Rover 100

These FAQ apply to vehicles fitted with the Lucas 3TXA 3TXB 17TN remote key fob (this number is on the back of the key fob). Such vehicles include:

• Rover 100
• Rover 111
• Rover 114
• Rover 100 Diesel
• Rover Knightsbridge
• Rover Kensington
• Rover 100 special editions
• Any Rover 100 club owners with massive engines

Please note these FAQ are reference to the Rover 100 commonly known as a Metro. The Metro uses a different system, please look at our Metro section if you own a Rover Metro.

Rovers built before September 1995 on “L”, “M” and early “N” suffered from key fobs losing the code, this can be rectified with a software update on the vehicle. The Rover 100 Immobiliser system is very reliable, the ECU control rarely fails, if your vehicle will not start it is probably due to the remote key fob. You may have to perform the above sequence if your vehicles battery has gone flat or it is disconnected. If all the above fails you have NO EKA code. For more information, see our EKA code page.

The Rover remote key fob uses a rolling code system. When you press the key fob, the code changes every time, and the alarm box in your vehicle also changes its code to match with the key fob. This is a great antitheft system but sometimes the key fob and alarm box codes do not match and the system will not operate.

The most common cause for this is pressing the buttons on the key fob away from the vehicle, the key fob code moves on but the alarm box on the vehicle does not, so the two codes do not match. The key fobs and the ECU control box receiver on your vehicle have a clock, this clock also moves the code even if the key fob is not used.

Abbreviations

• ECU – Electronic control unit, the box which controls the alarm, immobiliser and usually the central locking fitted to your vehicle, the immobiliser ECU is a separate unit under the dashboard.
• EKA – Emergency key access, this number has no connection to the remote key fob.
• MHZ – megahertz (frequency number).
• ARMED – this is when you have locked your vehicle with the key fob, the alarm system is active and the immobiliser is on.
• DISARMED – this is when you have unlocked your vehicle with the key fob, the alarm system is not active and the immobiliser is off.

The image on the right is the inside of the key fob, the most common problem when the key fob fails is the component circled. Very carefully check to see if the 2 wire legs are attached to the component and the circuit board.

Range/Distance Problems

Does you key fob not operate very far from your vehicle?

This can be caused by many factors. As we use more wireless electronic products, the radio waves interfere with each other and this is the most common problem when your remote key fob loses its range from your vehicle.

Remember!!!
Your Rover 100 relies on the remote key fob to start, get a spare. The remote key fobs get a hard life, they get dropped, damp, wet, hot, cold, we sit on them, when the remote will not operate, the problem will probably be the remote key fob.

N.B.
Rover 100 remote key fobs are sometimes referred to as Rover 100 plips, Rover 100 zappers, Rover 100 remotes, Rover 100 immobiliser, Rover 100 immobiliser repair, Rover 100 immobiliser key ,Rover 100 key, Rover 100 replacement key, Rover 100 remote zapper, Rover 100 immobiliser problems, Rover 100 immobiliser reset, Rover 100 immobiliser bypass, Rover 100 immobiliser code, Rover 100 immobiliser removal, Rover 100 immobiliser disable, Rover 100 not starting, Rover 100 red immobiliser light flashing, Rover 100 immobiliser fault, Rover 100 broken key, Rover 100 faulty key, Rover 100 key repair or remote zappers.
All of these common phrases can be used to describe a Rover 100 remote key fob.