Ford Mondeo III (2000 - 2007) - 05 2.0 Second hand key identical to original!

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
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Mon 27 Jul 2009 01:41
05 2.0 Second hand key identical to original! - Scranner
hi all

After drowning my spare key (door opening buttons dead but not the transponder that starts the car) I bought a spare off Ebay (£31) which included a spare uncut blade so I could have the original copied. I've successfully reprogrammed it so that it opens the doors etc and starts the car. But - the metal 'key' part on the fob was identical to mine, and indeed opens the door manually and turns in the ignition switch with no problem, ie is identical to the cut of the original key.
Now, given that that this key was bought from a random supplier off Ebay (it was used) then I'd like to know:

How many key combinations do Ford produce, ie what are the chances of having an identical key supplied to me like this, it seems like a hell of a coincidence?

How likely is it that someone could use their Ford key to get into my car and help themselves (even if the alarm goes off and they can't actually start it)?

I'm quite pleased, in a way, as I can avoid the cost of having the blank cut (and indeed can flog it for a few quid!) but I'm wondering how extraordinary this is, or otherwise...

Cheers

Edited by Pugugly on 27/07/2009 at 09:31

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Mon 27 Jul 2009 08:05
05 2.0 Second hand key identical to original! Yike - Simon
I don't know how many key combinations there should be but it is quite a worrying coincidence that.
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Mon 27 Jul 2009 08:11
05 2.0 Second hand key identical to original! Yike - pmh3
Be careful!

I have 2 P registered Fiestas. Several years ago SWMBO managed to lock one of them with the 'wrong' key. The problem was the correct key was still in the ignition. No amount of jiggling would get the wrong key to open any of the doors. As we were parked in the middle of nowhere this left me with a proble. The solution we adopted was to cut out the rear hatch rubber with a stanley blade, insert 3 year old with instructions to open the car from inside. Cost about 65? for a new rubber!
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Tue 28 Jul 2009 11:59
05 2.0 Second hand key identical to original! Yike - Scranner
I've heard that often other keys will *lock* a car but not unlock it or start it. Well done on the solution, I'm sure you laugh about it now ...
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Tue 28 Jul 2009 19:51
05 2.0 Second hand key identical to original! - mfarrow
You didn't give the seller your registration number did you so he could do it for you?

When you say it came with a blank - you mean it came with a blank as well as the one originally fitted to the second-hand fob?
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