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[johnnydog]

Thanks Chris - only one of the keys (the main key) is giving out a signal. The 'spare' isn't sending any signal at all apparantly.
Cheers TB; the antenna does seem plausible to check re the a sudden failure.
Could you tell me where the antenna is situated please?

I have an old 3 button base with a pcb from a previous 51 plate Omega Elite I had - it was replaced years ago with a new one by Vauxhall because the rubber edges had split by the key ring bar, but it was fully functional when replaced.
If it is on the same transmitting wavelength, with the transponder chip with horseshoe swapped over, would that work on this Omega, with or without re programming? to then eliminate other issues that have been suggested, such as the key itself?
Sorry for all the questions....

[TheBoy]

You only have the key cutters word that one fob is sending.  I'm dubious that the key cutter knew what he was doing, so not going to take that as a definite.

Have you checked the battery holder connections to the PCB on either fob yet?


As for the 3rd, old, fob, that depends entirely on whether or not the dealer erased the old fobs from the car.  The car allows up to 5 fobs to be programmed, so that might have left the old fob programmed.  Impossible to say without plugging a Tech2 into the car.


The antenna is built into the ATWS ECU.  Its part of the PCB.  The antenna itself won't have failed (its passive), but if the surrounding electronics have, then it could stop the receiving side working.  It would be a very rare fault, pretty much unheard of.  Due to the varnish added to that PCB, diagnosis and repair is difficult, and if it was that that was faulty, I'd suggest a good 2nd hand replacement with 2 programmed key fobs and a carpass.


*HOWEVER*, I cannot stress enough, I believe your problem is with your existing fobs and/or the associated programming (esp if that key cutter plugged anything into the car's diags port)

[johnnydog]

You only have the key cutters word that one fob is sending.  I'm dubious that the key cutter knew what he was doing, so not going to take that as a definite.

Have you checked the battery holder connections to the PCB on either fob yet?


As for the 3rd, old, fob, that depends entirely on whether or not the dealer erased the old fobs from the car.  The car allows up to 5 fobs to be programmed, so that might have left the old fob programmed.  Impossible to say without plugging a Tech2 into the car.


The antenna is built into the ATWS ECU.  Its part of the PCB.  The antenna itself won't have failed (its passive), but if the surrounding electronics have, then it could stop the receiving side working.  It would be a very rare fault, pretty much unheard of.  Due to the varnish added to that PCB, diagnosis and repair is difficult, and if it was that that was faulty, I'd suggest a good 2nd hand replacement with 2 programmed key fobs and a carpass.

*HOWEVER*, I cannot stress enough, I believe your problem is with your existing fobs and/or the associated programming (esp if that key cutter plugged anything into the car's diags port)

Cheers TB and Nick W - you were both correct in your diagnosis - tvm.
I decided to check the ATWS ECU / module (not that I really thought there was any issue with it following all the advice on here), but considering I had removed it last year when I had the water leak from the sunroof drains which had run down the A pillar into the footwell, and as the car had not been on the road since the leak was sorted until the beginning of November, I wasn't really sure when the remote had packed up. However, there was no signs of damp, water ingress or damage, and all connectors were secure, so it had to be the keys themselves.
I ended up speaking to an ex VX technician who is a 'whizz' with vehicle electrics (according to my local VX garage), and he quickly ascertained that the fault the simplest of issues - one was on the PCB of the fob that was not sending out a signal, and the other fob that was sending out a signal just wasn't sync'd to the car. User error on my behalf obviously - I hadn't been operating the lock / unlock buttons enough I'm told, so all is now well with a fully operational remote central locking. And the duff fob is being repaired - some soldering apparently, so all should be good.

The advice on here was good and accurate - thanks to all . Even though it was, in hindsight, a 'schoolboy error' on my part for not syncing the fob correctly. At least the first car locksmith got something right - that one was was not working.....

[johnnydog]

And the duff fob has now been repaired - a faulty resistor (?I think he said?) on the circuit board, so I now have two working fobs  Thanks for the suggestions by all

[TheBoy]

Glad its all sorted, and hopefully cheaply as well

[johnnydog]

Thanks, yes I was happy. No charge by the ex VX teccy (although I did give him some beer tokens), and £30 for the fob repair. So all in all, not bad I thought.....

[johnnydog]

More frustration - the key fob and car have been behaving themselves for a good number of weeks - locking / unlocking, boot release fully operational.....until today. Went to unlock the car with the fob - nothing. Unlocked manually with the key, no problem, and the car started fine. Wouldn't then lock with the fob. Tried the spare (which had been repaired last time, and was working fine afterwards), and nothing - also wouldn't lock or unlock the car, or operate the boot release, but would start the car.
What would cause the keys to loose communication with the car, when working fine a few days ago?

[Doctor Gollum]

Interference from an external source.

As an example, certain stray 5g waves can interfere with completely different frequency bands...

Really long link thing

[johnnydog]

Yet my other 2.6 Omega has been parked next to it all this time and it unlocks / locks remotely with the fob as normal.....?

[TheBoy]

Is one key "cloned" off the other - many locksmiths do this, and it doesn't work for long with systems that use a rolling code (virtually everything).


If not, back to basics.
Are you able to resync either fob that was previously working?

If yes, see how long it works after resync - if it does it again, likely that the fob needs repair (properly)

If no, its likely the fob needs repair (properly)


Whilst not impossible, its very, very rare for the ATWS/CL ecu to fail. Very rare.

[TheBoy]

Interference from an external source.

As an example, certain stray 5g waves can interfere with completely different frequency bands...

Really long link thing

433MHz isn't really going to be impacted by "5G" (Boeing and Airbus are really only concerned about the sub 800MHz frequencies), as it wont be on a harmonic.

The 5G hysteria is a bit of a joke anyway, as those sub 800MHz frequencies were the same ones being pumped out at 100kW by any TV transmitter until recently.  Though, obviously, we know 5G controls the nanobots that the government are pumping into our arms, hence the constant spate of people setting fire to 3 and 4G cell towers....

[Doctor Gollum]

Interference from an external source.

As an example, certain stray 5g waves can interfere with completely different frequency bands...

Really long link thing

433MHz isn't really going to be impacted by "5G" (Boeing and Airbus are really only concerned about the sub 800MHz frequencies), as it wont be on a harmonic.

The 5G hysteria is a bit of a joke anyway, as those sub 800MHz frequencies were the same ones being pumped out at 100kW by any TV transmitter until recently.  Though, obviously, we know 5G controls the nanobots that the government are pumping into our arms, hence the constant spate of people setting fire to 3 and 4G cell towers....

It was a real world EXAMPLE of cross frequency interference rather than an sole cause of the key fob problem... Volvo S/V40 key fobs used to be really good a stomping over Omega remote frequencies.

As to 5G, An informed, professional look at the subject 

[johnnydog]

Is one key "cloned" off the other - many locksmiths do this, and it doesn't work for long with systems that use a rolling code (virtually everything).


If not, back to basics.
Are you able to resync either fob that was previously working?

If yes, see how long it works after resync - if it does it again, likely that the fob needs repair (properly)

If no, its likely the fob needs repair (properly)


Whilst not impossible, its very, very rare for the ATWS/CL ecu to fail. Very rare.

Thanks for this info. I'll try a re-sycn, and speak to the place that sorted the key fobs to see how they programmed them or they did 'clone' one key off the other.
Is it possible to reprogramme an existing circuit board in a used fob from another car, as long as you have the pass for the current car, and the fob is on the same 433 frequency?

[TheBoy]

It was a real world EXAMPLE of cross frequency interference rather than an sole cause of the key fob problem... Volvo S/V40 key fobs used to be really good a stomping over Omega remote frequencies.

As to 5G, An informed, professional look at the subject 

Anything on 433MHz will interfere, as will anything where 433 is a harmonic.  Most 433MHz are a short duration transmission, hence unlikely to cause issues.  Its not like you are allowed to use 433MHz for a wireless cctv camera, for example.

Most EU cars use 433, and we never see interference issue

[Doctor Gollum]

Never is a stretch.