Smart key not detected

[Peacsy]

I'm currently in Sainsbury's car park with the "smart key not detected" issue.

The key locks and unlocks fine, I've tried putting it in the cup holder on the sensor but still get the not detected message, any ideas?

It's 2020 mg zs

 

[Spinynorman]

First I’d replace the battery in your keyfob
Next if that still doesn’t work, I’d disconnect your 12v battery for ten minutes then reconnect and try again.
Lastly, check your 12v battery voltage - I needed to replace mine when it went low after a week without using the car - AA said it was 3V!! Not recoverable by booster charge either…
Failing that, try the second fob and see what happens. If the receiver is banjaxed, you’re going to have to have it towed to your dealership for a replacement….

 

[Peacsy]

Tried batteries, it's been doing it intermittently with both keys for a week or so.

Waiting on AA as spare key is at home and I'm out of town...

 

[Peacsy]

Not the battery, AA have had center console out and still nothing....

 

[Peacsy]

Awaiting a HIAB pick up AA couldn't get it going

 

[fred12345]

Awaiting a HIAB pick up AA couldn't get it going

sorry to hear that. maybe best to take it to MG garage?

 

[Peacsy]

sorry to hear that. maybe best to take it to MG garage?

Yep have called ahead to arrange drop off. Couldn't confirm if it would be covered under warranty as service is overdue 10 months

At least it's a nice sunny day......

 

[Alb]

Did you make a conscious decision not to service it?

 

[Peacsy]

Just one of those things I kept putting off....

Update: they sent a flatbed......

 

[Spinynorman]

Sorry couldn’t be of help - let us know how it goes will you?

 

[hmadsen]

FYI...

If you put the key in the correct cup holder and it did not work, it's not the keyfob battery, the reason they have this very option of putting the keys in the cup holder is for you to be able to operate the car, with the keyfob battery depleted. (And the reason for the physical keyblade in the key to be able to unlock the car with that.)

In the old days where you had a physical key you inserted into an ignition, the immobilizer consisted of a chip inside the key and a coil around the ignition keyhole, when the key was inserted, it energized the chip via induction between the coil mentioned and a similar coil in the car.

This function is what happens when you put the key into the cup holder, there is a coil beneath, that energizes the chip in the key and validates that a valid key is present and to release the immobilizer and allowing the car to start.

 

[Peacsy]

Just to update you, the correct vehicle finally arrived shortly before 8 p.m., and they dropped it off at the dealership—an amazing bit of kit. Finally arrived home at 10pm..

Picked the car up yesterday, it wasn't the receiver it seems as they had to reprogram the key that I left with them. When I went to collect the car I took along the spare and said I wanted to give that a try before I left so that's what I did and that wouldn't even unlock/lock the doors so gave them that to reprogram as well, they were unable to do that with that key and offered to sell me a new key and went off to program that but couldn't get that to work - all very strange. They are going to order another key, as they only had the one on site, and get me back to try with that.... but I suspect this isn't the end of it.

 

[Coulomb]

When I went to collect the car I took along the spare and said I wanted to give that a try before I left so that's what I did and that wouldn't even unlock/lock the doors...

I'm pretty sure that I've read on this forum that if they need to reprogram a key, then they have to have both keys there to do it correctly, or possibly to do it at all.

It sounds to me that this dealership possibly doesn't reprogram keys very often, and missed at least one step in the process.

 

[Peacsy]

I'm pretty sure that I've read on this forum that if they need to reprogram a key, then they have to have both keys there to do it correctly, or possibly to do it at all.

It sounds to me that this dealership possibly doesn't reprogram keys very often, and missed at least one step in the process.

Thanks, will mention this.

 

[hmadsen]

I'm pretty sure that I've read on this forum that if they need to reprogram a key, then they have to have both keys there to do it correctly, or possibly to do it at all.

It sounds to me that this dealership possibly doesn't reprogram keys very often, and missed at least one step in the process.

It is often the case, if they need to program keys they wipe the "key cache" and program the rest of the keys in.

Don't know if this is the case here, but on other brands they do it like this as far as I am aware.

 

[Peacsy]

It is often the case, if they need to program keys they wipe the "key cache" and program the rest of the keys in.

Don't know if this is the case here, but on other brands they do it like this as far as i am aware.

Thanks