How to program a vespa key(s)

The gist of it.

Well, it turns out to be a pretty simple process that doesn't involve any programming on your part. The electronics in the vespa headset does all the work for you. All you really have to do is some quick key switching maneuvers.

You will need your master (brown) key, and the blue keys to be programmed. Apparently you can program multiple blue keys in the same session, so if you do have multiple ones, have all of them ready. I only programmed one blue key, but the same process is repeated with multiple keys. If you need to get extra blue keys, here's a post on where I got mine.

The basic procedure:

1. Put your brown key into the ignition.
2. Turn it on and then off (within 3 seconds).
3. Put the blue key to be programmed in the ignition.
4. Turn it on and then off (also within 3 seconds).
5. If you have additional blue keys, repeat step 3 and 4 for the rest of those blue keys.
6. Finish off the programming by inserting the brown key again.
7. Turn it on and then off (within 3 seconds).

And that should do it for the programming! Now check to make sure all the keys can start your scooter. This worked for me on my first try, but if it doesn't you may want to make sure you're doing the whole procedure fast enough and not waiting too long in between the steps.

Oh, and any older blue keys that aren't reprogrammed when you program the new blue keys, will no longer work. Apparently each time the "programming" process occurs, the vespa starts new and forgets all the old keys. This shouldn't be a problem if you accidentally left out some older keys. Just repeat step 1 to 7 above, making sure to include all the blue keys you own, and they should all work again.

This fact actually comes as good news to me, because even though I was only given the one brown key when I bought my used vespa, I know that after "programming" my new blue key, none of the original blue keys will now work on my scooter. Only the keys I have now will work.