Aftermarket wireless key?

[smcguire]

Hi all, 

 

My first post after lurking on this site for a while.  :-)

 

I bought my 2013 C-Max in 2015, and really enjoy it... I often say that I don't understand why there aren't more of them out there.

I got it with two wireless keys, and lost one not long ago.

I noticed someone selling what appeared to be an identical remote key fob on Ebay, for a lot less than my dealer sells them for, so I decided to give it a shot.  The listing said it worked for C-maxes including years prior to 2013 - when I believe they were first introduced to North America - so that might be a clue that this key is for European models, although I didn't think at the time there'd be a difference.

 

My new fob looks identical to my remaining working one, and both transmit on 433 MHz ( the locksmith who cut the emergency key had a device that confirmed this), but my local dealer was unable to program it to work with my car.  :-(

 

I opened both keys up to have a look inside, and they look identical; the only difference is that the gray rectangular components (coils, I believe) in my working key are stamped with the number "228" and my new, non-working key's coils are stamped with the number "242".

(See picture below, of an aftermarket key like the one I bought.)

 

So, questions for the group:

-Has anyone else bought an aftermarket key for their North American C-Max?  Did it work?  Where did you get it from?

-Does anyone know what the 228/242 stamps on the coils mean?  Do I need to find another key with "228" coils?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully there's a picture above, showing the coils stamped with "242".  The ones in my working key say "228".

If the picture doesn't post correctly, it's at:

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1EkjzjDvI8KJjSspjq6AgjXXa1.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

[plus 3 golfer]

My origiinal 2013 key has:  228 and 252 stamps and wife's is 216 and 216.  My guess the one from ebay is a "dud". ;)  :)   Time to contact seller. 

[smcguire]

Update... I just bought another aftermarket key from a different online vendor, and my local dealer couldn't program my car to recognize the new one either!!  :-(

 

I can't be the only person on this forum who wanted another key for my C-Max... has anyone else purchased an aftermarket key and made it work?

 

 

Part of me thinks I should try another dealer, but it cost me CAD $75 to have this one try...  but then again, a new key from Ford is gonna run me CAD $300 or so.

Opinions and suggestions are welcome.