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Can I program my own key??


pnifa1
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Hello all grin.gif

Well...Having just spent over £1,500 on parts with my local dealer, most of which were only bits of trim and plastic which should cost more like £100!! You would think they think I'm a good customer, yes??

Well.. No...I've just bought a second key for the 8, only cost £12 so I was very pleased... until it arrived uncut and apparantly in need of programming to my car!! I had thought as they took the chassis number it would turn up already done, naive me eh?! anyway I spent £2.50 to get it cut at the local locksmith, now stealer wants to charge me £42 to set it up on my car!! Bo**ocks I said, whatever happened to goodwill, you know, good customer, spend thousands, so 10 minute job free gratis eh?? No Sir...patronising shite and so forth, we'll have to charge you......... fekr.gif

So, long winded way to get to the point, can I do this myself, I already have VAG.com on shareware, but would happily pay the $99 to update to the full function if it will let me program the key, as I've really had it with letting Audi dealers anywhere near my car.

Its a 1995 No remote locking, just the immobiliser chip in the earlier style key, so if anyone can tell me how to do it, I'd appreciate it, the dealer assures me you need a code from Audi in Germany in order to do it, which could be true, but I tend not to believe a word they tell me.

Regards

Paul N

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Did a 50K car really come without remote locking, mine is a 4.2 Quattro 1995 on a N and has remote locking which is programmed to the electric seats.

when you say they only charged you £12 for the key is that the remote part as well or is yours just a key ie no thick black bit that takes 4 number 386 batteries which incidentaly are on a 3 for 2 offer at boots

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Whilst were on the subject of keys...

...the garage has found only one fault code on the car relating to the key; it says its weak! I presume that means the signal from the chip in the key is weak. Someone said that a new key was about £60 and to program it was another £80 if I need to change the key do I have to change the ignition barrel and will I end up with a key for the ignition and key for the rest of the car?

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The bloke who told me it was weak said changing the batteries wouldn't make a difference cos the ignition barrel was just reading the chip in the key and that the battery was only used for the remote locking/ unlocking of the car. Are you gonna tell me otherwise?

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When I was sold my car they only had one key for it. It is the old style key that has only one button, and does not fold.

Is there any way that I can get a new key and code this myself. Have been looking on E-Bay etc for keys. They seem to be the newer keys (flip style), and if you want to code them you need 2 keys. One for the ignition and one for the door.

Car is an 97 4.2 QS.

Does this mean that I will have to pay the £180 the stealer wants to do the job? Any help would be greatful.

Thanks.

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I've got a non folding key but its got three buttons on it? lock, unlock and boot release. (I only found out a few weeks ago that it had total closure fasilities on it, Doh!)

Have you got the same weak signal problem as mine if so why on Gods green earth does it cost £180?

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msey you have the same key as me, my remote locking didnt work when I bought my car but a new key fixed the problem, but Audi will have to programme it into the immobiliser for you (this involves getting a code from Germany). I dont think we can have the folding key as it uses a different system, some use ultrasonic some use radio waves.

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I do have the weak signal problem. Have replaced the batteries a couple of weeks ago, but no real change. You need to get within 2 3 feet, and at the correct angle and then it will decide to open. Otherwise stand 2 inches away and keep pressing until it opens, or get fed up and turn it in the lock.

Have not seen any of the one button key options on E-Bay, so I guess it will have to be a stealer option.

Found this on the AudiPages and this made me wonder if you can use the folding keys?

"Audi folding key and key fob. If you have a 1997 without the folding key, you can purchase one and program it to work with your car even though the dealer might tell you that it can't be done."

http://www.audipages.com/Tech_Articles/Body/remotecoding.html

Thanks again for all the advise......

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I think the US cars had the later style remote opening, it changed at 1997 so there is no real way to tell and I assumed mine had the earlier style. They chnged it because of the short range, which will still be short with a new key. make sure you point the key at the bubble at the bottom of the B pillar.

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I had a problem with one of my keys, the car would start then cut out, leave it for 1/2 an hour then try the other key and it would run fine.

My key is now in the drawer so we just use my wifes, bit of a pain having to actually press a button to set the drivers seat though fekr.gif

I daren't put new batteries in the broken key to see if it works as I don't trust it anymore, i'm worried it may lock up and not let any key make it run

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Why does it cost £180 squid? Same reason that the remote control PLIP on Rovers - that they bought as a complete CDL ECU and two PLIPs - for £6-50 costs £50 squid at the stealers for one PLIP admittedly that used to include the programming.

Part of the problem is that Thatcham use a specific basket of parts [say lighting, bumpers and such plus body panels]that get most damaged in accidents to establish the cost of repair and hence the insurance costs to you and me. Car manufaturers therefore try to make these as low a cost as they can for service (still pretty dear in many cases) so that the cost of ownership for fleets looks good. Same reason as why a part that cost circa £3-50 (speed transducer) cost around £40-00 quid in service!

Can't speak for VAG but I reckon they probably operate the same way - viz the profit margin is maintained but by different means. Note not all of the additional cost goes to the dealer BTW most gets passed back to the manufacturer via their spares division.

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