Ghost II or Ghost III?

What Ghost adds beyond your keys

Your factory key or keyless fob tells the car that the right key is present. Ghost adds a separate step: the driver must authorise before the car will drive. Having the key is not enough on its own.

On Ghost III, there are three ways to authorise: a PIN sequence entered on buttons already in the car, a tag, or a phone. Which of these you use depends on how the system is configured at fitting. If a phone or tag is set up, everyday driving does not have to mean entering a PIN each time.

CAN and CAN-FD in plain terms

A modern car contains many control units for the engine, gearbox, locks, lights and more. They share information over in-car data networks. CAN has been the common standard for years. CAN-FD is a newer, faster version that can carry more data in each message, and some newer vehicles use it.

A Ghost unit has to work with the network your car uses for the functions it relies on. According to Autowatch, Ghost II was designed around a single CAN platform and does not support CAN-FD. Ghost III moves to a new dual CAN platform that handles both CAN-FD and legacy CAN. Depending on the vehicle, a Ghost III fitting can also use LIN and, where required, analogue immobilisation. This means Ghost III can be considered for a wider range of networks. It does not mean Ghost III suits every car.

Ghost II and Ghost III compared

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Why the exact variant matters more than the year

A car's age is a clue, not a rule. Networks and electrical features vary between manufacturers, between models and between variants of the same model. Two cars with the same badge can differ in powertrain, transmission, trim and factory options. Those differences can change how an immobiliser connects and which features it can work alongside. Autowatch's Ghost III guidance says compatibility is verified by make, model and year for the specific vehicle.

What settles it: support is confirmed against the exact make, model, variant and year, so the same model name can get a different answer across trims or model years. A check of your car confirms whether Ghost III fits and which of its features work with it.

Remote heating and cooling

Autowatch states that Ghost III generally supports factory remote heating and cooling, so pre-conditioning the cabin from the manufacturer's app or key can generally carry on after fitting. Name the exact feature you use, for example app pre-heating, when you enquire, and it will be checked against your car.

Apply this to your situation

If you have a newer car with app pre-heating

A recent car does not automatically mean Ghost III is the answer. Share the exact variant first and get answers to two questions: is Ghost III supported on this car, and will remote climate keep working? If you rely on pre-heating every day, the second answer matters as much as the first.

If you have a working Ghost II and are keeping the car

The fact that Ghost III now exists is not, on its own, a reason to replace a working unit. A more useful step is making sure you understand your current setup, including what to tell a garage when the car goes in.

If you are changing cars

The new car needs its own compatibility check. Ghost II does not support CAN FD, so if the relevant network on the new car is CAN FD, Ghost III is the model to check for. Also ask what happens to the system on the car you are selling, so the next owner is not left with a system they do not know how to use.

If Ghost II is already fitted

Autowatch says Ghost II is no longer produced and that a working installation does not automatically need upgrading. Ghost II going out of production is not, by itself, a reason to remove it.

Keeping it is reasonable when:

• it works reliably and suits your car
• you are keeping the same vehicle
• you are comfortable with how you authorise day to day

It is worth reviewing when:

• you are changing to a different vehicle
• the unit is not behaving as it should, in which case it needs looking at
• you rely on a particular factory feature and want to know how a current-model fitting would work with it

What to gather, and what a confirmation should settle

Have these details ready before you make an enquiry:

• make, model, model year and registration
• VIN, if the installer asks for it to check fit
• fuel or powertrain type, and transmission
• trim or variant name
• whether the car has keyless entry or keyless start
• any factory remote features you use, such as app climate control
• any aftermarket electrics already fitted
• whether a Ghost is already fitted, and if so, which model

A professional confirmation should then settle:

• Fit: whether Ghost III is supported on your exact vehicle
• Authorisation: which methods will be enabled for your drivers
• Factory features: which features you rely on will keep working, and any that will not
• Quote: an itemised quote for that specific vehicle
• Handover: a demonstrated handover covering each enabled method, service and valet mode, and the emergency code

OJB provides a quote for Ghost III after checking the exact vehicle.

Questions for the handover

Autowatch says a trained installer should brief you on your authorisation sequence, service and valet modes, and your emergency code. Use the handover to get clear answers to these questions:

• How will I authorise each time, and what do I do if my phone or tag is not with me?
• When should I use service mode or valet mode, and how?
• Where should I keep my emergency code, and when would I need it?
• Can my PIN sequence be changed later?
• Which factory features were confirmed working after fitting?

At collection, the installer briefs you on the authorisation methods set up on your car, demonstrates service and valet mode, and gives you the emergency code with its documentation. Keep those documents somewhere separate from the car and its keys.