This is one of the most common issues we deal with. The Renault card key is admittedly a unique way of opening the car and starting the engine, and depending on the vehicle you can start the engine with either a hands-free or a non-hands-free card. They work by communicating with the vehicle, which will recognise the key as authorised to start the engine. Check out this blog for more information on how car key transponders work.
Unfortunately, there’s lots of issues with these Renault key cards, not just in the Megane but across all models. Whether the buttons on your card aren’t working, or the digital dash is showing the dreaded ‘card not detected’ message, you’ll need to get professional help to repair or replace the key card.
What Causes The Problem?
You may have noticed that Renault Megane key cards are actually pretty flexible and don’t seem particularly durable. This is basically the issue – the circuit board contains a transponder chip which is fitted to a delicate circuit board, held on by three metal coils soldered to the circuit board. This transponder is what sends a code to the ignition to enable the engine to start. However, if that solder – and then the transponder – comes loose – the transponder won’t be able to send that all-important signal.
As these cards are quite flimsy and you’re likely to carry them around in your pocket a lot, it’s easy for this to come loose inside the key card – for example, you could easily sit on it. For the same reason, the buttons on the key card can become unresponsive. They can break from everyday use just down to the repeated pressure that’s put on the delicate circuit inside.
What do we recommend?
If your Renault Megane, or any other Renault, displays the key card not detected message, don’t worry about going direct to the manufacturer to get it sorted, which’ll be expensive and can take a while.
We can programme a new replacement blank key for a lower price than the dealership and get it done quicker too. Contact us today!