Good evening to all
I only have one smart key for the 2008 XKR so having a locksmith program a new fob and cut the emergency key as well next week. In preparation for that, I figured I ought to verify the current emergency key works.
That hasn’t gone well so far. The key is very hard to insert (much less turn the lock) into any of the 3 locks it is supposed to operate (trunk, driver’s door and glove box). I sprayed some lubricant in the locks so I can get the key at least inserted now with some effort into the trunk and door but no joy on turning the locks. Letting the lube soak overnight in hopes of better luck tomorrow.
To the best of my knowledge the smart key is OEM to the car but don’t know that for sure. The cuts on either side of the key appear symmetric but the only orientation diagram in the drivers manual is for the glove box which shows the large side of the key head on the up side when inserting the key. So that is how I’m inserting it.
Any suggestions from the forum are welcome.
Thanks in advance and stay well.
Mike

 

If it doesn't turn at all, it probably isn't the right key or cut. Someone in the past may have just thrown any old key blade into the Smart Key as to have a hanging loop for it.
Jaguar will tell you the key code for the blade, any dealer will get this for you as long as you prove ownership. Getting a key CUT from that code seems to be problematic, I've been trying off and on for six years and it's not worked yet.
Jaguar will also sell you a precut key for like $125.

I've also never encountered a Locksmith capable of programming a Smart Key and Vehicle as to have them work. Tricky business, this, without SDD.

 

Where did you buy your new Smartkey fob, and what did it cost? Do you have a guarantee that it is programmable and will work? The Jaguar Smartkey is unique and most locksmiths don't have the knowledge or equipment to program it.

The Smartkey works only if it is properly mated ("paired") with the instrument panel in your car. If that Smartkey becomes unpaired it becomes an "orphan" and won't work. The car won't start.

So, if you bought a used Smartkey from a wrecked Jaguar it won't be able to be reprogrammed unless it has been cleared ("divorced") from its previous marriage.

After it's divorced and cleared, that Smartkey is able to be remarried (reprogrammed) to a different Jaguar. To do so requires that both the Smartkey and car be present together and the use of Jaguar software to pair them. Jaguar dealers have that software, and aftermarket versions are also available to anyone who wants to buy it.

Compare prices. You may find that your local Jaguar dealer charges less than your locksmith. That's what I found because my Jaguar dealer already recovered the cost of his SDD hardware and software, but my locksmith didn't.

The emergency key is another matter. It's double cut and requires a laser cutter, which means that it's more expensive to cut than a conventional key. Depending on the machine, duplicating an existing key might turn out less than perfect.

I suspect that your emergency key is not the factory original and is a poorly cut duplicate. All the lube in the world won't make it work if it isn't cut right.

I know it's expensive, but sometimes you have to pay the Dealer to get it done right.

 

Also, nobody has the blanks for our Emergency Key Blades. You can get them on eBay and Amazon and such, but they are all some sort of super-alloy that can't be cut with burr machines, as Stuart has stated, it requires a laser cutter.
Me, I bought some solid brass stock and machined my own more ductile key blade that CAN be cut with a burr machine, and it cost me $7 to get it copied from my WORKING original.
Many places promised me that they could not only cut the alloy key from a key code, but also that they could sell me a working Smart Key fully programmed for cheap. ALL of them failed on both counts.

 

I like the idea of making a blank from a softer metal - you've mentioned this in an earlier post. I bought (from Ebay) a replacement Smart Key shell to replace my shabby shell, and it came with an emergency key blank, seemingly made of Kryptonite. Does anyone on the forum know of a locksmith on Long Island - or vicinity - that cuts replacement blanks??

 

I also tried to have key blank purchased on ebay cut at local locksmith twice. Both times the key melted in the heat generated by their machinery. A third locksmith flatly refused to undertake the job. I finally had an authorized dealer order one from the UK. Took only a few days

 

Graham

 

Many thanks for all your replies.
In researching smart key replacements on this forum, I knew there could be problems not going to the dealer especially from Stuart's warnings on previously used smart keys. Thus resigned myself to going to the local dealer for the programmed smart key/emergency key and paying the money so gave them a call. The cost was outrageous... $376 for the smart key (plus the labor cost to program it) and $245 for the emergency key and then there is 7% sales tax on top of all that!!! Like $800 total.
Hence I searched for a capable automotive locksmith in the area. Called 5 of them who researched the job and said they couldn't do it. Found one smith (Sean, whose accent leads me to think he is from a former Soviet bloc country... a bit of an enigma between the name and the accent) in Providence who said he would check if he can obtain a suitable smart key and program it. He got back to me later that same day and said no problem and cost is $249 plus the service call to my home at $65. Told me "of course it is guaranteed to work" and he only uses OEM keys. Takes about 3 days for him to get the smart key. So figured it's worth a shot which is why I tried the emergency key in the car as he knew it was a laser cut key and said he could provide that as well.
Since the emergency key I have was so hard to just insert much less turn, I figured the forum would have some suggestions as to why the locks may be gummed up maybe from lack of use/maintenance. The locks may have never been used in 12 years and this was a Florida car although clearly garage kept so maybe some corrosion issues. My admittedly limited experience with house keys says that even an uncut key of the correct blank can be inserted in the lock even if it won't turn the tumblers.
I suspect Ceejay is correct that the emergency key is from another car and is just a hanger for the fob. But aren't the blanks all the same and should be able to be at least inserted in the lock? Maybe locks were punched at some point. I'll have the smith take a look.
Will keep the forum posted on how I make out.
Stay well.
Mike

 

My bet is that the locksmith won't be able to make an emergency key that works any better than the original from which it is duplicated.

That's a bet that I hope I lose.

It's worth a try, but you still might have to pay the Dealer to get an emergency key that works.

 

Stuart
I agree. Will be going to the dealer if needed. Won’t even have him bother to cut the key but maybe he can advise it it is indeed the wrong key or the locks themselves are bunged up which would be more of a headache.
​​​​​​​Mike

 

Cee Jay
I think his fob comes with the blank but won’t bother cutting it if I don’t have one that works to start with. I’m not super optimistic the smith can do the programming but worth a try.
Your making a brass blank is a great idea but will still need a master to work from.
Mike

 

That's why the Dealer might be your only choice to get a cut emergency key that works.

 

I only get keys cut at the dealer. Pay more, but there is a guarantee. without running back and forth.
Additionally, When's the last time you lubed the locks...

 

Hello Guy
Car is quite new to me so just did lube the locks yesterday hoping that would help. No luck with that fixing my problem but suspect they had never been lubed in the life of the car. I figure the lube job will help at the dealer billing department if the locksmith doesn’t work out😱
Mike

 

:-( I use v fine machine oil (like for a sewing machine) Let it sit a few days.

 

Are there no independent shops in your area? When I had to get fobs reprogrammed, the local dealer sent me to and Indy, evidently the tech are not trained on cars 10 years or older. Anyway it cost me $300 with an oil change but far less than the factory. Be aware if the locksmith goes the wrong way while attempting to program, the car can go into lockdown, then it has to go to the Jaguar shop.

 

Hello tbaxi
No independent shops near me. Closest is outside Boston so like 1 1/2 hours away and I don’t know if they program smart keys. Locksmith appears knowledgeable and has a good rep. Your comment on dealer training doesn’t give me a lot of confidence in them either🙀
Stay well.
Mike

 

The 10 year no service could just be the nearest to me so don’t take that to the bank with your location. Hope the smith gets you up and running.

 

Picked up the emergency key I ordered in early May (I think) today. Was cut at the UK factory and with Covid, there was a long wait.
Key works like a champ in all three locks on the car😻
Cee Jay was right about the key that came with the car.... just something to hang the smart fob from and unrelated to my car’s locks.
Now to get a duplicate made.

 

Thanks for posting about the successful outcome to this issue. Too often members will post a question and then never come back with the eventual result.

I've added RESOLVED to your thread title.

Graham