Damn Keys!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[untchablecs]

I've had my 2007 GTI since late October and about two months ago the key fob i was using died (first stopped unlocking then stopped locking too a few days later). So I started using the second key fob and now the same thing happened!!!! How the hell can two key fobs die within 4 months of having the car? Those things should last for years. My previoius car I had for 5 years and never replaced the batery in the key fob. Is VW using old batteries or something? My 5k service is coming up next week so I'll just take them in then but its just really annoying.

 

[Kurupt]

sounds like a bad batch

 

[mvhswr85ua]

Yea..those things are neat but expensive to replace.

My girlfriend broke her original VW key to her Jetta and to replace it, the cost was close to $200.

 

[clutch fool]

i know, it sucks. its the battery. ive had my car since september and already had to replace the batteries at radio shack. before the mkv i had a jeep for like 4 or 5 years and dont ever remember having to buy batteries for the remote.

 

[TAK07GTI]

I ordered my car in october and got it in november. About day 5 of ownership my keyfob quit working. Took it back to the dealer and they changed the battery and reprogrammed both fobs and the valet key. Problem solved . . . . till about 5 days later. After a slightly heated phone call to the dealer which is about 45 minutes from my house and 20 minutes from work, they just ordered a new fob and replaced the faulty one. No problems since. But running back and forth was a bitch for something so stupid. Good luck!

 

[Boonedock82]

I have had this happen to me a couple times and I have made a couple posts about it. Here goes again ok so there is a security system built into the keys them selfs. What happens is that if you accidentally push the lock or unlock button a certain number of times, I think it between 5 and 10, the unlock stops working and same applies for the lock button. The reason behind this, if you happen to lose you car keys someone can't just walk around and hit the unlock lock buttons over and over to find your car. Both times this happened to me I had my cell phone in the same pocket as my keys and I assume that the phone must have accidentally hit the buttons.

Ok so to reset the keys, you don't need to go to the dealer, you don't need a new battery (normally what the dealer tells you). What you can do is 1 disassemble the key and remove the battery for a couple seconds and the put the same battery back and put the key backtogeather (this can be hard because the keys are a pain in the arse to get appart search for how to do this there is a diy somewhere out there) or 2 try the re sync procedure now I have never done this because I just dissasemble the key clean it and reasemble the key and it is reset and working fine. A n y ways to re sync the key I am pretty sure the procedure goes like this. Unlock your car with the key, and start the engine with in one minute this should re sync the key from what I have read. Hope this helps.

 

[Hkysk8r07]

my dealer told me they'd replace the batteries for free.

heh when i went to test drive a MKV at one dealership the key was already dead :laugh:

 

[vernsan]

If you go to the dealer they'll replace it for free, mine did when it happened to me. Exact same thing you're dealing with. They check the voltage and will reset the programming just for you too.

 

[vantage]

Somehow it seems American cars have better keyfobs eventhough they look like ass. The one for my 03 mustang lasted 3 years without a battery replacement, my 06 stang also lasted for the time i had it and both cars had great range. My moms 2000 jetta had crap range and my buddys TDI has the shitiest range ever, you pretty much have to be standing in front of the car for it to work.

 

[untchablecs]

I have had this happen to me a couple times and I have made a couple posts about it. Here goes again ok so there is a security system built into the keys them selfs. What happens is that if you accidentally push the lock or unlock button a certain number of times, I think it between 5 and 10, the unlock stops working and same applies for the lock button. The reason behind this, if you happen to lose you car keys someone can't just walk around and hit the unlock lock buttons over and over to find your car. Both times this happened to me I had my cell phone in the same pocket as my keys and I assume that the phone must have accidentally hit the buttons.

Ok so to reset the keys, you don't need to go to the dealer, you don't need a new battery (normally what the dealer tells you). What you can do is 1 disassemble the key and remove the battery for a couple seconds and the put the same battery back and put the key backtogeather (this can be hard because the keys are a pain in the arse to get appart search for how to do this there is a diy somewhere out there) or 2 try the re sync procedure now I have never done this because I just dissasemble the key clean it and reasemble the key and it is reset and working fine. A n y ways to re sync the key I am pretty sure the procedure goes like this. Unlock your car with the key, and start the engine with in one minute this should re sync the key from what I have read. Hope this helps.

I'll try your method #2 at lunch today and see what happens. But I don't see how my key stopped working because I haven't pushed it 5 times in a row for it to disable. I'll go out and try it and report back to let you all know if this method worked for me. If it doesn't VW is getting two keys next week when i get my 5k service.

 

[alf]

warranty coverrs your keyfob as well.

 

[untchablecs]

Ok. So I just went out to my car...inserted the key into the door and manually unlocked the car then immediately started the car......then I shut the car off...got out and locked the car via remote. Key works now. So I guess that method does work. Weird.

 

[SoNgMaN]

i had a fob replaced last week. unlock button wasn't working at all. warranty work

 

[untchablecs]

Ok. So I just went out to my car...inserted the key into the door and manually unlocked the car then immediately started the car......then I shut the car off...got out and locked the car via remote. Key works now. So I guess that method does work. Weird.

So I just went back out to my car and the key fob doesn't work AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!

VW is getting both of my keys next week when I take my car in for service.

 

[tjacopi]

I have a similar problem with my 07 too. The fob seems to occasionally loose its connection with the car. I re-sync it and sometimes it works, sometimes not. Stupid fob.