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"Key Not Accepted" Just purchased car, not sure where to start Posted by davevw [Email] (#2144) [Profile/Gallery] (more from davevw) on Sun, 26 Mar 2017 16:14:47 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Hello all!
Though I'm primarily a VW guy, I've always liked Saabs too, especially the convertibles.
So I, somewhat impulsively, purchased a 1999 9-3 convertible from an online auction. It is a site that sells cars that were dealer trade ins and such.
The description said that it ran good and strong, but now won't start. "Might be an ignition issue."
I figured, I can replace an ignition switch, no big deal...
I had no idea about the security system!
So here's where I'm at:
As I found it when I picked it up, the trim around the ignition switch was removed, the sensor coil was lifted away from the lock. So someone had been messing with it before. One or both of the connections where the coil was soldered to the board were broken too. Also, the battery was dead
So, when I got home, I hooked up the battery charger and got to work. I resoldered the coil to the circuit board, and put it back in place.
Tried to start it, and got no love. Just the message, "Key not accepted."
The key I have looks like it may have had buttons on it or something, but that half is gone. Just the key and the back half. I also have a separate fob/remote thing but even with me putting a fresh battery in it, the car doesn't seem to respond at all to any button pushes. So the trick in the owner's manual won't work.
I have let it sit for a while with the battery disconnected as I've seen suggested elsewhere. I've done this a couple times.
When I go back to try again, I'll see on the screen "checking" and then "check OK" and I'll get real hopeful, but then when I turn the key to START, it'll go to "key not accepted" again.
In the VW world, with cars in that time frame at least, it is possible to have the ECU chipped to disable the immobilizer. I think it just causes the engine's computer to not ask for it or something.
Can anyone suggest any workarounds? In a lot of the research I've done, I keep finding older threads in forums that say to go to the dealership. Of course, this isn't really an option anymore.
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