Just a quick update, still no joy :S not managed to get the SKC code. I'm wondering now if I have a better idea of what is wrong. When this happened the light on the dash flashed, i cleaned the coil reader contacts and that went away. I still get engine start blocked by immobiliser but no flashing light. If i disconnect the coil reader I get the flashing light back again. I can assume from this that the coil is working. I'm wondering if A the key has become decoded from the car? or B if its the instrument cluster that needs replacing. Any ideas on how I can tell or how hard it is to get a new (second hand) instrument cluster installed?