Changed Key Fob, now car won't start...
 

Like many of us, the "lock" button on my Mini S key disintegrated and stopped working... The problem was the button on the plastic casing which the key is inserted into and locked with a pin... No problems, except I had to use the key to manually lock the doors... Knowing the exorbitant cost of a new key from Mini, I located a new key casing on eBay for $18 USD... So I ordered it and it arrived last night... I took the key assembly apart and replaced the plastic parts with the new parts, then re-assembled the key... All of the internal electronics are original, along with the actual key itself... The lock/unlock buttons work fine now, but the freaking car won't start!!! I insert the key, turn it to the on position and all the indicator lights come on, but when I turn it to the start position, nothing happens... :mad:

Knowing that these cars are sensitive to different keys, what could possibly be the problem? All of the key internal bits are the same as before and only the plastic bits have been changed... Is this issue related to fixing the key -or- is it just a coincidence that something in the car failed at the same time? It seems ludicrous to me that the car would break at the very same time that I repaired the key...

Any assistance would be appreciated...

You sure you transferred over the immobilizer chip? Its tiny and easily missed.

Nope, not sure about an immobilizer chip... There was nothing in the instructions that came with the new plastic bits. Now the problem is that the old bits are in the garbage...

That has to be it... I just found this thread that shows the immobilizer chip...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rbishment.html

Now I have to dig through the garbage looking for the chip... If I don't find it, I guess I'm out $195 for a new key... Fark!!!!

Thanks for the quick response...

That SUCKS. Good luck.

That was it!!!! I dug the old fob out of the garbage and the chip was still in place. So I popped it out and put it in the new Fob and voila, the cars starts... I had no idea that Minis had an immobilizer built in...

Thanks for the tip.

Glad to help.
Also: awesome screen name