VW Jetta Key

[Boatowner]

Okay, some fool dropped my 2005 Jetta key into a cup of coffee. After I, I mean he, got it out of the coffee, I took it apart and washed it out, figuring water can't be any more harmful than hot coffee with cream and sugar. I let it dry overnight. Then I put in a new battery. So far, all it does is get my car alarm all upset.

Any suggestions? Can it be a programming problem that I can fix? Is it hopeless and I need a new key? A new VW switchblade key is around $ 250, so that is not my first choice.

 

[Scienceman]

Wouldn't be you that did it, would it?

 

[jcwit]

Progress is wonderful, Right?

 

[brandini]

take the battery out and disassemble it, then drop it into a ziploc full of rice overnight and try again.

 

[tmorris1]

Take the battery out and wash it good with water to get all the cream and sugar out of it. Let it dry good and then put the battery in and try it.

 

[Boatowner]

I did the wash it real good, even used hot water. On my 16 yo son's suggestion, I left it in a bowl of raw rice overnight. I got the new battery today. The little red light blinked at me, which I understand might mean it is ready to program. It didn't do anything to the car when I pushed buttons.

 

[saberz]

I believe it might be page 40/41 in the owners manual for reprogramming the FOB.

If it still doesn't work, goto Ebay and buy a replacement. I bought a replacement OEM fob for my Xterra $20 shipped. The VW you would need to disassemble and plant the key portion into the switchblade pin if that's what your key style is.

 

[wapacz]

Okay. I have done a little bit of reading and picture looking here and think I have an understanding of the switchblade set up.

Does the car start and drive fine with the key?

 

[wapacz]

Okay guess I will write out everything I have figured out since no answer yet.

Okay in your switch blade key there are 3 componets. The transmitter, the key, and the rfid chip/ transponder. The last should be encased in glass.

When you go to start your car it sends out a signal to the rfid which then responds with its code. If the code doesn't match the possible list of codes or there is no response the cars security response kicks in.

Now to get the car to recognize a new rfid you must either go to the dealer or some one with a vagcom to enter it into the cars computer. They of course charge a decent labor rate to do this.

Okay with that out of the way if the car drives fine then you rfid is fine. In this case you can just replace the transmitter in the remote with the right one and reprogram it.

 

[Boatowner]

The car does start and drive with the bad key. When I get back out to the car I will get out he owner's manual and see what it says too.

 

[wapacz]

Originally Posted By: Boatowner
The car does start and drive with the bad key. When I get back out to the car I will get out he owner's manual and see what it says too.


Then you are good you just have to replace the transmitter with the right one. If you can't get the one you have to work.

There are a few different frequencies for the transmitter so you need to match the string starting with HLO and matching the fcc id also couldn't hurt.

 

[Dave Hess]

Have he guy who dropped it in coffee buy you a new key