Motoring Discussion > Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Bromptonaut	Replies: 36

New Sun 29 Oct 23 12:33   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

As per the title the plip remote for our 10yo Berlingo stopped working last week. No warning of low battery as the handbook says there should be. New battery fitted and re-initialisation attempted but no joy. Only one plip so we can't cross check with another. Works OK in the door and and central locking ensures all doors lock/unlock. Car starts fine too. Citroen dealer wants £90+ as a diagnostic charge to even look at it!! It's booked in for that but not until 27 November. Will try the dealer in Milton Keynes to see if they're more reasonable. Might be worth investigating locksmiths or Timpsons too. In the meantime can anybody suggest other possible means ot testing whether the plip is transmitting or anything else useful we could try. Come to think of it I've not checked fuses. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Sun 29 Oct 23 13:08   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bobby

Used to be the case that old remote controls you could look at them through a phone camera and you could see the light working. But that was old remote controls and old phones…. But yeah might be worth checking the car side rather than the key. Finally there is a local guy on my FB who does keys for cars on a mobile service, might be something in your own area worth trying. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Sun 29 Oct 23 14:43   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Rudedog

I know my key fob is very fussy with battery makes - maybe try another new battery but of a different make? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 29 Oct 23 15:19   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Falkirk Bairn

A son has had success with ebay replacement remote - around £5 for a new case - you put in electronics, new battery & key blade from the old remote Cheap fix! Worth a try? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 29 Oct 23 15:35   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

>> A son has had success with ebay replacement remote - around £5 for a new >> case - you put in electronics, new battery & key blade from the old remote Saw a 'how to' vid on youtube for that but as the current key's electronics are suspect not sure it'll work!! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 29 Oct 23 16:27   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Falkirk Bairn

In my son's faulty remotes (2 x Toyotas & 1 x Lexus) it was the mechanical button contacts that had given up the ghost. As he said at the time - Megabucks at a dealer - it was a no brainer to gamble £5! Worked 3 out of 3 on 3 different cars! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 29 Oct 23 15:46   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - smokie

Did the same some years back with a Vauxhall key. So to get this straight - the plip also has a key. You can't unlock the doors with the remote button but you can with the key. Do you have to turn the key into the ignition for starting? Or is it keyless? I.e. keep it in your pocket and press a button or similar. Whichever way, that same key will start the car? I have n the past read about WiFi or ham radio affecting car locks but always doubted it. However was your short wave thing from another thread turned on? Does it fail elsewhere other than on your drive/whatever? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 29 Oct 23 16:11   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

>> Did the same some years back with a Vauxhall key. >> >> So to get this straight - the plip also has a key. You can't unlock >> the doors with the remote button but you can with the key. The plip has a fold out key which has to be turned in the ignition to start the engine. It will also open the doors - all of them - if turned in the door. In effect it behaves like the non plip we have as a second key. There was second plip but Mrs B dropped it down a grate and we never got round to replacing it.... Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 29 Oct 23 16:29   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - smokie

OK, thx, was just remembering my daughters similar key which would open the car but not start it - that was a hairline fracture in the key blade affecting the aerial which disabled the car immobiliser. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 10:39   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - VxFan

>> Used to be the case that old remote controls you could look at them through >> a phone camera and you could see the light working. >> But that was old remote controls and old phones…. That's only for infra-red remote controls. AFAIA, cars have always used an RF signal for remote central locking. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 10:52   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

>> AFAIA, cars have always used an RF signal for remote central locking. I think some early applications used infra-red(?). Citroen BX, in models high enough up the range to have central locking had a receiver over the driving mirror. Think my Mother had a Renault, either a 5 or a Clio - probably the former - with that too. May be wrong though, we're talking nigh on 30 years ago. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 11:00   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Runfer D'Hills

Many years ago, I got a new car that was one of the first mainstream vehicles to have remote locking. I remember winding my mother up by clicking the remote in my jacket pocket while walking towards the car with her and pretending to verbally tell the the car to unlock itself. At the other end of the scale, my son came back into the house earlier this year to say he couldn’t get into his car as the remote wasn’t working. He was equally astonished to learn that until he got a new fob battery, he could just put the key in the lock and turn it! Reply to this message | Report message       2

New Mon 30 Oct 23 11:38   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Zero

Take it apart, and spray it all out with switch cleaner, working the buttons as you do it. Worth a £2.50 attempt. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 15:32   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - bathtub tom

>>I remember winding my mother up by clicking the remote >> in my jacket pocket while walking towards the car with her and pretending to verbally >> tell the the car to unlock itself. I relieved the boredom of a hotel room stay once by locking and unlocking my car remotely whenever a pedestrian passed. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 17:34   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Runfer D'Hills

I hate hotels. Sadly, I’ve spent too much of my working life having to use them. I generally only sleep 6 hours in any 24, I’m not interested in sitting in a bar, or all that bothered about eating in a restaurant to be honest. I’m not a fan of watching tv either unfortunately. I just get terminally bored in hotel rooms. At least at home there’s a dog to walk and a shed to tinker in! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 17:45   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Zero

>> At least at home there’s a dog to walk and a shed to tinker in! Well if you are not tinkering with the dog, I assume you are tinkering with yourself. Oh......! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 17:50   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Runfer D'Hills

Usually, I limit my tinkering to bicycles and old watches. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 18:59   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Mr Moo

>> I hate hotels. Sadly, I’ve spent too much of my working life having to use >> them. I generally only sleep 6 hours in any 24, I’m not interested in sitting >> in a bar, or all that bothered about eating in a restaurant to be honest. >> I’m not a fan of watching tv either unfortunately. I just get terminally bored in >> hotel rooms. >> At least at home there’s a dog to walk and a shed to tinker in! >> >> …you could always take the Corby trouser press apart Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 19:01   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - tyrednemotional

...so it was you that had that room before me....! Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 20:06   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - CGNorwich

"you could always take the Corby trouser press apart" Are they still a thing? Haven't seen one recently despite stayiing in a number of hotels. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 31 Oct 23 11:10   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - VxFan

>> Are they still a thing? Haven't seen one recently despite stayiing in a number of >> hotels. I think they've done away with the Goblin teas-maids too ;) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 31 Oct 23 12:00   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - tyrednemotional

....got to fund the bedbugs somehow.... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 31 Oct 23 14:25   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - CGNorwich

I must be staying in down-market hotels. After a quick Google pleased to see that that the Savoy Hotel in the Strand still has trouser presses in all of its rooms. The end of civilisation is not quite nigh. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 31 Oct 23 14:28   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Zero

In the Savoy I would expect the room valet to take me strides away, and bring them back razor sharp. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 31 Oct 23 14:34   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - CGNorwich

Perhaps but in the basic £800 per night room you have to make do with the Corby. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 31 Oct 23 14:47   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

>> Perhaps but in the basic £800 per night room you have to make do with >> the Corby. Had me thinking. Corby presses were de rigueur in business hotels 20-30 years ago. I seem to remember somebody in a work group complaining that the one in their room wasn't working. I may even had used them myself when work required me suited and booted. Long time though since that was the case. The only creased trousers I have now, or had for some time before I left the CS, were those belonging to suits. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 30 Oct 23 18:59   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - RichardW

MK1 Xantia used an IR remote Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 12:35   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

And sorted albeit at cost of £99. Further fob new battery fitted, car's on board receiver re-programmed and all good. Blonde lass on counter, all tits and teeth, tells me that if it happens again new key needed. Might as well order one anyway as we're one down after Mrs B dropped it down a grate in the road outside. Not impressed with Bristol Street Motors (BSM). They're are on a retail park half way to Wellingboro', as is nearly every other motor dealer in Northampton. If there are buses there at all they're few/far between. Needing a courtesy car would have added £25 more and another week's wait. Mrs B turned out to be working today but dragging her out there and back as a taxi would be last resort. I therefore booked a timed appt at 08:30 for them to do what was needed while I waited. Upon arrival I was told I might have to wait up to three hours and the the call centre shouldn't have booked a diagnostic that way. Coffee machine in the waiting area was kaput and there were no cups for water. Fortunately I'm reading a good book and had my phone with me too. Car returned at 10:45 with problem apprently solved. Thought I'd nip into Maccy D's and treat myself to a big Mac; an action that deserves a thread of its own. Forty years ago I'd queue for a couple of minutes before a staff member put the burger, fries and coffee on my tray. Sat down and eating <3 mins from crossing threshold. No queue and best part of 20 minutes wait today. Is that progress? Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 27 Nov 23 at 12:37 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 13:31   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Rudedog

They want you to do it on an app now..... apparently avoids the queues although as you've found the delay tends to be at the preparation stage. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 13:47   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

Now you mention an App.... I'm in there once in a Blue Moon. Last time was in Nairn in September but only 'cos we had 30 mins to kill. Well over a year before then. Order remotely at a giga size touchscreen but before 11am it was only showing breakfast stuff. No burgers. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 17:02   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Manatee

There's a McDonalds in Nairn! I would have bet against that. If you need accommodation there in future, put the Invernairne Guest House on your list. It was our best stopover of our North Coast 500 tour in 2019 and had I known I would have booked more time there. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 17:07   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

>> There's a McDonalds in Nairn! I would have bet against that. On the car park of Sainsburys supermarket rather than in the town. We'd gone up there on the Caledonian Sleeper and, due train times off Inverness for Nairn, had time in hand before picking up a campervan from Nairn. Not doing NC500 though but heading to Harris for the release of the Hearach Whisky. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 19:02   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Manatee

Not sure I'd recommend the NC500 now, it's not as if there is a shortage of nice roads and scenery in Scotland. We went in May, between the bank holidays, in 2019 and it was fairly quiet. From what I hear it's wearing out its welcome with many of the accommodation providers on the route itself. And I wouldn't think of it in a motorhome. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 21:19   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

>> Not sure I'd recommend the NC500 now, it's not as if there is a shortage >> of nice roads and scenery in Scotland. We went in May, between the bank holidays, >> in 2019 and it was fairly quiet. From what I hear it's wearing out its >> welcome with many of the accommodation providers on the route itself. And I wouldn't think >> of it in a motorhome. Would heartily agree. We spent a week in the caravan at Kinlochewe in 2021. NC500 folks in massive MoHos were an absolute nightmare. Doubly so if I was on my eponymous wee bike. They got that way on Harris/Lewis too. Too big for the roads. Drivers unable to plan for /deal with passing places going forwards never mind reverse into one. And then insufficient provision for grey water and toilet cassettes. Cal Mac now say anything over circa 6 metres is charged at commercial vehicle rates and not the 'Road Equivalent Tariff' paid by car sized vehicles. It's made navigation of the Golden Road or going out to Huisnis is less problematic for sure. Whether folks pouring poo down rabbit holes have diminished is another question. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 16:07   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Kevin

>Blonde lass on counter, all tits and teeth,... Good Glub Bromp! Were you nodding off during all those anti-ism courses? Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 16:44   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - Bromptonaut

>> Good Glub Bromp! >> >> Were you nodding off during all those anti-ism courses? I'll do penance and say my Hail Marys etc. I can never see a young woman dressed as she was without thinking of the TV drama House of Cards shown immediately after the defenestration of Mrs T. Young woman who is the PA to and lover of a political fixer for the party is organising an event for MPs or similar - men of a certain age. She's dressed with her breasts on display and as the doors open he instructs her 'tits and teeth'. He dies shortly after becuase his cocaine has been mixed with rat poison.... Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 27 Nov 23 21:29   Plip Key Failed - Citroen Berlingo - tyrednemotional

...not sure what else you were expecting from Bristol Teeth Motors..... Reply to this message | Report message