chris1roll Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 Hi everyone, I bought a 1995 A8 4.2Q with 100k miles last month for the princely sum of £1475. Most I have ever spent on a car! I had to spend a weekend glueing various bits of interior trim back on, luckily it was all in the boot, so some judicious use of gripfill and the interior is looking as good as new, aside from the snapped off front armrests. I reckon the previous owners must have had hams for hands...also a picture emerging - several half smoked ciggarettes under the seats, a pack of rizlas and a little plastic bag Anyway, the car came with 4 keys. None will fit in the passenger lock more than a few mm - I'm reckoning a previous break in attempt. There are three generic keys cut from blanks, 2 of which will fit the door lock, but not the ignition, and one which will fit both the door and the ignition but not start it due to the immobiliser. The fourth key is a proper audi one, which looks identical to the keys we had for a 1982 100 (the one with a the 0.30 coefficient of drag written on the side windows!) years ago. This does not fit the doors but is the only key which will start the car. Also, the drivers door lock is very very stiff, so much so that one of the keys is twisted. According to the owners manual my 1995 model would have had the IR remote locking, the keys for this are evidently long gone, if it was ever fitted, however due to the likelihood of ending up with a key snapped in the lock fairly shortly I would like to get some form of remote locking fitted. I would also like to have more than one key that can start the car. I have no qualms about circumventing/disabling the immobiliser if possible, so any generic key will start the car, but from what I have read the immob seems very complicated. I've been looking at this: Central Locking Kit Remote Keyless CLR60W-PLUS on eBay, also Car Alarms Immobilisers, Security Electrical, Car Accessories, Vehicle Parts Accessories (end time 28-Jun-09 13:26:51 BST) my thinking being that on the drivers door lock there must be a switch that is activated when locking/unlocking the car, which triggers the pneumatic pump, and I could use the output from that system to do that instead. Does anyone know if there is any reason why the cars electronics might make that impossible?? Any pointers for getting the door trim off in one piece? I can't imagine the walnut inlays are very cheap if they snap! If that will work, then that leaves the immobiliser issue. My thinking for the cheapest option, and it is a bit of a bodge, is to get some more generic blanks cut from the key that fits everything, then take the proper audi key, and the immobiliser energizer ring and tape them together out of the way under the dash somewhere... That way any key I get cut will work, and will only cost me a fiver rather than £120+ each. (There are four of us who are using the car on occasion) That also means we would only need one key each. As I say I don't care about effectively not having an immobiliser as long as I can drive the car! Unless anyone can think of another option? Must be cheap!! Other than that the 4 speed gearbox shunts occasionally, but that seems to be getting better with driving, I may treat it to a fluid and filter change after the MOT in September, and the stupid brake pad warning light comes on intermittently despite the pads being new. I'm loath to pull the dash to ground it out as at the moment everything else works, and in my previous experience, if 15yr old wiring is still working, leave it alone! Loving the power and the sound of the V8 (averaging 21mpg atm ) and the comfort! Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 For the central locking, you don't need one with the pumps, something like UNIVERSAL REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING UPGRADE KEYLESS ENTRY on eBay, also Other Security Electrical, Security Electrical, Car Accessories, Vehicle Parts Accessories (end time 18-Jul-09 20:30:00 BST) should do. I had one a couple of years ago fitted to an old Audi 80 which came with two flip keys and I had the keys cut to the car so one key did the ignition and unlocked the doors etc. Taping up the immobiliser fob with the reader coil is your cheapest option but not exactly elegant. I could code new keys for you properly if you had them cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A8_Tony Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Chris, welcome to the forum, and '8 ownership. You'll find a vast amount of information here, and with people like Shark_90 here you'll find that technical expertise is second to none here. Check out the forum, and have a good look around.....and don't forget the only club that caters for A8 Owners......A8OC :D You may find that with your slightly older '8 you'll benefit from some of the club specific discounts that are on offer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1roll Posted June 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 (edited) For the central locking, you don't need one with the pumps, something like UNIVERSAL REMOTE CENTRAL LOCKING UPGRADE KEYLESS ENTRY on eBay, also Other Security Electrical, Security Electrical, Car Accessories, Vehicle Parts Accessories (end time 18-Jul-09 20:30:00 BST) should do. I had one a couple of years ago fitted to an old Audi 80 which came with two flip keys and I had the keys cut to the car so one key did the ignition and unlocked the doors etc. I found that one just after posting, that should do the job. I was going to flog the solenoids or keep them for something else before I found you could buy the kit without them. Taping up the immobiliser fob with the reader coil is your cheapest option but not exactly elegant. I could code new keys for you properly if you had them cut. Ok sounds good, so how much would you want to do that? Is it possible to get the chips out of the proper keys (or get the chips on their own?) and put them in the flip keys as suggested in the e-bay ad? The key that I have doesn't appear to be open-able, there is what looks to be a small insert in the top edge, but i'm loath to mess with the only key that works at the moment! Edited June 20, 2009 by chris1roll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1roll Posted June 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Chris, welcome to the forum, and '8 ownership. You'll find a vast amount of information here, and with people like Shark_90 here you'll find that technical expertise is second to none here. Check out the forum, and have a good look around.....and don't forget the only club that caters for A8 Owners......A8OC :D You may find that with your slightly older '8 you'll benefit from some of the club specific discounts that are on offer Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A8_Tony Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 You coming along to Gti International fella? Would be good to meet up, and you'll meet some of the other '8 nutters there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1roll Posted June 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 I might struggle with that this year, my first born is just 4 weeks old on Tuesday! Cheers for asking though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 Is it possible to get the chips out of the proper keys (or get the chips on their own?) and put them in the flip keys as suggested in the e-bay ad? The key that I have doesn't appear to be open-able, there is what looks to be a small insert in the top edge, but i'm loath to mess with the only key that works at the moment! I wouldn't if I were you! It depends which type of chips your car uses but generally you can buy the chips seperately. I'll do some digging around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 I think I've found the chips that your car uses.. they're only a few quid each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IT_S8 Posted June 21, 2009 Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 Hi everyone,I bought a 1995 A8 4.2Q with 100k miles last month for the princely sum of £1475. According to the owners manual my 1995 model would have had the IR remote locking, the keys for this are evidently long gone, if it was ever fitted, however due to the likelihood of ending up with a key snapped in the lock fairly shortly I would like to get some form of remote locking fitted. I would also like to have more than one key that can start the car. Not a bad price, and the 42 is the one to go for. In 1995 infra red central locking was an option. If the car ever had it, then there are two small IR receivers at the bottom of the external B pillar trims. If you have completely smooth external trims, then it never had it.... In 1997 radio wave central locking became standard. Also upto 1997, every car was pre wired for everything, irrespective of the options fitted, so although I've not checked, retro-fitting the factory infrared kit might not be as hard as it first seems. You could source an entire infra-red lock set inc keys, locks, ignitional barrels and external B pillar trims and it *might* all slot into place. The early 1995 immobilisers are easy enough to recode keys into, so getting keys from a donor car to start your car shouldnt be that hard. Shark should be able to sort that out. We *might* have a full infra red lock set available, as I distinctly recall at least 2 early I/R cars being dismantled, so if this options of interest drop us an email and we'll dig through our lock-stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1roll Posted June 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2009 (edited) Wow, everyone is being so helpful Looks as if it never had iremote locking then, my B pillars are totally smooth...Odd really, the car is specced right up to the hilt in every other respect, but you need to use a key to unlock it! I've already ordered a remote set from e-bay, so i'll see if I can get that working first, if not, or if it is not of the utmost quality (never can tell with e-bay!) Then I will give you a shout. It now looks as though i need to do the immob wire repair too, after my wife driving it - seat up, wheel quite far towards her - then me driving, seat back, wheel right in and up - it took two attempts to start it. At least that looks easy. Cheers, Chris. Edited June 21, 2009 by chris1roll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1roll Posted June 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 (edited) Well, the remote set arrived from e-bay, actually pretty good quality for £27! The manual had lost something (well, ok, everything!) in translation so it required a bit of guesswork. On pulling the side trim out to get to the vacuum pump i found a VAG transponder unit that must have been retrofitted by the supplying dealer - it had a date on of 11/94 and the wires were spliced on by twisting and covered with insulation tape . So all that came out as well, and after a couple of hours of head scratching, then vainly searching the net for a diagram for the car, I got reckless and randomly applied voltage/ground to the wires till i found ones that worked. At one point I thought I had gnarlsed it up completely when I went to start the car and it wouldn't even turn over and the hazards were flashing. Panic ensued until I realised I had locked the car then tried starting it. Unlocking it solved the problem. So now I have two remote blippers that lock and unlock the car, and also trigger the total closure function, (i'm rather chuffed with that!) and it flashes the hazards when doing so. It also has an output for the siren, but the little horn in there appears to be dead. I might get a siren of some sort. I got the two key blanks cut locally for £7.20 for the pair. Final job then is subverting/appeasing/fixing the immobiliser, I started to take the cowling off but have decided its a job for tomorrow as the wheel has to come off, and i'm off out in a minute. It would appear however, that someone has already done the repair once, there is the new repair cable as per the audipages instructions going into the multiplug on the immob unit, and the ends of the originals hanging next to it... I'll post up my wiring diagrams for the central locking in case anyone else may find it usefull. Chris Edited June 24, 2009 by chris1roll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted June 24, 2009 Report Share Posted June 24, 2009 Good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1roll Posted June 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Hmm, well, circumventing the immobiliser even temporarily isn't as easy as I hoped - I had all the cowling off and removed the ignition barrel from the steering lock, but it seems you can't get the energizer ring off of the ignition barrel without risking breaking it? The replacement of the immobiliser wire has already been carried out, (whoever did it also managed to snap off some of the screwholes on the lower dash ) and I can't see any kinks in the new wire, so stuck a bit of contact cleaner on the multiplugs. Still, at least getting all the wheel and everything off is only a 15 minute job so if it plays up again its not so bad, my only concern is if the reader coil is failing it looks like a complete new barrel, and therefore presumably new keys again. @ Shark - Whereabouts are you? and how much would you want to supply (or point me in the right direction of) and code up two new chips to go in my new keys? (providing you aren't too far north or east!) You can PM me if you would prefer not to discuss money in public Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 Many of them cannot be removed without drilling etc.. nightmare job and easy to break. Will send you a PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris1roll Posted August 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 Ok, so its been a little while (don't ask....) but I did say I would put up some instructions for the central locking. Maybe someone might find it useful. My car is a 1995 model. yours may be different - check first. If you fry your wiring its your own lookout. The kit that I bought was this one, a right click KE60B plus: Remote Keyless Entry for car central lock KE60B-PLUS on eBay (end time 16-Jul-09 15:18:57 BST) The quality actually pleasantly surprised me for the money, however the instructions that come with it are, well, rubbish. you get a little booklet that has a wiring diagram in it that tells you what half the wires do, and then the other half says "central locking assorted wires":rolleyes: There are, thankfully much better diagrams on the rightclick website. Also, the instructions stated that the A8 was a type E system, electrically operated vacuum, single wire reverses polarity to lock and unlock. This I found not to be the case, the wiring is in fact type B, negative triggered. one wire pulses to ground to lock, another pulses to ground to unlock. Once I had worked that out, (good old multimeter) things were a bit easier. So within your box of tricks will be two relays, one which is energised when you press the lock button, and the other is energised when you press the unlock button. They both have three connections available to you, one normally closed terminal, one normally open terminal, and one common. As I have said, the A8 pulses two separate wires to ground for locking/unlocking. 1)Connect the the Normally Open wires from both relays to ground. Tape up both the Normally closed wires, do not use them. 2)From the locking relay, take the common wire, and connect it to the Brown/Yellow wire going into the black plug on the vacuum pump. 3)From the Unlock relay, connect the common wire to the Brown/Red wire going into the black plug on the vacuum pump. 4)If your kit does the window roll up function, connect this wire to the Purple/Black wire going into the brown plug on the vacuum pump. 5)Getting it to flash the indicators was dead easy, take the output wires from your kit, and run a wire to each of the rear lamp clusters. If you take the bulb holders out, you will see there are a lot of spare terminals, (presumably for towbar wiring) with a spade connector connect to the outermost spare terminal. 6) connect up your live (via a fuse) and ground, and give it a try. Hmm, that sounds really easy, why did it take me all day! Of course now I know which wires are which. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffdog Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I think I've found the chips that your car uses.. they're only a few quid each. Hi, did you find source for immobilizer 1 chips, and can you program them i'm looking at doing the remote locking upgrade with folding key fobs. regards Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now