Polo GTI key problem

**eds** · 23-05-2007,10:48 AM

My son owns a 2000 Polo GTI and the other day he went to start it and it turned over and died. Tried the spare key and it started fine.
I guess there is a problem with the program on the key.
Can this be sorted, or does it mean a new key.
How do you suggest he deals with this, as one key is totally useless now.
Not sure what to do.

**Eshrules** · 23-05-2007,11:26 AM

Originally Posted by eds

My son owns a 2000 Polo GTI and the other day he went to start it and it turned over and died. Tried the spare key and it started fine.
I guess there is a problem with the program on the key.
Can this be sorted, or does it mean a new key.
How do you suggest he deals with this, as one key is totally useless now.
Not sure what to do.

from what you describe, it sounds like the other key is not being recognised by the immobiliser. have you replaced the battery? it could just be that the battery is flat and not being able to send a strong enough signal from the transponder to the immobiliser.

**eds** · 23-05-2007,03:20 PM

Yep, tried the battery still nothing.
Looks as like the key has previously been played with as it was all glued together, a right job to get apart.
How much will a new key and reprogramming be? any ideas.

**Eshrules** · 24-05-2007,08:32 AM

Originally Posted by eds

Yep, tried the battery still nothing.
Looks as like the key has previously been played with as it was all glued together, a right job to get apart.
How much will a new key and reprogramming be? any ideas.

a new key, depending on where you get it from should be around £50. coding from a main dealer is normally half an hours labour, so around £40.

you should expect to pay no more than £100 in total for a new key, cut and coded.

there is also the option of getting a fob off ebay, getting a new blade and getting it cut and coding the key yourself as i have just done last week. all in all, it has cost me around £60 in total, including the fob, key and the hardware needed to code your own key.

if you're interested, check out my sig for further info.

dealerships offer a warranty i believe on any keys they code, so if you want peace of mind, go there. if you are fairly competant with computers, DIY is the way to go.

**packageman23** · 24-05-2007,10:13 AM

Originally Posted by eds

My son owns a 2000 Polo GTI and the other day he went to start it and it turned over and died. Tried the spare key and it started fine.
I guess there is a problem with the program on the key.
Can this be sorted, or does it mean a new key.
How do you suggest he deals with this, as one key is totally useless now.
Not sure what to do.

exact same prob as me on me seat ibiza tdi sport 2003 model its the coil reader on ignition. i jus give the plastic housing a lil tap/smack and seems to sort the problem. altho it does need replacing soon cos it will pack in totally soon then i will be stranded.

**Eshrules** · 24-05-2007,10:41 AM

Originally Posted by packageman23

exact same prob as me on me seat ibiza tdi sport 2003 model its the coil reader on ignition. i jus give the plastic housing a lil tap/smack and seems to sort the problem. altho it does need replacing soon cos it will pack in totally soon then i will be stranded.

i disagree, if it was the coil reader, the spare key would also have an issue. the fault would be intermittent and the first (faulty) key would work intermittently.

**Flash2** · 25-05-2007,10:20 PM

You could try just having both keys recoded. Sometimes a key will loose it's code for some reason. The batteries in the keys are for the alarm remote, nothing to do with the immobiliser. You can unclip the remote part and it will still start the car.
Regards - Jim.

**Eshrules** · 25-05-2007,11:18 PM

Originally Posted by Flash2

You could try just having both keys recoded. Sometimes a key will loose it's code for some reason. The batteries in the keys are for the alarm remote, nothing to do with the immobiliser. You can unclip the remote part and it will still start the car.
Regards - Jim.

erm, just a little question then, if the batteries do not power the key for the immobiliser, how does the transponder send the required signal to the immobiliser?

i think you're wrong on this one and to simply 'try' and have both keys recoded when it could be a simple battery would be rather foolish.

it costs a few pounds to replace batteries.

**ini** · 25-05-2007,11:36 PM

The transponder capsule (or chip for a VW remote) draws power to transmit the binary code via inductive coupling with the coil reader.

If it was an earlier transponder type you could have your working transponder cloned, but post 99 'rolling code' cars generally need the dealers help, even if you have your SKC.

I am not sure which type immob you have in the Polo, it may even still be immob 2.

**Flash2** · 25-05-2007,11:53 PM

Thanks ini. But if you don't believe us, unclip the remote part from your key (the part with the battery in it) and try and start the engine...magic init!