.

OK. I have taken the door card off and stripped back the plastic. After disconnecting the battery, I can disconnect the 2-way and 6-way multipin connectors from the door lock. The wiring on the door lock has different colours from the incoming harness but I have written them all down and know which colours connect.

My multimeter is ready to go. What am I looking for?

I do n9t onow harnes comming from door lock as these wire colours can vary, so i will provide you wire colours from door loom side.
You need both wires from 2 way connector: Black and Black /Orange. From 6 way connector you need only Black/Pink wire.

Whey keay is moved to close position Black wire will have contact with Black/Pink wire
When key is moved in open position Black wire will have contact with Black/Orange wire.

So if you put multimeter to resistance beeper value, on each pair Black-Black/Pink and Black-Black/Orange you will see how much time will pass from when you turn the key into position until you hear beep on instrument.