I've been quoted by Timpson's £100 approx for an additional door key which is not acceptable. However, I can purchase online a new key for £10 which requires the blade to be cut by a locksmith and for programming the function of Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) by myself.

Are there any significant problems of which I should be aware which may not make this option a viable alternative?

Timson's mentioned that whilst I can program the transponder myself, there is an issue associated with programming the remote  keyless ignition (RKI) but surely my existing car key does not have an RKI function since, with the keys blade in the ignition switch and with the key's battery removed, the engine will still start.

Your comments would be most appreciated. 

price sounds common/usual. have you only got one working key?  if so, you can not program the transponder chip on a new key without additional equipment.

If you have two working keys then you can program a third from the car without additional equipment.

The additional equipment that some people use is a OBD socket code reader (a good one, not the absolute cheapest ones), a Windows laptop computer. Forscan software loaded on the laptop (free download). The extended licence for Forscan (also free).

Removing the battery from the key has nothing to do with the transponder chip, the transponder chip does not use the battery at all. 

You can get a key cut on ebay from a photo (I have done this and key was perfect fit).  Keys and transponder chips on ebay - be careful - there are various different transponder chips and you need the right one for your car model/year.

 

....... the remote buttons on the key (for locking/unlocking doors) do work from the silver coin battery. these can easily be programmed without additional equipment. This programming is totally separate from the transponder chip.   There is often confusing over these two totally separate different key programming operations.

Thank you very much for taking the time to send me this information. Unfortunately I no longer have a laptop, only a PC which I built myself, so already the task I've set myself looks fairly daunting.

 Can you please assist me with one further query which concerns the types of keys I have for the Fiesta in question (1.25 litre Petrol Edge Hatchback) which was first registered in 2010. I have 2 keys, one with blade, buttons and battery, the other with just a blade which has a plastic moulding which is empty inside. Surely even a Ford car with a low specification such as Edge, will have been supplied originally with two fully functioning keys, not just one which means that the previous owner probably lost one original key and replaced it with a low cost alternative - just my luck for not having noticed that!  . 

I don't know about in 2010 but my previous fiesta was 2007 zetec model. at that time you got one key with the buttons on and one plain key with no buttons. Ford listed it as an optional extra to have a 2nd key with the buttons on. Or you got the 2nd key with buttons on included as part of the optional ' Technology pack'. I did think this was a bit mean of ford.

But, your key "blade which has a plastic moulding which is empty inside".  can you start the car engine with this key?

 

11 hours ago, isetta said:

I don't know about in 2010 but my previous fiesta was 2007 zetec model. at that time you got one key with the buttons on and one plain key with no buttons. Ford listed it as an optional extra to have a 2nd key with the buttons on. Or you got the 2nd key with buttons on included as part of the optional ' Technology pack'. I did think this was a bit mean of ford.

But, your key "blade which has a plastic moulding which is empty inside".  can you start the car engine with this key?

 

Probably just a key to gain access inside the car and a blade reference for a lost coded single key.