Remote Key?

Brought a new 2003 C3 yesterday! Worrying the alternators gone, Drove it home for 2 hours so the battery shouldn't be dead? I reprogrammed the key twice but both times after half hour the key stopped working again. Any ideas?

Hi BillWSS, welcome to the forum.

BillWSS wrote:I reprogrammed the key twice but both times after half hour the key stopped working again. Any ideas?

Does the C3 have a different radio fitted than the one it had from the factory?

BillWSS wrote:Drove it home for 2 hours so the battery shouldn't be dead?

The alternator doesn't charge the battery in the remote fob

https://citroenc3owners.com/citroen-c3-t ... -t449.html

Update, Changed the battery in the Key, Still No Luck! IT doesn't have a factory radio no, But it was doing this when it also had the factory radio in it (I changed the radio this morning)

Another Update, The key will also start working if i unlock the car manually and just put the key anywhere in the interior and press the unlock/lock button.. again only for 20/30 minutes.

BillWSS wrote:IT doesn't have a factory radio no

I believe its a wiring problem for the stereo.

Try removing the radio (and any additional wiring harness that is not Citroen original) and not refitting one and try the lock/unlock after an overnight spell (with the radios removed).

Its a common problem for the C3 where ISO wiring doesn't apply and a modification needs to be made to fit a non factory radio. The symptoms of not doing the mod are either the BSI going to deep sleep and not responding to remote commands until woken up by opening a door or the aftermarket stereo won't remember radio station programming.

Thing is, It was still doing this before i changed the Radio over, Also the radio is plug and play no different adapters or anything.

BillWSS wrote:Thing is, It was still doing this before i changed the Radio over,

Well, if you are sure the radio and its wiring is not at fault, then I suggest it will be some other drain on the battery that is putting the BSI into 'deep sleep' mode to save battery power. Its very common for a C3 with a incorrectly fitted after market stereo to do this, hence my earlier question about the factory fit radio.

BillWSS wrote:Also the radio is plug and play no different adapters or anything.

Don't assume that just because the plugs fit, that they are wired correctly

Update, checked the stereo all the wireing is stock as I thought, another thought could it be the fuse has blown?

BillWSS wrote:Update, checked the stereo all the wireing is stock as I thought, another thought could it be the fuse has blown?

Easy to check the fuses for the radio, they are in the glove box area on the BSI module.

The fuse box layout and ratings is here

https://citroenc3owners.com/citroen-c3-t ... -t129.html

the 'how do I get to the fuse boxes?' topic is here

https://citroenc3owners.com/citroen-c3-t ... s-t36.html

Checked the fuse, Nothing wrong with it. Really odd.