2004 9-3 Linear key won't start car

[Melody Pringle]

Hello to all, this forum is great. I need some help. When i usually start the car i put the transponder key in the key well, it clicks then i press the clutch and turn the key, the car starts. Yesterday i went to pick up my daughters at the park( i had a bottle of ice water) the key got a little wet but the car did the usual. Leaving i put the key in to start the car...no click, everything else turn on but the car would not start. It seemed that it would start, but didn't. Pls help? I have no clue where to begin to look for issues. We had to walk home.

[9-3 Aero]

Sorry to hear!

You have already begun looking for issues, by observing the "click" is gone, thus assuming that the transponder code is not read by the Ignition Switch Module (ISM) and accepted by the CIM.

It's not clear to me how the key was exposed to the water and how much, however is there a chip in it (in addition to the remote control card if so equipped) carrying the code. This chip is of course supposed to handle "a blow or two", and I don't know how "clean" the ice water was. The chip is not powered until the key is inserted.

Assuming you have no messages in the SID, like "Key not accepted" or "Incorrect key", is there another step to take for verifying whether the key transponder is approved when the key is inserted in the ISL, or not. When it is inserted and approved, the alarm LED should respond with 4 double flashes in a period of 3 seconds, does it?. This occurs as well when an approved key is removed. If the key / transponder code is not approved, the LED will not flash.

Is there any chance at all that the ISL was exposed to the water, or did it happen outside the car?