The key plague
02/10/2022
Do you remember the days when a key only had the task of turning a lock? And this lock could then open, close or ignite something. Simple mechanics, simple and reliable.
But around 20 years ago, the car key's range of tasks expanded dramatically. Since then, it not only has to open or close all doors at the same time. It also has to close the windows and sunroof, unlock the trunk, send an unlock signal to the immobilizer and silence the alarm system - all without even coming close to a lock, let alone being in it.
That needs electricity. And after 20 years, this is no longer always available. Opel recommends replacing the three-volt button cell in the Omega B key as soon as the range of the remote control decreases. The battery must be replaced within three minutes, otherwise the key will forget which car it belongs to and will have to be re-synchronized. After all, a radio key like this from the early years can still be dismantled without a degree in mechatronics.
So I quickly opened the housing, replaced the battery, cleaned the key once and reassembled it, went down to the underground garage, pressed the button next to the car and - nothing. Although the time allowed by Opel between removing the old battery and inserting the new one was 2 minutes and 40 seconds less, the key had of course completely forgotten that it belonged to the nocturne-blue big ship in parking space 25.
Fortunately, synchronizing the radio remote control is described in the Omega's operating instructions, is very simple - and doesn't work. Actually, all you have to do is switch on the ignition and press one of the two buttons while the key is in the lock. But the Opel stubbornly refuses to confirm the successful radio reconnection in the form of a brief open-and-close.
In the Opel Rekord P1 in parking space 26, you still have to open all the doors one after the other and also lock the trunk separately by inserting the locking device into the lock. In 1959, electric windows or an electronic immobilizer were not even available at extra cost - nor was a (false) alarm system. That may seem inconvenient today. But the key has worked flawlessly for 63 years.
