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What kind/year of vehicle is it, so we know if it has an immobilser etc...
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Yes, it has a fancy Ford immobilser. It's looks a bit bleak, it's quite an old car so probs no records [93L], European Breakdown seems a sensible idea, although not sure of the implications.
My thoughts were is that it's only a Mondeo, it's almost not worth recovering, wondered if they could hire a car somehow, get the stuff back and just buy a new car here for cheaper? Is this possible?
Thanks for help so far,
Kev
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What about the British consulate in France, maybe they could give a phone number of an auto locksmith.
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Have they tried a French Ford dealer? People on here have reported good experiences with French garages, but I have no personal experience.
I'm a member of the ACO which is French equivalent of the AA - but I heard their breakdoen service is pretty basic. Could be worth trying though.
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So ... you have three broad choices. Get it fixed out there, get it brought back to the UK, or somehow get a key out to them.
I'd have thought the first was the cheapest if you don't have a spare key. My father lives in France and I am amazed at the ingenuity of his local (village) garage. They even made a set of points for his old motorbike (I assume they adapted them from those for a different machine, but impressive non-the-less).
I'd have thought a Ford dealer would be able to supply new keys and do any immobiliser coding needed.
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Ok, bit of an update. This is all very exciting.
Apparantly my parents replaced the key with a new key, the old key has been found [which is good], but at our house [which is less good].
However, the car still has its immobiliser fob lost, of which there is no spare.
Current plan of action is that I go to France with key so they can at least get in the car and can have it towed somewhere, immobiliser can be 'fiddled' and they can drive car home.
The thing now is do we get the car taken to a local garage who could 'see to' the immobiliser or take it to a Ford dealer and see if they can profesionally 'see to' it?
The fob itself appears to be a dealer fitted device at time of production. It worked [roughly] that when you try to start the car, you have to press its button, an LED light which flashes when armed, stays on for a period of time then goes out and you can start the car. It doesn't appear to be an after-market idea, as it has Ford stamped on it and when questioned, Ford appeared to know of it and could make a new one [which my parents are now hopefully kicking themselves for not doing...]
I'll keep you updated
Kev
P.S. To lighten the problem, my parents have taken all the French phrase books, so I have to train my way through France at the mo with no phrase book! Oh the ironies. If you feel like being productive, does anyone know the best phrase book to buy?
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Any good dealer or autoelectrician should be able to bypass the fuel injection relay pins with a short peice of wire, but you may need to pull this when you want the engine to stop.
Worth taking a haynes manual?
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Isn't going to be easier, quicker,cheaper to DHL/FedEx whatever the key out to them?
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I had just typed almost exactly the same when your post popped up! DHL will have it there next day (they'd better, I had 19 years in with them).
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NorthernKev - To me this seems very simple. Just get the car recovered to a Ford dealer over there and get him to sort it out.That's what you'd do here, it's no different in France, French drivers lose their keys as well you know! Good luck
Baz
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Do they have european break down cover.
Maybe this would be a good use of it.
H
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Haha about couriering [is that a verb?] the key, I have suggested this repeatedly, however they seem to claim they are in 'deepest France', and no post boxes etc. So thought it best not to argue too much! Never cross a woman, and never ever when she's miffed!
Have resigned self to an enjoyable if long journey tomorrow, and will discuss valuable suggestions offered from here.
Many thanks to all who suggested anything
Kev
P.S. Yes , they do have Europe breakdown cover, but unsure whether it's valid if you lose the key... Once we can get in the car and it can be moved, we'll be able to, hopefully, get it sorted out.
Once again many thanks, and as I set off tomorrow morning, unless not personally relevant to me, it's probs not worth posting as I won't be able to read it till I come back...
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...and the moral of the story is, when going abroad make sure you take at least 2 keys to the vehicle, and if more than one person is on the trip, make sure that different people carry the keys.
We've never lost a key on a european trip yet, but have occasionally misplaced one. The above rule has saved us on more than one occasion.
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Better than that, keep one key (concealed in a waterproof bag) hidden underneath the car.
My abiding nightmare is flying out to France, to retrieve the car from an airport car park at 23.30 to find I have taken the wrong set of keys.
pmh (was peter)
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It might be too late, but now you have a key, a ford dealer here can tell you the key number just by looking at it, and the dealer in France can then make one up.
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Well, that was that. French dealer 'isolated' the immobiliser. Cost? £90.
I rather suspect the Immobiliser wasn't the hardest to break or he's just given up a good career as a car thief!
All advice about spare keys holds true, if you only have 1 key, get a copy done, it costs a lot of money if you lose the only key!
Kev
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Glad you got it sorted, Kev. Did you go all the way to France in the end, or did the French dealer do his stuff without you being there?
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