Gang, Sorry if some of this is/was repeated in earlier posts but 3 months have elapsed since my (only) 355 key and FOB were stolen and my 355 Spider's been sitting ever since while I've gone 15 rounds with Ferrari NA and the local dealer over getting this situation resolved. Bottom line, this has pretty much been one massive headache, but I'll leave my ranting against the powers that be at Ferrari for another post: Right now I just really want to get back into my 355 and put this all behind me. So...key arrived today. $225 smackers. Now I need a FOB or two. Minimum one. Dealer wants $750 for a FOB kit set -- one master and two red slaves. Thankfully, I found the original PIN privacy envelope and the PIN code. So I'm looking at a grand just to get this far. This does not include the time the local dealer wants to reprogram the FOBs to accept the original PIN code. I would really like to avoid the expense and hassle of having to truck my 355 to the dealer to reprogram the FOBs. I have the detailed FOB program procedure from another Fchatter. The dealer already admitted that that's pretty much what they are going to do anyhow, and charge me at least 2-3 hours labor to do it + plus car delivery charge, so why don't I just do it? What are my options here? Can I order a blank FOB from someone for less than $750 for a full kit and reprogram it myself? Who has some blanks out there? Has anyone done this? thanks. I'd like to save $1000 here and put that money into upgrades and other mods to the car than pay the dealer to do something I can probably just do myself. ketel
Ketel- It takes about 5 minutes to program the alarm ECU to accept a new set of fobs, so no idea why the dealership thinks it takes 2-3 hours. You can do it yourself with no sweat. You are really lucky you have your PIN, otherwise it would be a new alarm system with new ECU, immobiliser, three fobs, and a new PIN for around $2K. You cannot take a fob and match it to your current alarm system. Cannot be done since your alarm ECU already has three fob IDs memorized from a matched set of three fobs. It will not accept a new fob unless you have a new red with a new PIN. You are lucky you can get a new set of three and new PIN. Before you even get your new set of fobs, really your only choice, you can now start the engine using just your old PIN since you have a key. That should cheer you up at least and will confirm the old PIN you have is the correct one. That also will let you drive her until the new set of fobs arrives. A bit of a pain, but easy to do after you have done it a few times. Mine started on the first attempt with the PIN, so you can do it too. Once the new fobs arrive, programming the alarm ECU to accept them is just an extension of starting her with the PIN. I will enclose the instructions again. Note you cannot hurt anything trying. If you make the alarm mad, it will just shut down for an hour or two and then reset so you can try again. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Any other 355 alarm ECU and matching fobs will work. I have an extra set if you are near Atlanta and would like to borrow them. I'm sure you can get one from a wrecked one at a discount.
Mark- Affirmative, replacing the old alarm system with a used one is an option, but I would not do it unless it came with the PIN.
This is very good information (and I read a few other FOB and PIN posts here). So if I am looking at a used car, I want to see how many FOBs it has and if it has the PIN number/card? There should be one red and two black FOBs from what I can see.
Thanks John....I'm going to look at a 95, this is good to know. But there is a cost offset as it has 2 vs. 1 MAF's!!! ;-)
Ketel, please understand dealers are in business to make money. Sure, the solutions appear expensive but they did not steal your stuff. I'm sorry you are in this position but consider the jerking around they need to do, they should make a few bucks - same goes with any business. You should test your PIN with your key to see if you have the correct PIN, hopefully you do. I've spent the cash on a 3 FOB set, do I love the $750 expense? No, but it is what it is.
Paul- Affirmative, they came with two keys, three matched fobs and a paper PIN. Between owners and dealers losing and misplacing them, it is actually unusual to buy a Motronic 5.2 Ferrari with all the original pieces. Motronic 2.7 does not have that problem, and there is no OBDII, either, which was required for all cars sold in the US after 1 January 1996. Ferrari built a lot of 1995s for the US market, especially F355s and 456s. In the 456's case, there were no MY 1996 456s imported.
Ketel! one day I hope your pain ends. Listen to TAZ. You must confirm your old pin will start the car otherwise your new set of FOB's will do you know good without more parts in the yellow box. If the car starts then you can buy Fob's with a new PIN and program per TAZ/Ferrari instructions.
Dave, I get it. Dealerships are a business. I don't work for free and don't expect anyone else too either. If I have any ire here it is more placed with Ferrari NA than the dealership, although both have been inordinately slow in responding to basic inquiries on my part. I get that it's been the holidays; I get that this is not a huge priority to them, but it should NOT take 3 months to get a key ordered and sort through basic paperwork. If I need to buy a full set of FOBs and it's $750, so be it; but if I didn't look into other lower cost options to get the same result, then shame on me. Then I'd be a chode and deserve what's coming to me. If the dealer ends up having to re-key my FOBs, then of course they deserve to be paid -- but estimating 3 hours labor for what is at best a 20 minute job is gouging. They assume we're all a bunch of chumps. Sorry, but that doesn't fly with me. We all are painfully aware of the Ferrari tax - same part but because it comes in a yellow box with a black horse on it, it's 400% more expensive. Maybe you don't care about such things, but I do and many of us on this board do as well. I change my own oil and do a lot of maintenance on my 355 partly because I enjoy it (and enjoy learning about my 355, which makes me appreciate it all the more) but I also don't mind saving thousands, money that can be better spent elsewhere. ketel
Not auto insurance, possibly homeowners. Either way, once the deductible is factored in and the implications for the rate going forward,. it's not worth submitting the claim. ketel
You missed my point. I too do all of my own work because I enjoy it and saving money is an added bonus. But I do have a relationship with a dealer, one I tried to connect you with to help you. If you don't want to pay dealer prices, that's fine and I understand. I just think you should do what you need and not bash them along the way. In almost every post you make regarding dealers you make negative comments - that's simply not necessary IMO.
Dave - I'm not bashing the dealer. Take it easy. Not sure what posts you're referring to. I don't know anyone who "wants" to pay dealer prices. That doesn't mean I don't respect what they do and that there are many important functions they perform.
So, quick update. Picked up the new key and a set of 3 new fobs from the dealer yesterday. Given the car's been sitting more than 3 months, the battery was long dead so I dropped $100 on a new one and installed it today. I was concerned that the alarm would blare the moment I opened the door but it didn't. One I reconnected the new battery the alarm went off and pierced away from about 20 seconds. It then shut off but the hazards continued to flash for a few minutes before shutting off. Let's just say that my neighbors love me right about now. Once the alarm quieted down I felt comfortable reinstalling the panel to the battery compartment and reinstalling the front wheel. Of course, I then needed to lower the jack so the car returned to its proper seated positioned. Off went the alarm again. The car is now (thankfully) quiet and sitting covered in the driveway. Tomorrow I will need to try to recode the new fobs. I am dreading the racket this is going to cause and the prospect that neighbors are going to come out and yell at me, police will be summoned, etc etc. What is the best way to enter the vehicle again with the key and QUICKLY disarm the alarm so I can try to recode the FOBs? I have Taz's fob coding writeup but it's doubtful I am going to nail it on the first attempt. I can't have the alarm blaring the entire time otherwise my neighbors will storm my house with pitchforks and torches (not to mention I'll probably go deaf). Thoughts? ketel
Ketel- Unless you arm the alarm, it will not go off during the programming procedure as long as you can get in. You should be able to disarm the alarm with the key, but you cannot disarm the immobilizer with the key, and that is what you want for programming. Make sure you can start the engine with the PIN first. Once you get that to work, programming the ECU to accept the new fob set and new PIN is easy. After everything is working, make sure and mark "Old PIN" on the old one and maybe even "New PIN" on the new one. Or throw the old one away. I wrote my Alarm PIN in my warranty book, too.
That will only work once the inboard battery is dead. The horn is in behind the dr side front wheel. Once you unplug it the horn will still go off until the battery is drained I think.
The delaer tech had told me that he often uses a sharpie marker and writes the PIN on the case of the ECU - I think that is a great idea and will be doing that with mine.
To the best of my knowledge, the cars has 2, one for alarm and one for immobilizer. One is located behind the drivers seat behind the panel. IIRC, there is a cage in front of it, perhaps part of it. The tech said many write it there.
Confirmed that my old PIN works. Alarm went off a few times while I was going through the key turn cycle but I was able to fire her up. However, I'm having trouble pairing the FOBs. It's not clear whether I need to wait for the vehicle to re-arm itself or not. I tried a few times with the LED not flashing. No luck. After I ran through the 4 key click cycles and then clicked over 10 times the LED didn't flash as Taz's directions said it would. I then tried it by clicking past the 10 clicks and still not flashing LED letting me know the red FOB was ready to be paired. I have now driven to a fairly empty office park parking lot where the alarm won't arose much attention while I try to figure the FOB pairing out. ketel
