Technical Ghost and Remote Central Locking Compatible?

[The Captain 007]

Hi
Have a 2017 595 with the Ghost Anti Theft System installed.
The Remote Central locking has not worked since I got it. It works fine using the physical key. I ran the Diagnostics and it shows no faults at all.

The fuse is a 15 amp and it is fine. It occurred to me that perhaps as part of the antitheft system, the the key operated central locking may be disabled. Does anyone know about this type of issue?

I changed the battery in the key and assume it is working because I dont think the car would start if it was not receiving the code fro the key?

Anything else to check? Please let me know if there is something I am missing

Thanks for any comments or suggestions

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

Can you please post the photo of the keyfob?

When I look over the internet, it shows the same keyfob type as for my Ducato. It has 2 functions, which need to be programmed with MultiEcuScan separately: immobilizer - named key in MES (which doesn't need the battery) and the keyfob - named remote control in MES (for central locking):

Those can be found in the body module.

I don't know how the Ghost system works, if it is a CAN system, if so, it should be working with the standard keyfob. So probably the same principle should apply.

 

[The Captain 007]

Thank you for the reply. I have only just seen this

I attach a pic of the keyfob so any light you can shed, grately appreciated.

As I said, I changed the battery in the key and my understanding is that if the battery was not connecting or functioning in the key, the car would not start just on the physical element of the key. Is this correct? Or I wonder if it is that with the Ghost system once you go through the process then the car will start with just the physical key? I dont even know if the ignition would come on with just the physical key if the battery was not doing something?

At the moment I dont have the lead for the Multiecuscan. It si somewhere else but I do have access to the iCarsoft ultra which presumably can get to the same areas to program. I did have a brief look through and did not find anything relating to central locking but I may be looking in the wrong place.

The central locking is obviously working because it works when you turn the key in the drivers door so it is just the actual keyfob connection not working.

 

[The Captain 007]

And as for the Ghost system, you have to turn the ignition on. The lights all come on in the normal way. Then you have to press a sequence of buttons on the dashboard. If you get it wrong or dont do it, the car will start and run for a couple of seconds then stop. As long as you do it correctly the car starts and runs as expected.

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

So yes, it's the same keyfob as the one in my Ducato. It consists of two independent parts.

The physical key + the transmitter on the PCB board, which needs to be programmed (named as 'key' in MES) in order to start the car. The transmitter has nothing to do with the keyfob battery, it is powered / operated via an induction ring located behind the plastic cover on the dash, around the contact where you put the key in.

The keyfob itself used to unlock / lock the doors from the distance. This function is powered / operated from the battery inside the keyfob. The signal is sent to the BCM module located in the car. That's why it needs an external power (battery). The PCB board in the keyfob should keep the memory safe when there is no more power in the battery for some time (ie. during battery replacement). This is named 'remote control' in MES.

The central locking operated from the door lock doesn't require power in the battery, as the BCM is powered directly from the car starter battery. You use the key to turn the lock barrel, which at the same time sends signal to the BCM module to open other doors.

Leaving the Ghost alarm system aside and assuming all is working perfectly fine, you can dismantle the key from the keyfob and if you'll keep the keyfob far away from the car, with the key 'blade' in you door lock you will be able to open the doors. When you put the key 'blade' in the contact you will be able to crank the engine, but it will not start. If you take out the battery from the PCB board away and bring the PCB board closely to the plastic cover above the key 'blade', it will start the engine.

I'm not sure if any other software (like iCarSoft) is able to program the immobilizer or keyfob. Usually it's the most critical part of the software. I bought myself a MES license just to be able to program the immo + keyfob, as it was cheaper to buy (license + bluetooth interface + remote + PCB + cutting the key cost me around 130 EUR in total) than to get the key from the FIAT dealership (appx. 400 EUR) or a locksmith (appx. 150 EUR)... And the license + interface are mine

From what you wrote I understand that you can drive the car. So the Ghost alarm is not interfering with the immobilizer, as when the button sequence is wrong, the engine will start but will die in a few moments.