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Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2000 15:09:42 GMT
From: Steve Crowe <scrowenopsamink.net>
Subject: Re: Lost Remote - Please help!!


On 29 Jul 2000 14:16:05 GMT, jjbarry22nopsamcom (Jjbarry22) wrote: >Please help! >I lost the key&remote to my 1996 900SE, and the car was alarmed when this >happened. I have a spare key, but not a spare remote. I have called the >dealer, and they have told me that the only thing they can do is replace the >ECU. This procedure will cost me upwards of $1000. I find it incredibly hard >to believe that any company would make a car with a $1000 price tag for a lost >key&remote. If anyone knows of the validity, or lack thereof, of the dealer's >statement, or of an alternative, please help!!! Thank you! > >JJ Barry JJ, Unfortunately, the dealer is correct. On a 1995-1998 900, if the car was armed with the remote, it MUST be unarmed with the remote. I work at a dealership in Northern VA. and I see this all the time. Every time I get a repair order and only the key, I cringe because most of the time, the customer has locked the car with the remote and left just the key. When I unlock the car, the alarm goes off and I can't do a thing about it. We have to have the customer bring in the remote before I can even look at the car. The keys are not a problem. They can be ordered from parts by the key code which can be looked up by the VIN. The only problem we have there is if the locks have been changed since the car was built. In this case we have to pull the lock cylinder which can get ugly. The price seems a little high. The alarm module is $550.00 to $700.00. The remotes are about $100.00 apiece. Figure about 1.5 - 2.0 hours to fix. It will be close but should be less than $1000.00. The only options are to get a non-armed used one or to wire around the alarm module. At a minimum, this would require the #50 starter circuit and the #15 circuit to the engine management ECU. Of course, there would be no remote lock operation and maybe some other functions lost. The used (and new) would have to programmed and the remotes programmed with a Tech II. I have seen used remotes on eBay. This is not just a Saab issue. There was an article in the Washington Post by Warren Brown about a year or two ago about this very subject. He did not mention the Saab, but as I remember the Toyota Avalon was about $2400.00 to get going if one lost the "Master Key". Other car makers have similar systems. The 1999 -> 9-5 and 9-3 cars have the same problem except it is the key the controls the system. You can lose the remote with no problem, but you MUST have at least one working key with the properly coded chip. I highly recommend that any owner of these cars has a third key ( you can code up to 4) coded for the car and put in a safe place. As long as I have one key, I can make the system work and add more keys/remotes. Good luck, Steve Crowe, ASE CMAT, Saab Master Level Tech, Harpers Ferry, WV scrowenopsamink.net

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