My truck came with a cheapo non-original steel key, no fob of any kind. So:
1. Did ALL Discovery IIs (mine is 2003) originally came with a key fob?
2. Local Jag/LR dealer said, and I quote: "we won't touch a 2003 or older Land Rover, nor would we do anything on a BMW-era Range Rover". They won't even cut a key, and they will not program it, apparently.
3. Where would one get a complete key fob and where would one cut the blade, as the ones on eBay all come with un-cut blades... Is eBay a good source at all?
4. Say I got an un-cut blade fob; say a local locksmith was able to cut it using my old key as a jig; is it possible to program the key fob without any special tools, computers, or an engineering degree?
Thanks

 

Yes, they all came with Fobs. You can buy it anywhere but make sure you get the correct frequency one. There is one for ROW and one for the USA. I forgot which one is which but just search the forum and the answer will be there. Most locksmiths can cut the key using your current one but you'll need a computer to program the new Fob. You can rent/buy one or you can just find an independent Rover mechanic to program it.

 

Thanks. Mine is a 2003 U.S. vehicle, I'm going to go to the dealer again and try to find out part number/frequency details. Perhaps they'll at least tell me. Was surprised how they distance themselves from their own product, and one that's not even 20 years old. That leaves a bad aftertaste. A company that will not stand by it's own product does not deserve trust. Though this is probably just this particular dealer's policy, not overall Jag/LR policy, I hope.

 

What city / market are you in / re: dealer said "they will not touch a pre 2003 Land Rover?" Just curious as I've recently (last 6 mos) had a 1988 RRC at the Seattle dealership for service (emergency) and a 2000 Disco at my local dealer as well. I think this is so poor for brand loyalty for dealership service departments to be saying these sorts of things. Sorry ... !!!

If you are in US you need a 315 MHz genuine LR key fob, if you are elsewhere, it's 433 MHz. The PN you need is CWE100710KIT which is avail at Rovers North, Atlantic British and elsewhere (and not currently backordered!)

Once you have the key, it's very easy to program a key via Nanocom (not at a locksmith) -- and anyone (good locksmith) can cut the key shank / blade or you can swap the old blade into your new key if it's the removable one.

 

Northern Virginia (Washington, D.C. metro area); the dealer is at Tyson's Corner, Vienna, Virginia (on Leesburg Pike). I think it's Rosenthal Jaguar-Land Rover. This is a busy upscale location, lots of offices and high median income and also very expensive housing. Particularly at Tyson's Corner area. Not the boon-stick.

 

The physical key will do everything you need, and any decent locksmith should be able to cut one so you can continue to use the vehicle until you get a working fob. Be warned that the link rod between the door lock and the lock actuator is a known weak point, and if it breaks then you're pretty much stranded. Carrs4x4 sells a much-improved aftermarket replacement piece.

 

I would 100% complain direct to the GM of the dealer -- I like dealers for certain types of repairs, because I can hold them accountable unlike an indy.

Between the stupid dealer markups on new LR, ordering shenanigans, and refusing to service older models, and an utterly dismal customer experience with servicing new 100K plus Rovers, these dealers are quite literally cooking their own goose. For all the riff about Tesla's business and product issues, I mean, dude, they have come to my house with a professional highly-trained tech and fixed mechanical parts ***in my driveway*** on a 7 year old Model S... dealers are becoming irrelevant. Just wait 10 years.

 

I've been there before but years ago back in the 90s before I bought my first Rover. There's an independent Rover mechanic in Bethesda that a lot of people like. They may have moved to Rockville though. I believe it's called Independent Land Rover Service. Give them a call. They should be able to help.

There's no need to go to a dealer for part numbers, etc. Check the local online parts books or online vendors (RoversNorth.com or AtlanticBritish.com).

I'm sure a lot of dealers aren't supporting these older vehicles because most of the techs have never worked on them before...Different technology and parent company. I personally don't go to dealers because they typically rape your wallet and I don't always get the best customer service because I'm not Mr. Money Bags driving a new RR.

 

I tried a bunch of aftermarket ebay fobs from different vendors and none of them worked. Try to get hands on on a genuine fob, sometimes for under $50 used on ebay. As already mentioned, 315Mhz and easy to program with a Nanocom. I got a blade copy cut at a local hardware store.

 

Hi. Yeah, in my case the link rod has failed a week or so ago. So the door works, but it doesn't lock, and the truck is always unlocked at this point...