Key won't turn and steering lock on?

Hi All,
After getting trapped in my L322 yesterday, I think the battery went flat I managed to get the bonnet open and charge her last night. Coming back to the car this morning one fob won't open the doors (changed the battery in it to check) the other fob opens the doors but the steering lock is on and neither key will turn in the ignition. Just wondered if I was doing something really stupid before getting it to a garage or if anyone has any tips it would be great?
Thanks
Paul

Try a search, key failure to turn has been covered recently.

Do you think that P38s and L322s actually hate people? They seem to go to any length to lock them out or, if the buggers actually break into their own car, lock them in.

It is the right key isnt it....?

Its defiantly the right key and I have searched just found a lot of conflicting things so thought it was worth asking. Mine was going to any lengths to lock me inside it rather than out yesterday! (I now know what it feels like to be a small dog in a car park). Is it worth buying one of those diagnostic scan tools? (Although that probably won't work without the key working). Thanks guys it is appreciated.

Astill said:

Its defiantly the right key and I have searched just found a lot of conflicting things so thought it was worth asking. Mine was going to any lengths to lock me inside it rather than out yesterday! (I now know what it feels like to be a small dog in a car park). Is it worth buying one of those diagnostic scan tools? (Although that probably won't work without the key working). Thanks guys it is appreciated.

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What year is the car?

Its a 2002 Datatek

Astill said:

Its a 2002 Datatek

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AllComms is the best diagnostic tool for that year unless you have deep pockets and can afford a Faultmate MSV 2.

Thanks Datatek, Had a look and unfortunately its PC based and I'm on Mac. Do you happen to know if the ICARSOFT I930 is any good as an alternative?

Astill said:

Thanks Datatek, Had a look and unfortunately its PC based and I'm on Mac. Do you happen to know if the ICARSOFT I930 is any good as an alternative?

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At least one of the alternatives requires a working dash screen. I don't know the ICARsoft, but I do know it doesn't work on some Range Rovers, you would have to research it. Don't believe what they say on the adverts, just because a diagnostic tool will see one ECU does not mean it will do all that is needed.
You can get a Windows laptop for £50.

Hi When you changed the battery in your fob did you throw a bit of plastic away thinking it had just fallen off your fob ? If yes you have thrown away the chip that is fixed in the fob.

This allows the key to turn in the ignition lock and also allows the car to start. This is a very common fault and can be very expensive. I did this but saved the bit of plastic and then fathomed out that it was something important.

The IIDTool seems pretty popular. Will work with a phone/tablet or with the dash screen.

Get The bluetooth one though as there is no more development on the non-BT one as it has older hardware,

Nephro
You are a genius, I have just found 2 little bits of plastic, inserted in the keys and now have 2 brilliantly turning keys that start 1st time. Big thanks you, really appreciate your help and thanks to everyone else for their thoughts and suggestions!
Paul

Ok folks it's 'Holy Necroposting ' time. I too did the 'dropped the piece of plastic' thing BUT I kept it and put it back in.
The reason I had it open initially was to change the battery. Last few days the key/locks were intermittently playing up on remote but opening fine manually. So I thought change the battery , even although little red little light was working was working.
This morning, pressed button door unlocked no issuse but key wont turn in barrel. So I'm left wondering was the chip on the way out already or is it supposed to be connected to something in fob, or is there a reset I've missed out?

Thanks in advance

Hi GR...

The little plastic thingy is loose and not connected to anything.

It is purely just a small crystal that vibrates at a certain frequency when 'excited' by the ignition coil, the coil then measures the frequency the crystal is vibrating at and says, yes, thats the right response and it unlocks the steering system.

How long was the 'unlock, open door, get in, key in barrel' time?

Over 60 seconds and the coil will go back to sleep and needs to be awakened by a key turn in the barrel by about 20deg then back to zero, then turn again and the coil should wake up and check the 'crystal' in the key and determine if it is correct.

If this motion doesn't work, or you entered the vehicle quicker than 60 seconds, then the most common culprit is the steering column ECU...our the K bus, you could try checking the fuses in the glove box for the security system for security and are fault free (F18 and F31)....be warned taking some of them out will cause the alarm to go off, or the need to re-sync the key(s) to the car, do so at own risk, I cannot remember what happened to mine when i took them out or what I did to correct it, but it was a bit heart stopping at the time!

Isn't there a know problem with the ignition barrel, one option was drill a hole in a certain place and spray in cleaner and lube it's to do with the steering lock solenoid iirc it came up on here last year, on the other hand I may be totally wrong but Holidaychicken will be along soon with the mention of lube

Bugger beaten by Saintv8 again, mind I bow to his superior knollage.

brianp38dse said:

Bugger beaten by Saintv8 again, mind I bow to his superior knollage.

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And spelling, don't furgot teh spelring

Saint's post made me thick of AvE on the tube........" FOCUS YOU F--K!! "

Sorry spelling is not my strong point, especially when I can't see the screen very well, and as for predicting text I hate it.

Just teasing, I've just read my post back and see I've also made a blunder, I should proof read betterer....
Btw, the sweary bit is AvE's saying. If you don't know who AvE is, just look on youtube, he is epic and hilarious. > , he's a tad more thorough than 'WHICH magazine'....