Magic spare key

[Jop]

Here is my question.... How on earth does the spare/emergency key work???

OK, i know that you clip the plastic key blade into the holder and stick it in the key socket. but how does this deactivate the immobilizer ? they are just two pieces of plastic.

The handbook also tells you that the spare key holder has a home in the glovebox, so surely there is no clever wizardry in that part, and the key bit is just too small to house electronic's.

So... How does it work????

2 beer's to the person with the answer that sounds the most plausible.

[adamss24]

On the older models, even the spare/emergency plastic key has a transponder inside. Thats how it deactivates the immobiliser....Dont know wich model/car you have though !

[Plife]

On the older models, even the spare/emergency plastic key has a transponder inside. Thats how it deactivates the immobiliser....Dont know wich model/car you have though !
There might be a hint in the signature :)

[mkc]

I thought this was just to allow you access to the car should your key go flat.Not to drive away
same key is used to lock the split reasr folding seats

[Jop]

There might be a hint in the signature :)
that.... and the fact im in the "B8 Forum - 2008 - 2008- Audi A4" forum :)


I thought this was just to allow you access to the car should your key go flat.Not to drive away
same key is used to lock the split reasr folding seats
Nope.. clip them together and your car will start.
adamss24 may be onto something, but where would they fit the transponder??

[smokey0123]

Can we have a picture?

[adamss24]

The widely available transponders are as small as a grain of wheat or rice. Thats the 4 quid comercially available to buy by Joe Public, just think about how small are these they inject to the people here and in the USA !?! The MATRIX is here ...

[awtaylor]

I thought this was just to allow you access to the car should your key go flat.Not to drive away
same key is used to lock the split reasr folding seats

That is precisely how it was explained to me upon handover.

[mkc]

OK, here is what just happened. I took the key out of the key fob to open the door. Leaving home lights came on, hand break lights on the dash and on the electric switch came on as normal. Got into the car.

Then, I opened the glove box to retreive my black plastic key thing and the alarm went off. Not sue if that is because I opened the glove box or the sensors felt me in the car.

Crapped my self and then switched the alarm off with the key fob (minus the key).

Put the black plastic key fob into its slot on the dash and nothing happened. Lots of clicking but car would not start. I cant imagine Audi would leave a transponder in the car that would start it.
So, how do you start the car when you just have the key? I dont think you do, its for getting into the car and into the locked split seats.

You cannot put the key into the black plastic fob to make another key as far as I could tell. Just no physical way I could clip them together. The black fob just as a hole in it and its that bit that goes into the car first I think. So either Im missing something or you cannot drive away. Plus the alarm went off so even if you were in the car after opening the door with just the ky bit how could you switch the alarm off if the battery had gone in the fob!?

[mkc]

ok scrub all that above. Ive done something i very rarey do, read the manual.

page 39 shows a spare key. its this thats go into the black fob in the glovebox. I dont have the emergency key. Either Audi or the lease company kept it and did not pass it on to me.

Ill get back to the football and my scrumpy:beerchug:

[kodkod.84]

The B7 A4 had a key like this:

http://i354.photobucket.com/albums/r413/kodkod84/Image126.jpg


It is called the wallet key- and is used to get into the car when you lock your normal keys inside. It can also start the car up too if you have lost the normal keys completely.

I don't know why it would be kept in the glovebox though, as that defeats the purpose somewhat :D

[mkc]

Yeah, thats the bit Im missing. You put one of those into the key fob thats found in the glove box. The two combined lets you start the car as we obviously have no traditional ignition on the B8.

This key is obviously kept safe outside the car and its just the fob thats kept in the car.

I opened my car with a metal key thats found in the normal fob! Confusion over for me at least.

[Jop]

Here are the key parts.....
http://gallery.me.com/jonpaul99/100180/Image003/web.jpg

Clip em together....
http://gallery.me.com/jonpaul99/100180/Image004/web.jpg

This starts the car....

I was able to enter the car with the plastic key blade, open the glove box to retrieve the holder and start the car all without the alarm sounding.

I left the advanced key indoors so it didnt interfere with my experiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider).

[alexcf]

ok Scrub All That Above. Ive Done Something I Very Rarey Do, Read The Manual.

Burn Him!

[sunil1234]

my key went flat once after finishing work (even though i used it at lunchtime to unlock the boot) - blame my son who keeps pressing it repeatedly in the mornings!

anyhow, didnt know how i was gonna get into the car. So just slid the back off the remote, put the metal key in the lock and opened door. once in, reassembled remote and pushed into ignition as normal (phew)

more successful than when i closed the boot with the key on the boot floor and didnt unlock the rest of the car first:aargh4:

[alexcf]

Thank GOD for Advanced Key... It never leaves my pocket ;)

[Plife]

I was able to enter the car with the plastic key blade, open the glove box to retrieve the holder and start the car all without the alarm sounding.

I left the advanced key indoors so it didnt interfere with my experiment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider).
So with the advanced key you still get a physical lock on the car to put a key in?

[Jop]

So with the advanced key you still get a physical lock on the car to put a key in?
Yep, both front doors have a lock, and the rear doors have a physical lock in the door shuts of the front doors. I think these are for a complete locking system failure

[Plife]

Yep, both front doors have a lock, and the rear doors have a physical lock in the door shuts of the front doors. I think these are for a complete locking system failure
Thanks! Wonder if it can be removed! Did this on a previous car....there is always the window if all else fails :aargh4:

[Pibsy]

That is precisely how it was explained to me upon handover.
Yep this was sort of "explained" to me as well. But after I got the car home and read the manual I saw the reference to the adaptor in the glovebox. Unfortunately no adaptor in glovebox, just the bracket to hold it. Was your adaptor in the holder in the glovebox when your car was delivered?
Aslo how do you "lock" the split rear seats together? Mine's an Avant, so is this different to the saloons?

[mkc]

The key fob comes apart to reveal a proper metal key. Use this in the lock on the top of the chair thats nearest the windows. To the sie of the headrest. At least thats where it is on the Saloon

[awtaylor]

Yep this was sort of "explained" to me as well. But after I got the car home and read the manual I saw the reference to the adaptor in the glovebox. Unfortunately no adaptor in glovebox, just the bracket to hold it. Was your adaptor in the holder in the glovebox when your car was delivered?
Aslo how do you "lock" the split rear seats together? Mine's an Avant, so is this different to the saloons?

Must confess that I am confusing the plastic key with the metal one contained within the key fob. It is the metal key that restricts you to just gaining entry to the car. I have the plastic holder in the left of the dark (no light pack) glovebox that would enable me to start the car.

[ecmbuster]

The answer is, the plastic key DOES NOT disable the Immobilizer. If the transponder within that key is recognized, the Immobilizer with authorize a start. That key was designed to be with the primary owner of the vehicle in case the normal key was lost.

The valet key is different. The design is to open the drivers door and start the vehicle. All remaining locks will not open. ie glove box, trunk, seat locks.

[Red 2]

Praise be to all at Audi for the 'magic key'. Left my main ignition fob behind (100 miles away!) but having the small key in my wallet saved the day and allowed me to get access, clip it into the shell stored in the glovebox, insert the combo into the ignition and get home.

Perfect for eejits like me who lose/forget their key....:o:)