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Having just lost my spare key, I'm about to go through the immobiliser and lock matching process for a new key I bought online. I've had a few folk ask how this is done, and was wondering if it's worthwhile writing up all the steps required... If not, i wont!

Opinions please...

Edit:

Ok the guides have been written and are available in this post, showing the exact process I took to match a new 4d0 837 231 k key to my car. This cost me less than £55, including buying a mint genuine but incompatible, Audi key to swap the cheap ebay key internals into.

It works and looks 100%

I say go for it and then get Footers to stick it in his repository.

bilko1 wrote:I say go for it and then get Footers to stick it in his suppository.

FIXED.

I was tempted Bam

Yes please.

Sorted! 2 working keys again and lots of screen shots. I'll write up everything soon, when work stops getting in the way..

Be careful what you post about how to make keys for our cars, please. I know the information is out there, but let's not spoonfeed it, eh?

Shoppinit wrote:Be careful what you post about how to make keys for our cars, please. I know the information is out there, but let's not spoonfeed it, eh?

Indeed... The bulk of this is all very common knowledge, but I will be posting screenshots of some interesting bits. However, the name and location of "Application X" will be divulged to known forum members by PM only.

+1

Hmm, following on from Shoppinit's post, isn't this one procedure that's better kept as 'PM only' material? I know it's not rocket science but having done this with other Audis in the past it's not entirely straightforward and I'm kind of glad that's the case!

On a related note (and possibly urban myth): I've heard scare stories about the 'virginised' transponders being sold in spare keys on ebay. Unless you take care, the seller knows your car, your address and your key transponder code ... and some people go to the trouble of getting the keyblade cut on ebay (via a photograph) too.

spurtle wrote:Hmm, following on from Shoppinit's post, isn't this one procedure that's better kept as 'PM only' material?

I understand the concern, but ultimately the immobiliser and remote fob matching process is very well documented, and published in full on the VCDS web site. My guide's based on this information, tailored for some specific quirks for the system we have in our cars.

I've been quite careful on the login code retrieval, but even so, don't ever trust the factory immobiliser in these cars. It's 10 years old, cracked wide open, pretty much completely worthless and genuinely more of a problem to legitimate owners than would be thieves. However, this is process is indeed available in detail by PM only, to known people with a good reason for asking.

If you're worried about your car getting stolen, better to buy a better alarm full in the knowledge that the factory system is utterly utterly utterly rubbish.

spurtle wrote: On a related note (and possibly urban myth): I've heard scare stories about the 'virginised' transponders being sold in spare keys on ebay. Unless you take care, the seller knows your car, your address and your key transponder code ... and some people go to the trouble of getting the keyblade cut on ebay (via a photograph) too.

Yes, i've seen the services on ebay that will cut your key to a photo... or even VIN number on occasion. Perhaps not the best idea to be sending photos of your car keys to unknown folk on the internet so they can hand deliver them back.... On the transponder note, this is urban myth, or at least for blank transponders anyway. The pairing process not only matches the transponder to the car, but also the car to the transponder. I've heard that it may be possible to clone these, but you'd need a matched one, not a fresh virgin one though.

It's possible to get a key cut from a VIN?

Then again I suppose none of this is going to bother a determined thief. As has been noted many times on here, it becomes much easier to break into the house and take the keys (with or without threatening the occupants).

Lucky I guess that our cars are (a) sleepers and (b) worth peanuts.

spurtle wrote:It's possible to get a key cut from a VIN?

That's how Audi do it.

P.S. where did you get the 'genuine but incompatible' fresh key? £55 all-in is a good price for two keys and blade cutting. When I did this I also had to buy a cheapo cable from Hong Kong (£8 or something) because Application X wouldn't work with my genuine VCDS cable.