one key, one black key fob, probably no PIN code

1. No, you need the fob to start and drive the car.
2. You may be able to get the PIN from Ferrari via a dealer. That is not a given.
3. The PIN (for a F355 at least) is in an envelope with your VIN on it
4. Without the PIN, you cannot reprogram the ECU. You have to buy the new ECU and a matching set of key fobs.
5. Keys are not a problem. Blank keys can still be bought.
6. $2K is about right, plus a tow.
7. Some of us, smarter than me, have tried to look for the PIN in the mass of 2000 bytes of data and ... failed.

 

Also please note that a new alarm ECU will require swapping the right and left motronic (engine bank computers). This can only be done once, then you will need to replace both motronics if the alarm ecu fails again.

 

I'll just add to the above:

1. No, you need the fob to start and drive the car (or the PIN).
2. You may be able to get the PIN from Ferrari via a dealer. That is not a given.
Correct. The dealer can order it for a fee from the factory. But if a prior owner changed the PIN it's possible Ferrari doesn't have it, or the PIN that's in their records isn't the present PIN in the car. If you do have/get the PIN, and then use it to reprogram the alarm unit to work with a new set of three fobs (red and 2 black), the new PIN will be transferred from the red remote to the car. That will be the new PIN. So be sure if you go this route to get the new PIN that matches the new set of fobs. It will be on a piece of printout paper that should come with the fob set.
3. The PIN (for a F355 at least) is in an envelope with your VIN on it.
For a 360, it's on a separate printout.
4. Without the PIN, you cannot reprogram the ECU. You have to buy the new ECU and a matching set of key fobs. Correct.
5. Keys are not a problem. Blank keys can still be bought.
True, but OEM blank keys are difficult to find and very expensive if you do (people typically ask >$100 for them on eBay). You can use a blank for a Fiat (FT46) but it looks like an ordinary key.
6. $2K is about right, plus a tow.
7. Some of us, smarter than me, have tried to look for the PIN in the mass of 2000 bytes of data and ... failed.

For everything you need to know about fobs, do a search for Terry's (Tazandjan) excellent white paper on this.

 

I think you'll find that Ferrari charge $500 to provide you with the original PIN. As others have correctly stated, if you're unlucky, you'll pay the $$ only to find that the PIN doesn't work (i.e., because somebody may have changed the ECU for example). I had to acquire my PIN in this manner, but I was lucky as it did work. This meant that I could buy a new set of fobs and be certain that I'd be able to program the ECU to accept the new fobs. It's all quite confusing.

 

I had same issue, and ended up purchasing a new set of fobs & a key from Ferrari. It comes with a new set of PIN. I got a discount as part of a purchase deal from the dealer, but I believe it costs little over $2000.

I explored all options including cloning, but at the end this was the most reassuring option for me. To me it was worth the money to have a complete set of keys & fobs along with a working PIN. Having said that I know many members here have cloned fobs successfully.

Good luck.

 

825 posts and it appears you believe this has never been asked before !

You can get a key cut and the fob cloned so the PIn is more or less irrelevant

There are few new questions so if you need more information about a subject its always worth trying a search

 

My advice? Make it the seller's responsibility to provide you with three keys and PIN, all locks and ignition keyed-alike to close the deal.

Of course, if you have time on your hands, you can take on this annoying, frustrating, time-consuming and expensive task for an adjustment on price but personally I wouldn't bother. Why buy trouble?

 

+1

 

Is there anyone in California that clone the fob? thanks

 

How can the owner selling an expensive prestige sport car not have the details in place? i.e. PIN, fobs and all the documentation. Did they just toss them in the trash or something ? beats me. If anyone every comes to buy my car I will have prepared a polished presentation for them

Anyway, I had two keys but no PIN and called the original selling dealer when the car was new. I had the PIN, free within a day or two - well worth your seller doing this - then you are (both) one step closer

Lee

follow me on facebook::https://www.facebook.com/OwningAFerrari360

 

Hi Mike,

Just looking back at my communications with the dealer:

"Re the 360 codes you requested, please see attachment, there appears to be no charge for this, so keep the information with our compliments!

Thank You

David Hall @ JCT600 Brooklands"

i.e. Ferrari did not charge the dealer to get the codes. I had to send a scan of the registration documents with me shown as owner (title) and my id and they did the rest. I see no reason for a big charge for what is basically a database query. I was surprised at no charged at all and expected an admin fee.

Lee

 

Gobble on FChat cloned my single remote. He did a great job, I'll vouch for him and I highly recommend him. It's a bit unnerving sending your only FOB out. But he knows what he's doing and it's 200000x cheaper and less frustrating than dealing with overpriced ferrari stealerships.

 

When I called Ferrari of San Francisco to enquire about the PIN they were able to pull the file and I could here the girl ruffling through all the documents and she could not find the pre purchase inspection document that evidently is where the PIN number is supposed to be written down. I think if she found it she would have just told me over the phone. She never said anything that there might be a charge for it.

Unfortunately she was unable to find that document in the file. I just have a feeling that it is there and maybe written somewhere else. This seems like such an important number that you would think the dealer would have this documented and stored safely with every Ferrari sold.

When I bought this car, I was not aware of the importance of the red key fob. Now I know and unfortunately not much I can do at this point. One thing is for sure, I will make it right with the buyer.
Steve

 

The dealers generally do not keep the PIN, as it is personal to the owner! They are supposed to tell the first owner about its importance, and I think it's also stated in the manual. But people forget about the PIN or lose the paper/fail to write it somewhere. Not only that, the fobs and keys tend to get lost over time. How people can be so careless about such important pieces to such an expensive car is beyond me, but having been through the shopping experience like many others here, it unfortunately is very common for a car to lack one or more of these things.

 

You don't need the pin. Just copy the data from the chip to another remote.

 

... but the pin is useful just in-case your remote packs up and is why I sought mine

Lee

follow me on facebook :: https://www.facebook.com/OwningAFerrari360

 

True

If I clone your remote I'll also be able to send you a .bin file which you can save and use again in the future to make another remote should you ever lose all your working remotes.

 

I bought my 2001 360 new and the PIN was printed in a security envelope (the kind where you tear off the margins and the front and back separate). I have all three alarm fobs and both keys, but I have used only 1 key and one fob for the last 11 years and have had only one problem when the PIN would have been handy. I was at a grocery store late at night when I found that the battery in my fob went completing dead. I went back into the store, bought an eyeglass screwdriver, removed the battery from the fob and found that the store didn't stock them. If I had had the PIN with me, I would have been able to start the car. I didn't. It was in the safe at home with the title and other stuff. While I was calling my friends, a stranger stopped by to give me a thumbs up. I was in no mood to talk but I did anyway. Turned out he recognized the fob as looking just like the one for his second car, which he happened to have in his glovebox. He gave me the battery, wouldn't accept money, and I was on my way. I think you'd be plenty safe with an additional fob and changing the batteries every few years. Use the lack of a PIN as a price negotiating point.

 

Nice story. People are kind.

I suppose the lesson is carry a spare batter too. What kind is it ?

Lee

 

A23. My original battery lasted 10 years, and I drive the car 3-4 times a week. I should have thought to change the battery sooner.

 

Thanks, so a 12v as usual. I guess in emergency then you could power the remote from some live on the car bus system e.g. the interior lamp (or any other car nearby).

Lee

 

hi buying 360 spider on saturday the car has 2 keys and 2 black remotes but i dont know if it has the pin number with the documents i am in the uk in the westmidlands is this a big problem as i dont want to pay 49k for a car and start having problems from day one any imformation would be great thanks in advance

 

If you have the two keys and two remotes you'll probably never need the PIN. It's nice to have but not necessary. If the two black remotes work, you'll be fine. If you loose one in the future you can just have it cloned. If you are buying the car from a dealership, ask them to provide it to you if it's not there.