key fob not working on my 550

Read the document below and see if it helps. But first, remove the battery and squeeze the fob contacts together, reinsert the battery and spin it to remove corrosion.

Also, if you have a cloned fob, it will get way out of synch with the rolling code of the original fob if it has not been used for a while. With cloned fobs, I recommend alternating them every other time you drive so the rolling codes, which generate identically in a cloned fob, do not get too far away from each other. Then it only takes an extra button push or three to get the fobs to work each day. Use one exclusively for a month and it may take 100 button pushes to get a code from the other fob the Alarm ECU will accept.

Another trick to try is to push the button three times within 10 seconds, which will sometimes get the Alarm ECU to accept the last rolling code of the three.

This has been covered dozens of times before, but is still frustrating for an owner who has an $80,000 planter.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

thank you for the guidance

 

Mitchell- You, too? How are you doing healthwise? Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

 

I have been on some nasty meds. for three weeks with no effect. suddenly last Wed. I felt very week and short of breath. went to the first FCA meet in Cincinnati Sat. and was so confused I almost did not make it home. went to DR. for a check up. results after 10 tubes of blood. the meds. r starting to work! last dose tomorrow am. then back to Vandy. one week from tomorrow. will have to have four packs of platelets Thur. as the nMeds. wiped them out. that fueled my weakness an breath. started bleeding from nose today. that has stopped. things looking up.

 

Mitchell- Hang in there. We are pulling for you.

 

I now have some hope. 'not over til it's over

 

It is possible, you just have to pay for it. In Europe Ferrari charges around 200 Euros for the service!

Stefano

 

I would go with might be possible. They will order the PIN but no guarantee that it works. In the US it is about $500. I paid the money and didn't get a working PIN.

 

u will have to take car to the dealer. that's when the $$$ meter starts to run. a men the will do the job for $300

 

I have the PIN for mine. Does that make it cheaper or speed up the process to order new fobs?

 

Make sure you can start the car with key and PIN alone to verify you have the correct PIN. If you can start her with the PIN, all you need are the new matched fobs and new PIN and you can program the Alarm ECU to accept the new set yourself. Procedures for starting her with key and PIN are attached above in the programming document. You cannot hurt anything by trying the PIN and key starting. The worst that will happen is you chap off the alarm and she will not start for an hour or so.

 

Very cool, Terry. Thank you.

Edit: WOW! It really works. I guess that means my PIN is current.

Okay, last question: does this mean that I can program a new black fob myself without having to send it to Gobble? I'll still buy it from him but now I don't' have to be without mine.

 

can you bypass the immobilizer without the 4 digit pin ?

 

Craig- No, except with the fob. The Alarm ECU has to send an OK signal to the right Motronic DME before the engine will start. Only way to do that is with the PIN and key or with the fob.

Some electronics genius may figure out how to do it eventually, but not so far.

 

You can program a new set of fobs. You can not add one fob. Ferrari sells fobs as a set.

 

John- Exactly, fobs come as a matched set of three. Plus if you try to do anything other than start her with the current PIN, the LED will never start flashing more rapidly because it is looking for a new PIN and rolling code ID from a new red fob.

You cannot program the Alarm ECU to accept loose fobs, only new sets with a new PIN.

 

We're very close to figuring it out.

 

Keep us posted! I have some ideas that I have not yet tested. I met you at Vince's had red 550. If you want to swap ideas let me know.

 

I should know tomorrow if successful.

 

Someone along the way used a new PIN with different fobs that did not get registered with the factory. When you order a new fob set with new PIN from Ferrari (they all come from the factory except used sets) or a new alarm kit with everything, Ferrari updates the PIN data assigned to your Ferrari.

In the olden days, I supplied sets of 3 matching fobs with a new PIN to owners who had their old PIN, but had lost one or more fobs. None of those PINs were registered with Ferrari.

 

OK, so it turns out that my main alarm ecu / control unit fried, we tried to by pass it to no avail, good news is we figured out a way to repair the original ecu so I'm back on the road again.

 

It must just be beginner's luck, but I've had the batteries in both FOB's fail, I've had the car's battery fail, and when I replaced the batteries, everything was as before: I didn't have to reset anything or go to the code.

These problems seem to be quite common, though, so thanks for the explanation Taz; I'm sure my FOB's and siren are the original units.

Cheers,

George

 

George- Glad it helped. I have probably answered a hundred fob and alarm questions, and expect to answer hundreds more. Luckily, we know how the system works.