Remote locking stopped working

[wanstronian]

Hi, and Happy New Year!

My remote locking has stopped working entirely. It was fine a couple of days ago, now there's nothing. No indicators flashing, it's like there's no battery in the fob. I tried using the spare fob with the same result. So my guess is it's not the fob(s), but something on the car.

I can lock the car manually, but of course the alarm doesn't work using this method.

The car is a '99 2.5 TDi.

Any clues?

[Crasher]

The control unit/pump is in the boot below the floor level tucked away on the right blow the rear light unit. Check this is dry and does not smell burnt. If it looks OK, check the fuses such as 38, 14 and 6. If these are OK, then I suggest a fault code read of the Central Locking, group 35.

[wanstronian]

If the doors lock and unlock okay using the key, then surely the pump's okay! Is the remote receiver on a separate fuse?

For the fault code read, presumably I need VAG-COM? Do you know which one I need to download - there's a stack of options on Ross-Tech's page! I have the serial cable not the USB one.

[Crasher]

If you have the system working on the key, the control unit can still be faulty but it is likely to just be that the unit has lost its remote matching. With the cable you have, you may be able to use the 409 shareware or more than likely only the 311

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/vag-functions.html

http://www.ross-tech.com/vca/index.html

The shareware will help but will not allow you to match the remotes. To do that you will need to register the software with them and this costs $99

http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/download/archives.html

[olds_kool]

have you checked the battery?, if spare isnt used regulaly then it wont work anyway till its re syncronised (see manual)
you dont need vagcom to re code keys see faq at top of forum
if that doesnt work then you probably need a new pump

[carlpac88]

look at the 15 amp fuse tucked away behind the plastic trim in the passanger (n/s) front floor. i had the same problem and the fuse was to blame.

[Crasher]

What car is this? There should not be a fuse down there???? Sounds like something someone has added, was it free floating and exactly where was it?

[wanstronian]

I was going to post and ask whether the process in the FAQ would recode the key... then I got it working again by unlocking it with the key, locking it with the drivers door button, then pressing the key fob.

I'd left the car at my folks' house and my dad brought it up - he couldn't find the headlight stalk and was pressing every button he could see. He'd used the fob to get in the car, but it wouldn't lock on the fob when he dropped it at my place. God knows what he did, but it's working okay now.

Haven't used spare for a while so will check and recode if necessary. Although have seen reports from people that the process didn't work for them...

Thanks for all the replies.
W