A 2011 Vauxhall Corsa D on a Nottingham driveway, one working remote, owner wanted a second so the day-to-day wasn't riding on a single key. We attended on site, cut the new blade to match the existing key, programmed the transponder, and paired the remote the same visit.
The call
Older Corsas are a staple of our diary. The Corsa D generation is still a huge share of Nottingham's first-car and second-car fleet, and owners usually only think about a spare when the original is damaged, fragile, or showing its age after a decade of daily use. This owner was ahead of the curve - asking for a spare before the original failed, not after.
Because the original key was still working, this was an add-key job rather than an AKL. That keeps the programming short: the existing transponder authenticates the session, the new transponder is written into the immobiliser's approved list, and the original key carries on working exactly as it did before.
How we programmed the key
First job was cutting the new blade. With the original key to hand, we didn't need to decode the lock - we measured the cuts off the customer's working key and cut the new blade to match on the van. On a 2011 Corsa the lock wafers have seen enough use that a cut-to-existing-key blade usually turns cleaner than one worked from a factory database code.
Programming ran on the Autel via OBD. The original key stayed in the starter position to authenticate the session; the new transponder paired with the immobiliser on the first attempt; the remote buttons bound to central locking and boot release at the same time.
Tested on every door and an ignition start before pack-down.
Outcome
A second working remote in the customer's hand. The original key still live, so they now have a real spare rather than a single point of failure. No Vauxhall dealer visit, no car booked in for a week.
Want a spare remote for your Corsa, Astra, Insignia, or any other Vauxhall without a dealer trip? We come to you - Nottingham and the East Midlands, on-site. Year, model, and the original key ready, and we'll bring a blank and the programming tool to the driveway.
Published: 20th March, 2026 | Updated: 22nd April, 2026