Hi all,

my car only came with one key, and I need to get another cut before I lose this one.

When I got the car it only came with the key, and not the little code thing. Is it still possible to code the key without going to VW? (I'd guess they'll be expensive.) Or do I have to go the VW to get the code or what? Also, how is the key coded, does it need to have the car present, or could I post the key off to someone and get it done that way? And is it harder/ more expensive to do a remote locking key over a standard key?

Sorry for all the questions, any help appreciated!

Joe.

Hi, I am also looking into this..from what I can gather from other older posts on here you can do it yourself..but you have to be accurate. If I am wrong in any of this please feel free to correct me..

First pull apart the 2 halves of the fob to find the right part no. It shoud be something like HLO1J0959753AH. You can then search for a VW key on ebay, and confirm the part no. with the seller.

Also on ebay there is a guy who will provide a blank key blade and will cut it to a photo of your existing key for a tenner..link here

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Skoda-Flip-Key-Blade-Cut-Your-Car-GUARANTEED-/140446407401?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item20b3421ae9

If its a flip blade you might need to supply that yourself to him..they are also on ebay for about a tenner..

So then you will have the blade and fob that just needs decoding. Try and ask VW for the SKC code for your car. They will probably tell you to get lost tho..Skoda did when I asked them..however they should be able to program it for about £50. Alternatively I have seen something about finding someone from "vagcom" to decode it with their software. I havent looked into it yet but am about to so dont know too much about it..

When I went to Skoda they quoted me £35 for the key, £35 for the blade cutting and £50 for the decoding..altho after a bit of sweet talking they discounted that to £35 as well. They wouldnt give me the SKC code even if I could prove I was the legitimiate owener of the car which I think is a bit crap as its my motor so I should have the right to the info IMO..altho with all the dodgy reg docs and stuff about maybe its not such a bad thing..

I would probably estimate about £60-80 or so to get it done independently whereas Skoda will charge me £110 officially. I was expecting them to say about £160 or so, so I dont know, maybe I'll just go to them so I know its done right. Keys on ebay can go for up to about £30 anyway which is what you will pay for a new one..does that help in any way ? hope so..anyone please correct me if I'm wrong, I dont profess to be an expert

Thanks for replying.

More confirmation of what I've read/heard before from glancing at other posts when they've come up. This is the first time I've looked into it myself though. I was looking on eBay for keys, and there's about 3 of the style I'll need (not a flip key, an older single piece design), and they're all second hand, so I think I'd rather spend the extra on a new one. Getting it cut I should be able to get done by a family member I think, so it's more the coding that I need the help with.

When you went to Skoda, they £50 they said for the decoding, is that including the retrieval of the SKC thing, or was that assuming you had access to it already? RE vagcom, if you look here, it might of some use ( http://www.fabia-vrs.com/technical-info/key-coding/ ) (all alien to me mind!), but pretty sure that can't be used to retrieve the code, which is my biggest stumbling block. Also answers my own question regards to coding the remote functions too.

Thanks, Joe.

No worries,thanks for the link I'll have a look..yes the price they quoted was for the whole coding service from them so they will look it up against the registration and code it. I have literally just read a post on here about the SKC code, which says that some Skoda fitters write it on the sticker in the front of the service book sticker or on the spare wheel sticker. Maybe the same could be true for VW ?

£50's not too bad then, thanks. Will see what an indy charges (if they can do it) and go from there. It's not in the service books I've got I don't think, but I'll check the wheel well, although it seems a bit defeatist of the system to put the code in the car. Still, if it save me some money then I'll not moan! Will have a look tomorrow when it's light again.

Thanks, Joe.

No worries good luck with it..I ithink I am going thru the official route with Skoda..for an extra few quid at least I know itll all be sorted with less hassle

Well, I went to VW. The key is in two parts it seems. The blade/ base bit is £49. The remote section of the key is £56. The coding is another £53. So I'm up to £158 and I've not even cut the key yet. The bloke said 'it's all done automatically via computer link to Germany'. How this justifies £58 is beyound me. Think I'll try my local VAG garage on Monday, might be a bit more reasonable.

We can do key coding as we can retrieve your SKC, but VW can't give the SKC to you as it's all done automatically as you've been told.

Most places won't have the equipment but some will, so it's worth giving it a go.

I've seen on your website you do them, but you're a fair distance away from me. How much do you charge for the coding? If it's cheap enough it maybe worth travelling up to you.

Coding is £30

Cheers, does that include the key retrival as well? If so you might be getting an email at some point in the future if I can't get it done locally.

Edited 5 September, 201015 yr by TriggerFish

We need to retrieve the SKC to do the job, but usually we would only pass that on at extra charge.

Well, I went to VW. The key is in two parts it seems. The blade/ base bit is £49. The remote section of the key is £56. The coding is another £53. So I'm up to £158 and I've not even cut the key yet.

I have been following this thread with interest as I am in the process of getting a new key done on the cheap for my Mk 1 Octy. Interesting how the prices vary for the same thing from a different VAG car....

Quoted Skoda dealer price (+VAT):

Key 2 button remote £51.44

Key blade £60.72 (pre cut from the factory)

Key coding £35.00

I am taking my key to the stealers tomorrow to have it recoded. I bought a new £8 HAA-W key head and secondhand 3 button fob for £14 from two different vendors on Ebay. My local Timpsons cut it FOC ( gave him a fiver beer money though).

I then removed the new blade and placed it in the secondhand keyhead. The chips is a small, bearly noticable glass cylinder held in with some glue.

The key is a bit rough as it it duplicated from the original worn key but starts the car but won't disarm the immobiliser until the key is recoded. The car starts fine after swapping the key head back.

Will post up results of decoding tomorrow if all is sucessful or otherwise.

Good luck!

Edited 6 September, 201015 yr by modra_vrs

Update

I took the car for coding today. The ebay secondhand key remote now works so it locks and unlocks the door. The boot release doesn't work though, but no great loss as only had a 2 button key in the first place.

Bad news is the secondhand key would not code. The transponder in the keyhead would not reprogram. Error code 1179. So I have bit the bullet and ordered a new blade.

Must say fair play to Wings of Peterborough though. Paul Reed, the mastertech couldn't have been more helpful and they charged me only 15mins labour because they had not sucessfully coded the key.

Total cost of new key

1 x keyhead from ebay £8

1 x cutting of key £5

1 x 3 button secondhand key fob, worn Skoda badge so believe it to have been an original Skoda key. Part no HLO 1KO 959 753 G £14

Coding (failed) £23

New Skoda supplied key 72

Coding £41

Total = £163 inc vat

Total if bought everything new £173 inc vat

I had a go at trying to do it on the cheap and was moderately sucessful but hope post this helps anyone else thinking of buying an ebay key to have reprogrammed.

I found this guide is useful too - make sure the remote operates at 434mhz

http://vorsicht.org.hk/forums/showthread.php?t=1819

That's very useful, thanks.

It's the cost of the key itself I'm finding hardest to justify so far. But to confirm, from your findings, I can use any remote bit I can find (frequency dependent etc), but the blade/ base bit of the key has to be a new one as they can't be re-programmed?

And what did SKoda supply for £72, everything, or just the blade bit?

Thanks,

Joe.

I'm sure I'll upset you with this.. but a new transponder is about £2.50 so if you'd have known, I guess you would have done well with your cost comparison at probably 50% of the cost.

It's the cost of the key itself I'm finding hardest to justify so far. But to confirm, from your findings, I can use any remote bit I can find (frequency dependent etc), but the blade/ base bit of the key has to be a new one as they can't be re-programmed?

And what did SKoda supply for £72, everything, or just the blade bit?

Hi the blade and keyhead with transponder is £72 inc vat, precut before dispatch.

I had to give them the service book and V5 to order. From my findings I would say you can save yourself some money buy getting a remote off ebay, assuming the vendor confirms the part no first to be one that works on 434mhz. However IMHO to be sure you get a working key you are going to have to bite the bullet like me and buy a dealer supplied keyhead which will have a new transponder in it. Then if it does not work then it's their problem. Good luck

Wow, £72 is good compared VW's price. It's about 25% less. For now, it's mainly being got as a spare for if/when I drop this one down a drain or something, so for now I think I'll just get one of these http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Key-Head-Blank-Blade-HAA-W3-Volkswagen-Remote-Key-/320560239025?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4aa2e111b1 and worry about the remote part later. I need a 433 MHz remote, of which I can find none on eBay for now.

Assuming that key doesn't have a transponder in it, are the universal across all VAG keys, or do I need a specific one?

Thanks,

Joe.

I bought my keyhead from that merchant - very quick overnight service. It won't have a transponder in it. The £72 one I ordered today will be a precut key with transponder. You still need the transponder and the remote part to disarm the immobiliser and alarm. Perhaps Shark_90 can help...

or PM Wardy as he has a 3 button Skoda remote for sale if you are sure your Polo uses the same key.

Edited 7 September, 201015 yr by modra_vrs

Cool, thanks. Does it seem a genuine part? Reading the advert again, suggests it might not be. As for the alarm, it can be disabled with the key in the ignition I believe within a certain time of opening the door (will check somewhere during the day), so it'll do for now if it means I can start the car in an emergency.

My key is like this, only with a VW logo on it and 433Mhz with a different part number instead, so Steve's one won't be of any use sadly. http://cgi.ebay.co.u...=item2a0a087b4d

Thanks for your help,

Joe.

Edited 7 September, 201015 yr by TriggerFish

I'm sure I'll upset you with this.. but a new transponder is about £2.50 so if you'd have known, I guess you would have done well with your cost comparison at probably 50% of the cost.

+1

If you had done a search then you would of found out this information as it has been posted several times (I have posted links about a dozen times).

A replacement key can be bought and coded (to work fully) for around £50.

+1

If you had done a search then you would of found out this information as it has been posted several times (I have posted links about a dozen times).

A replacement key can be bought and coded (to work fully) for around £50.

Not a very useful post to me now but perhaps you might post all your links up for Triggerfish. Perhaps even a sticky guide would be useful. This would have been more helpful ,rather than a "if only you could be bothered to search" type reply.

I was trying to help this guy by posting up my experiences.

FYI I did plenty of searches and had the ebay key recoded, which according to the dealer, it should have done, then it would have stood me £70.

FYI i was nowhere near as rude as you appear to be.

Not a very useful post to me now but perhaps you might post all your links up for Triggerfish. Perhaps even a sticky guide would be useful. This would have been more helpful ,rather than a "if only you could be bothered to search" type reply.

I actually said (as you quoted)

If you had done a search then you would of found out this information as it has been posted several times (I have posted links about a dozen times).

Now, IF I had not been away on holiday when the OP asked the question then I would of replied with the link, but on account that I was - I didn't!

A very quick search for "Key Coding" brought up several results. If you ignore all the posts before 2/9/2010 when the OP posted his question, then the first thread with this information in appeared just 6 days earlier (which I also replied in stating that a new transponder would be needed)

FYI these are just some of the threads where i have posted the link:

Spare Key for Octavia 2 (04 August 2010)

Local help Needed to programme a new key .......(14 July 2010)

Key coding Octavia II (20 June 2010)

On account i seem to be posting this link every month, here is September's link to the process:

Buying new keys for a MK4 Golf

I agree that making it a sticky would be a good idea, however on account that it is a link to another VAG forum Im not sure on Briskoda's politics on whether that is allowed?

Either way it would only help a small minority of users as most don't tend to read the stickies anyway - you only need to see the threads that keep on popping up asking questions that are covered in the stickies to see that.

I did do a brief search, and found most of the results to be for 'coding' later cars in VAGCOM etc, might of used the wrong keywords, or not looked thoroughly enough, can't remember now. If I annoyed you Gimzo - you have my apologies.

Anyway, thanks for the links, they are appreciated - especially the Hickleys website, as is your help modra. Once I've worked out the transponder that's needed, I should be there (at last!). Just a case of cutting/coding it. I think it's a AKTP4 on their website, but need to do some more searching I guess.

FYI i was nowhere near as rude as you appear to be.

Gizmo, I am sorry if I caused offence. Your initial response annoyed me as I had spent some time researching this and trying to be helpful and wondered why after about a week of the thread running, nobody had responded with such a guide within the post.

I am not a rude person, for the record, just someone who genuinely tries to help others where possible.

Thankyou for posting these guides up.