(not so) Remote Locking

[TriggerFish]

Hi all,

My Polo has its first fault over the two+ years I've owned it!

My remote locking doesn't work any more, but I can still use the key in the lock to do it.

A friend and I were coming back from uni, and when I got in the car it worked fine. I then dropped him off at his car (Golf) and went to set off home. When I got home it didn't lock. I've tried it with a new battery, and removing the battery from the car to reset the ECUs etc. Still nothing.

What is odd, is when my friend unlocked his Golf I'm sure I heard an alarm chirp, as if the car was being unlocked, my car was idling next to his at the time. Is it possible that somehow unlocking his broke mine? I'll try seeing if my key works on his car or vice versa now, but I doubt it.

Anyone else got any ideas? VAGCOM doesn't give any fault codes (other than lambda sensor heating) and I doubt it's got its own fuse. I would try and rematch the key, but I've only got one so can't complete the procedure.

Hoping this won't be the first time I've had to spend money fixing it!

Thanks for any help!
Joe

[Ben90]

The key battery may be flat. There should be a little light on the fob that would usually flash as you pressed the button. Does it light up, and if so, brightly?

His alarm chirp is an adaptation through vagcom to ensure the driver that the car is locked, it's purely audible.

Hope this helps!

[TriggerFish]

Cheers Ben,

I got a brand new battery fitted earlier from uni - still nothing. The light flashed using the old one anyway and it never showed signs of getting worse/less range.

I have the alarm chirp on (keep meaning to turn it off though!), but his Golf doesn't any more, which is why I was wondering if somehow his car had managed to interact with mine in some way when he unlocked it? Seems pretty odd though (although the bleep could have been my imagination!).

Do you know offhand if VAGCOM can be used to check the number of registered remote keys on the car? I know it can physical ignition ones, but not sure how it works with remote ones. Could just be the pairing is lost, but I don't know how to check this. The key still starts/drives the car, so no worries in that respect (do get a random 'start blocked by immobiliser once every few months though, but it's not done it that recently).

Cheers!
Joe

[Verity]

Might be worth checking the central locking pump?!?
One day my friends fob stopped working. She can use her key to imboblise the car, but has to actually lock it using the key in the barrel.
We checked out her central locking pump and it was all blue inside and burnt out.

[TriggerFish]

Hmmm, not thought of the pump. The central bit of the locking system works (i.e., the boot/passengers door locks too) but it has sounded sick for a while. Got a friend with a Cordoba I might see if I can swap with. If not, a scrap yard job I guess!

[TriggerFish]

Ok, to update this.

Was at uni earlier and was with my friend with the Golf (post 1) when we walked past my car. I asked if he could try and unlock it - just to put my mind at rest. Guess what, it worked! His key fob can now control my car, but mine can't! His still also works with his car, but mine doesn't!

On the bright side, the system still works. On the negative - WTF happened?! Am going to go to VW on the way home later, see what they've got to say about it!

[P mk4]

Iv got the same problem went and just bought a gti and the fob does not work but when I look the car via the key everything locks properly. The person I bought the car said he removed the alarm as when you open the car the hazard lights flash for 10 seconds or so. I did have a spare fob and that does not work either. Is this a Vw garage job or anything I can do to tackle it myself ?

[TriggerFish]

Can test if the alarm was removed - it you unlock it, but don't start it, does it sound the siren? Mine gives me 20/30seconds to start it before the alarm goes off.

If you've got VAGCOM you should be able to do it yourself (I'ma try mine later), but otherwise I think you'll need to go to a garage (most VAG indies will help) - but it's worth trying this first:

Procedure For Matching Remote Key Fobs To The Car:

Using a spare key switch the ignition on.
Insert the key to be programmed into the driver’s door lock.
Manually lock the driver’s door using the key.
Press the Lock or Unlock button on the fob once.
Wait for a least one second.
Press the Lock or Unlock button on the fob twice.
The vehicle horn will sound to indicate correct programming.

http://www.fabia-vrs.com/technical-info/key-coding/

[P mk4]

A friend of mine does have vagcom and nothing came up apart from lambda sensor hmmm I think it's been unplugged any idea were it is in the engine bay ? I will have to investigate over the weekend and try to reset the fob

Thanks for the help

[TriggerFish]

No, mine doesn't give a fault code either, just doesn't work.

See if you and your mate can try this if the other one doesn't work (It's what I'll need to do I think). http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/cars/v ... ching.html

No idea where it lives - I think some of it sounds as though it's coming from the rear quarter panel on the drivers side. I know the pump is there, but think a back-up siren might be too?

[rover220]

the alarm siren is under the scuttle panel on the drivers side, remove the rubber strip, then gently prise the scuttle panel up and you can see the siren and whether its connected.

normally, if they are disconnected vagcom picks up a fault as it tests the horn sirens connectivity.

[TriggerFish]

Hmmm, tried coding the key again and it's still not working. Very strange this. Not fancying the idea of going to VW with it either! While I like their advice, I don't like their labour charges!

Any ideas anyone?

[rover220]

Vw charged me 35 quid tO code a key. I tried with vagcom but failed and vw struggled too, they ended up pluging the car into vw in Germany and it was coded remotely.

[TriggerFish]

Just done it again and it's working - I missed the step to delete the old keys off the system.

£35 isn't too bad tbh. Pretty cool they can manipulate the car remotely though!

Hope this helps someone in future!

The bit I missed was this:

In some cases, it may be necessary to clear out existing matched remotes using the following procedure:

[Select]

[46 - Cent. Conv.] or [35 - Cent. Locking] (whichever is applicable to the car, as found here)

[Adaptation - 10]

Enter channel "00"

[Read]

[Save]

When the prompt asks if you are sure you want to save a value of 0 to Channel 00, click [Yes]

After doing so, no remotes will be matched. You'll need to follow the appropriate above procedure to match all of the remotes.

[neilGTI]

I was having problems with my key fob so bought a new battery from VW and when i took it apart, there were two slim batteries in there and the battery i had got from VW was just one bigger battery, it worked for about a week until i had to go back to using the key. Bought two more of the slim batteries and its fine again now. Looks like VW had just sold me the wrong type of battery