Thread: Disco 1, came with plip and keys. Vehicle battery gone flat. keys won't open vehicle!

Originally Posted by Stanleysteamer

Hi again Bee utey, thanks ever so much for replying so quickly, it is 11.42 over here so still time to get on with this. I tried to see what time it might be over your way. Sooooo many time zones! Never knew!, still, I know it is evening over there!
I have an older charger and a more modern one. The more modern one may not work although it has about 4 modes for me to try. The older one tends to work quite well, so I think I'll try the modern one first, if it doesn't work i'll try the other with the bulb connected.
thanks again! regards #Stan

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Joined:Nov 22, 2013Posts:27Likes Received:4

Thanks to all members who have come up with wise suggestions. The news is that:

A definitely, none of the keys open a door, but all three turn the ignition!

B I got into the car using the old technique used to get into cars back in the 1970s, I hesitate to put the exact method on the forum as who wants to get their Disco 1 entered illegally? Suffice it to say it took a plastic bag. So no damage to the car at all. Not even a scratch.

C Once in, bonnet opened, both battery connections disconnected and trusty old charger connected, still charging as I write.

D Will now use the VIN number and official Land Rover dealer to get the key number, EKAD etc, (radio code not needed as came with aftermarket radio)

As I now have the time I am intrigued as to how difficult it could be to work out how to make a key, using a blank if you have unlimited access to the lock.

May still try and find previous owners but there are a lot of them!

Anyway, all is now on the up and up so I'm chuffed!

Thanks again, mates.

Originally Posted by Stanleysteamer

Hi Mike
I've already emailed previous owner, he only had it a short time and cannot be sure he ever opened a door with the key. There are three keys with it, all with the same profile but one with a curious small head on it, if you see what I mean. I feel the two obvious Land Rover keys were the two that came with either the vehicle or the replacement barrel, and the third is a spare that was cut. I once had to replace a barrel on my other Disco 1 and the replacement came with two keys that were lookalikes for a Land Rover key. I took one off the ring and put it on the original ring with the plip and the original key so that this could not happen. I suspect the previous owner who changed the barrel just put the plip on the ring with the two keys and, as you said, left the original keys in a drawer. But unfortunately it was not the owner previous to me.
Previous owner suggests door locks may be sticky so I'll try lubing them with WD40 and/or silicone spray. It IS cold over here so its faintly possible they are a bit frozen too, so a blast with a hairdryer may help. I'll also get hold of a bit of flexible plastic strap and do the old car-thief trick to see if I can lift the lock button.
If all else fails I'll try a charger attached to the starter motor lead and an earth somewhere.
Thanks for the tips and advice All, I'll keep you posted and enjoy the run up to Christmas on the beach! (Cannot imagine what that is like, we'll be in the Yorkshire Dales enjoying some snow on single track roads in our Disco 2 td5!)

Perhaps they lost the keys, so had to replace the ignition. since the "plip" ( I assume that's english for remote) opens the doors there was no urgency to re key the other locks... until now!

Originally Posted by Stanleysteamer

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Joined:Nov 22, 2013Posts:27Likes Received:4

As I now have the time I am intrigued as to how difficult it could be to work out how to make a key, using a blank if you have unlimited access to the lock.

If you can work out how to get the lock barrel out of the door (I guess searching here would be a way to find out how to do that, I don't know never done it on a Disco) the quick and dirty way is to put your existing ignition key in the lock barrel and then file down any tumblers that are sticking out, flush with the surface of the barrel. Theoretically reduces the level of security a bit as there are now more possible key combinations that will open the doors, but unless a would be thief knows that it won't help them.

Originally Posted by jonse

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If you can work out how to get the lock barrel out of the door (I guess searching here would be a way to find out how to do that, I don't know never done it on a Disco) the quick and dirty way is to put your existing ignition key in the lock barrel and then file down any tumblers that are sticking out, flush with the surface of the barrel. Theoretically reduces the level of security a bit as there are now more possible key combinations that will open the doors, but unless a would be thief knows that it won't help them.

Hi. I can get the fuel flap open, just, and looking at it, the lock barrel would seem to come out really easily. Working on the assumption that the pin positions are the same as the door, perhaps I could use that to get the pins or sliders, whatever they are called, to bits and file a blank key to do that business. Then try it on the doors.
What do you think?
John

Have you checked/replaced the battery in the remote?

Originally Posted by edddo

Have you checked/replaced the battery in the remote?

Hi the remote is how the last owner and presumably the one(s) before got into the car. None of the keys work, and even if they did, you would still need the remote to disarm the immobiliser. So I am not worried about it. It worked fine when last used, but you are right in that I have been too busy and the weather has been against me lately so I have yet to reconnect the battery and test the plip, but I am 99.99% confident in it. Even if it didn't work, it would not stop the keys working. But I agree that that was what I thought first, which is why I tried the key!