Cannot get into my Rover 75, HELP!!
 

Hi there, I have a 75 Tourer CDTI on an 03 plate. The key fob button to unlock the car hasn't worked in some time. I therefore use the key in driver's lock manually. Today the car won't unlock! There is no noise or movement of the mechanism. Of note, the button that pops up in door card when unlocked is not flush with door card as it normally is when the car is locked. All other door buttons are flush with door card as normal! Also of note is the fact that the door card is slightly loose on drivers door. The battery is holding a charge of 12.3 which, according to a friend, should be enough to work central locking. I know this because the bonnet doesn't close properly atm. A snapped wire I suspect!?

So my question is, can I get into the car another way??? And also, how do I sort bonnet not closing properly (release lever in car is sticking out slightly and I believe that a wire must have gone!) Is this an easy fix???

Many thanks in advance for any help someone can provide me! Martin

Your bonnet not closing may be due to dirt in the catches on the slam panel not closing properly ie, there are little half moon shaped latches which hold the bonnet pins, these may be stuck inside the catches, and need releasing and cleaning. Easiest way is to remove the bumper and slam panel giving access to the release catches. Also, the 2 bolts either side of the slam panel holes may need a little loosening to allow the half moon catch to move. Hope this helps that bit.
Just to add, if you can't see the half moon catch, tap the slam panel with a hammer near the hole in the catch, it should pop out

Sent from my SM-A145R using Tapatalk

Hello MartinBrighton,

At the risk of stating the obvious, does your fob have a good battery? However, it seems to me that the wire loop in the 'banana', linking the lock to the latch, has failed from fatigue due to over use. In that case, you won't be able to open the door manually with any key, it has to be via an effective fob.

You are not light years away from me. If you can obtain a replacement fob, which are fairly readily available on eBay, I will be happy to help you sort out your problem. PM me in the first instance.


Derek.

Hi there Derek, thanks for reaching out. Sadly my car isn't in Sussex atm. I'm in Camberley, Surrey. The key fob is broken re opening car. But works re locking car. I'm really not tech savvy at all. Would you have a link to the part you mean on ebay? Thanks Martin

Hi again Derek, Is there any other way to get into my car without smasjing a window?

I sent a PM of what I read elsewhere

Hello again Martin,


The idea of a PM was to establish contact info.

You haven't confirmed whether your current fob contains a decent battery. You haven't said, but are the buttons on your fob effective? Does the little light illuminate when you press one? Do those checks before anything else.


If you put 'Rover 75 replacement key fob' in the search engine you will come up with a dozen or more sources. Some offer 'empty' fobs, but others offer blank key/fob units. I deduce from your problem that you don't have a second key. I would advise, therefore, that you purchase a combined unit. Most places, like Timpsons, offer a key cutting service. That will give you a second key. The empty fob will receive the chip, circuit board and 'good' battery from your current key. A request on here should then produce a set of chip and circuit which will have to be programmed to your car. They or not 'universal'. We can pursue the failed link cable at a more convenient time, if you so wish.

Derek.

Thanks for getting back in touch! As you say, only one key. The red light comes on and I can lock the car remotely. But the unlock button on fob doesn't work. Broken inside I guess. So I always unlock the car with the key in the lock. And, as you know from my previous post, it will not unlock or and makes no movement or noise.

This does sound like the cable from the key assy to the lock has failed in the door. I would suggest trying to get the switch repaired on your key and if you can then unlock the car dont lock it again until you car repair the mechanical operation.

Right, Martin, we are making some minor progress.The symptoms point to one, or possibly two, hiccups in the fob. Either the 'unlock' button is worn out or broken, or the microswitch on the circuit board is u/s. The former will be rectified with a new fob, and the arrival of the new fob will lead to inspection of the circuit board. Hence, a new fob is imperative, vide my earlier post. Meanwhile, shop around for a small firm which fabricates or repairs electronics/circuit board in case you have to replace the microswitch.


Good hunting,

Derek.

I've just seen your PM, Martin. I don't think it is a feasible solution without incurring damage, and no-one has offered such a suggestion, However, could you try a similar action from the load space, which I assume remains accessible via your key. The boot on my saloon can be opened with the key when everything else is locked.

Derek.

You could try this...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FydPl7_vp6w

I have done similar on a Vauxhall Cavalier, and it suffered no resulting damage.

Back again, Martin. I think the video method of pulling down the window might just work for you. Then you can trip the master switch with a suitable rod/wire. I imagine the alarms will go off until you can get the key into the car. The alternative of wedging the door frame looks risky, but others on here may know better from experience.


Moving on, have you ordered a key and a blank fob yet? Don't put it off, bearing in mind the current postal delays.


Looking further ahead, the cable in the door will have to be tackled. It was the first problem I had to deal with in Rover ownership, after a quarter of a century of company cars. Fortunately the experts on this forum guided me through my learning process. This 'How to' https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...d.php?t=316595 and the associated links will take you through the problem and its solution.


Derek.

Look for an Irish tinker
 

A few years ago I went with friends on a week's tour round Ireland, using my friend's car. At Killarney I closed the driver's door shutting the keys still in the ignition. Fortunately I had left the window open an inch and had stopped outside a tailor. So we borrowed an old wire coat hanger and spent a fruitless 20 minutes trying to hook the inside lever with no success. Then a wee urchin approached and said could he help? Of course, we couldn't. Within a minute he'd opened the door: presumably he was the local car thief.

The console master switch won't work if the car is locked, will the key open boot?

I just sat in my 06 CDTi saloon and locked the car on the remote key fob button - then pressed the centre console unlock and it only blasted out the sound of the horn of the car alarm. Didn't unlock. Didn't want to try again as it is early, quiet and thinking of neighbours

But I thought the centre console works when I am in the car.

The centre console button will work to lock the car. It will also unlock the car if it has been locked with the button, or if the 'speed locking' has occurred due to driving. It won't unlock the car if it is 'superlocked'.

Hi Martin.
Are you also saying that the tail gate on your tourer does not open from the fob, if so it maybe the button on the fob, take the back off and check the PCB board and the micro switches inside.

https://i.imgur.com/PV9yzW1l.jpg1

If you get any used key with the PCB and it's got the code sticker it can be recoded to your car By Bigruss if he is still doing the keys.


https://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/for...d.php?t=303470

Or by anyone with Toaf version .43 thanks to Trevor's discovery.

But agree the way to go for the OP is to get his remote board working, I had a switch and board repaired by my local iPhone repair shop. New switches are very cheap.

Keep well

Martin I’ve sent you a PM, if you can take a look today. :)

This might be worth a try. If your car has lazy venting enabled, holding the key in the lock position would drop your windows. Both my cars have this feature switched on.

Does the red light on the fob light up when you press unlock? if not its the micro switch most likely, mine has the opposite problem, i can un lock on the fob, but not lock, i have to use the key to lock, in my case the pcb is damaged because i soldered on a new micro switch, but its the actual. Circuit on the PCB, You can get a replacement pcb, there common to the mini and land rover too, but get the right one, the two button type, if you have TOAF, you can program in the remote to the car, that should get the locking/ unlocking working. if you buy a spare key, you will need someone with an BMW editor to program the chip, i have at some point got to do mine, and i have all the kit, but want to do mine first, before i offer to do anyone elses, but if you know someone who can do it, i'm willing to lend them my key programmer