Remote key trouble

[petay_pan]

I have been having some problems with the remote locking/unlocking of my 52 Leon Cupra. The battery run out on the key fob (right before I had to go for a meeting as well - typical!) and now I can't seem to get it working consistently.

I have replaced the battery and made sure all the contacts inside the key are sticking out far enough and the remote worked... until the next day when it decided not to, opened the key up put it back together again and it worked again... went to the shops come back to the car tried to get in with hands full of shopping... you guessed it not working again!

I went to the Seat garage in P'boro that were about as useful as a chocolate tea pot and said "oo your key fobs had it £105.00 to replace and reprogramme... takes about 40minutes!" to which I took a big gulp!

Current status is the key doesn't work to unlock/lock the car, the little red light on the key doesn't even light up when you press the buttons.

Now am I missing something here? The key still works in the lock and starting the car but I can't be doing with having to get the car started within 15seconds of unlocking the doors with the key so the alarm doesn't go off an activate the immobilizer (which if i read correctly in the manual you need reset by using the remote keyfob?! really helpful).

Please help!

 

[kenboon]

I have been having some problems with the remote locking/unlocking of my 52 Leon Cupra. The battery run out on the key fob (right before I had to go for a meeting as well - typical!) and now I can't seem to get it working consistently.

I have replaced the battery and made sure all the contacts inside the key are sticking out far enough and the remote worked... until the next day when it decided not to, opened the key up put it back together again and it worked again... went to the shops come back to the car tried to get in with hands full of shopping... you guessed it not working again!

I went to the Seat garage in P'boro that were about as useful as a chocolate tea pot and said "oo your key fobs had it £105.00 to replace and reprogramme... takes about 40minutes!" to which I took a big gulp!

Current status is the key doesn't work to unlock/lock the car, the little red light on the key doesn't even light up when you press the buttons.

Now am I missing something here? The key still works in the lock and starting the car but I can't be doing with having to get the car started within 15seconds of unlocking the doors with the key so the alarm doesn't go off an activate the immobilizer (which if i read correctly in the manual you need reset by using the remote keyfob?! really helpful).

Please help!

From what you have said above, it does sound like your fobs knackered. I'v had simular problems the last few days, and its a pain in the arse unlocking the car then having to put the key in the ignition straight away before you can put anything in the boot ect. I'v swapped batteries now and mine is ok again (touch wood), but as you have already done that and you have no led, it does sound like its a fob problem rather that a fob car communication problem.

I think you can get the fobs cheaper than that though, might be worth doing a more extensive search on here or maybe even start a new thread, to see if you can get the price down on a new fob and i'm sure you can reprogram them yourself too.

Hope you get it sorted soon

Ken

 

[kenboon]

Just found this, it may be of some help to you should you need to reprogram a a new fob.

http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=123548&highlight=key+fob+reprogram

Ken

 

[petay_pan]

Thanks for the reply!

I had a poke about inside the key again and it's again working (touch wood as well!!) Bit of a pain though as you know!

I hope I can get them cheaper than that! Guy at the Seat garage said it takes about 40mins and has to have a technician present to program it or something, the actual key fob is like 30-40quid or there abouts.

I asked if I could have a nice flippy one but he said my Leon wouldn't work with it? Not that I'm looking to spend more money but just thought that was a bit odd.

Thanks for the reply I will be keeping an eye on this and hopefully I can get away without needing to get another fob.

pete

 

[MR T]

hi when you were at the seat garage didi they tell you how much the labour would cost for them to reprogramme the key as i need to get this done for my spare key cheers

 

[petay_pan]

if i remember right it was something stupid like £55 or there abouts for the reprogramming labour. guy said it was about 45minute job! I find this hard to believe though considering car jackers can grab a remote signal from the air and be inside you car within 5mintues!

Might be someone on here thats a bit handy with vag com could help though??

 

[petay_pan]

Update on this, the remote finally gave up on me so I had to ring the garage... rang a dealer in Cambridge they quoted £80 all in for remote and programming and vat. Rung local garage in Peterborough where I live and they wanted about £100. (key fob was the same price both times - £40).

I managed to barter the P'boro garage down to £80 so although still a rip for what was literally a 10minute job I'm just happy I can zap the doors again!

So in short ring around a few dealers and then if some turn out to be cheaper than your local tell them and see if you can get the price down because they know this is quite a common problem and it only takes them a few minutes to do!

 

[Muttley]

Every key for your car has a passive component, a transponder, that is read by the immobiliser system (part of the ECU) when you put the key in the ignition keyswitch. That's every key, including the "dumb" spare key that we all keep in a jar somewhere.

This is a vital part of the anti-theft system, an electronic key to go with the mechanical key profile cut into the metal. The transponders are "adapted" to the immobiliser using the VAG system tester/fault reader. This is the kit that VAG-com aims to replace for the DIY user, but I don't know if the key adaption functionality is available in VAG-com.

As far as I can tell, the key adaption process wipes the immobilisers memory so all keys have to be re-adapted every time. This is a security measure and means that a lost key is automatically disabled when you adapt its replacement. So it should not be possible to just add a key to the immobilisers memory. I assume the dealer had you bring in all your keys???

The key we all use most of the time has, in the fob, a separate, battery-powered, remote central locking/alarm transmitter. This only works the locks and the alarm. A new keyfob can be recognised by the alarm system by the process already published above.

If your keyfob fails, your key becomes "dumb" but can still be used, just like the spare in the jar.

You only had the keyfob fail. It should be possible to replace the fob, but they don't seem to be sold separately. You could buy a new key, swap the fob into your existing key, program the new fob into the alarm system and eliminate the need for the dealers labour. Or dig the immobiliser transponder out of your old key and stick it into the new key.

The dealer's labour charge is high partly because mechanics time is usually charged in one-hour (sometimes half-hour) units, and partly because it is an involved process that has to be got right for all the keys in one session.

 

[barrie_d]

I dropped my key the other day and it came apart, chip must have fell out and I didn't see it, remote still locks and unlocks the doors, engine won't start though, just been to the stealers and they quoted £200 for a new key and to programme it.

 

[Doey1978]

hi Ive been reading as much info as I can about key fobs as the other day I was washing / waxing my car with the keys in the ignition listning to the radio whilst getting the wax off and when I finished and took the keys out of the ignition I pressed the lock button and the light flashed but it didnt lock so I thought ok I need a new battery so I went to the shops got the same type battery and changed this but again the red led flashed but nothing happened so looked in the manual about reprogramming it followed the instructions and nothing happened so been looking on this forum and tried all the ways suggested by various people and sill no joy and im kinda stuck now. I have phoned the $tealer and they said its £47 to re programme or worst case £97 all in if I need a new remote, key cut ect ect so any other ideas would be really apreciated I have only owned the car a couple of months. leon cupra 2001. If not I will have to bite the bullet and take it to them as you all know its a pain in the backside when your hands are full trying to fiddlle about unocking the car scrathing the paint . I just think its weird how it suddenly stopped working.

 

[Doey1978]

I went to the dealer and needed a replacement key fob, with re programming it cost about £50 all done and working again

 

[18tnut]

Hi, all one of the buttons on my key fob stopped working completely now the car doesnt lock or unlock, i got a new button and had a electronics mate solder it on but the button was too big and still didnt work how much amd where would i be albe to get a new chip and a key with ship as i need a spare ???
Thanks in advance