Keyless Entry Stopped Working

Faults and Technical chat for the Volkswagen ID.3
Budalu
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 19, 2022 9:38 am

Post by Budalu »

I received my ID.3 in November. From the beginning keyless entry (unlocking and locking) worked perfectly. However in the last few days it has stopped unlocking. I can only unlock the car by pressing the button on the key. I have tried driver and passenger side door handles but neither work, even dangling the key right in front! Locking works just fine.

Any ideas on how to resolve please? Otherwise I guess I’ll be dropping in to the showroom this weekend.

Deleted User 192

Post by Deleted User 192 »

It seems worse in cold or wet weather. Are the handles clean?
monkeyhanger
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Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2021 1:33 pm

Post by monkeyhanger »

Ours has ways been flaky. Almost always unlocks, not very good at locking after exiting the car.

Not a bother for me to press the key, more of a problem for the missus having to find the key in her handbag.
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SinglePointSafety
Posts: 123
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2021 1:22 pm

Post by SinglePointSafety »

Weird, today our car has now caught the 'keyless entry no longer works' virus as well: checked with both keys. Wonder if it's anything to do with any OTA updates going on (and yes, handles are clean)
id3 Max 2021
SinglePointSafety
Posts: 123
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2021 1:22 pm

Post by SinglePointSafety »

And, strangely, may have found the cause: keyless entry had switched itself off, so had to re-enable it in the car settings menu. Even then, it seems to have taken at least one on-off cycle to 'take' so let's hope it remains fixed. Really don't want to have to get the car repaired, would like to have minimal contact with my dealership since they are desperately unpleasant and incompetent (and that's on a good day).

Not the first time that 'nonsense' has happened: one day the DCC mode decided to wake up in 'normal' and not 'individual' and the individual settings were mostly default (I think). Easy to tell this had happened because the backlight colour changed.
id3 Max 2021
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Splitty
Posts: 119
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:21 am

Post by Splitty »

Ours has been working perfectly until the last week or so. Locking always works, but unlocking is random. Changed keyfob battery and no difference. I guess it must be a temperature issue? There must be a proximity sensor in the door handle to make sure that the key is close enough to the door for it to be the owner and not someone chancing it if you are nearby. Out of 5 attempts today, locking and then walking away before opening again seemed to work. Key works every time though.
mish
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Jul 01, 2021 3:51 pm

Post by mish »

Splitty wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:21 pm Ours has been working perfectly until the last week or so. Locking always works, but unlocking is random. Changed keyfob battery and no difference. I guess it must be a temperature issue? There must be a proximity sensor in the door handle to make sure that the key is close enough to the door for it to be the owner and not someone chancing it if you are nearby. Out of 5 attempts today, locking and then walking away before opening again seemed to work. Key works every time though.
We had the same problem. After giving the entire car a good wash and not just cleaning the door handle the problem went away. Not sure if this was just random luck. Maybe there are several "mucked up" sensors involved.
Sherlock
Posts: 200
Joined: Wed May 26, 2021 4:36 pm

Post by Sherlock »

mish wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 2:22 pm
Splitty wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 12:21 pm Ours has been working perfectly until the last week or so. Locking always works, but unlocking is random. Changed keyfob battery and no difference. I guess it must be a temperature issue? There must be a proximity sensor in the door handle to make sure that the key is close enough to the door for it to be the owner and not someone chancing it if you are nearby. Out of 5 attempts today, locking and then walking away before opening again seemed to work. Key works every time though.
We had the same problem. After giving the entire car a good wash and not just cleaning the door handle the problem went away. Not sure if this was just random luck. Maybe there are several "mucked up" sensors involved.
I really like this feature... when it works.

Fortunately it does seem to have work for me most of the time but doesn't work often enough to be irritating.

I have tried to work out if it relates to rain/handle being wet, temperature i.e. cold, dirty handles, dirty hands/fingers etc. but so far for me it seems to be pretty random.
DelM
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:11 pm

Post by DelM »

This is also happening to us! It worked perfectly until the last week or so, then stopped working entirely. I cycled keyless entry off, then back on and now the driver's side works, but not the passenger side! Planning to clean the car tomorrow: I will see if that makes it less grumpy!
robgarth
Posts: 82
Joined: Wed May 26, 2021 2:42 pm
Location: Wiltshire

Post by robgarth »

I've had this annoyance for sometime but I've learnt how to beat it. I hope it works for you. Gently slide your finger along the sensor groove on the front handles, works a treat for me. I don't now why it works but perhaps one of you my has a theory.
Rob
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DelM
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Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:11 pm

Post by DelM »

DelM wrote: Sat Jan 22, 2022 3:03 pm This is also happening to us! It worked perfectly until the last week or so, then stopped working entirely. I cycled keyless entry off, then back on and now the driver's side works, but not the passenger side! Planning to clean the car tomorrow: I will see if that makes it less grumpy!
Car now all clean and the problem has gone. for the moment at least! :)
TimF
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2021 6:41 am

Post by TimF »

Today, I've had this problem during / after rain. Even carefully wiping the sensor (and ensuring my finger was dry) didn't fix it. Haven't checked "settings", but since it was fine once car had sat drying on the drive for a bit, I'm assuming that wasn't the issue.
Gwyver
Posts: 92
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2021 6:43 pm

Post by Gwyver »

In the last few day keyless unlocking has stopped working on the driver's door. Keyless locking is still working reliably. Keyless unlocking also works on the passenger door and the boot.
I have tried the following:-
  1. Cleaning the door handle sensors
  2. Turning off Keyless Entry in the infotainment, then using the car , locking it, leaving it overnight and then re-enabling Keyless Entry.
  3. Replacing the battery in the key fob.
None of the above has fixed the problem.
I wonder if there has been water ingress in the door handle (which hopefully will evaporate when the weather warms up), or whether a visit to the dealer is necessary?
Does anyone know of a reliable remedy?
KelvinForce9
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2023 4:24 pm

Post by KelvinForce9 »

Last week, our local VW dealer attempted to upgrade the software in our id3 First Edition from V2.4 to V3.0; however, the update failed and the vehicle is still off the road with a malfunction of the remote door lock/unlock.
TimF
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Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2021 6:41 am

Post by TimF »

I'm getting fed up with keylesslessness. That is, the state of the keyless operation being non-functional, the door sensors don't want to operate. When this occurs I have to fall back on the fob buttons. I can just about tolerate flaky functionality when the sensor is rained on - I get used to that and try to be ready with the fob, although when it's wet is a situation where being unable to open / lock the doors straight away is more irritating. What often happens is that the mirror indicator blinks, there's a brief "peep", but no unlocking / locking. Sometimes, with a failure to unlock, pulling the rear door handle then trying front again will get the car to unlock. And I've only once had the boot refuse to open (while rest of the car stays locked, as it should).

Anybody have any suggestions? Special cleaning procedure for the sensor? Suitable German swear word to scream?
Busman
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2021 9:46 am

Post by Busman »

Budalu wrote: Wed Jan 19, 2022 9:43 am I received my ID.3 in November. From the beginning keyless entry (unlocking and locking) worked perfectly. However in the last few days it has stopped unlocking. I can only unlock the car by pressing the button on the key. I have tried driver and passenger side door handles but neither work, even dangling the key right in front! Locking works just fine.

Any ideas on how to resolve please? Otherwise I guess I’ll be dropping in to the showroom this weekend.
You need to change the battery in your fob.
Busman
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2021 9:46 am

Post by Busman »

You need to change the battery in your fob.
Roberto
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Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2023 12:21 pm

Post by Roberto »

I am having issues with my key fobs in a 2021 VW !D3 Pro. I either cannot unlock or lock my car with the fob despite changing batteries. When I use the metal key from the fob it sets the alarm off when I open the driver's door. Any ideas?
MattC
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2023 2:19 pm

Post by MattC »

Roberto, I've got the same issue and have had it for a while now. IN the last week it's become almost impossible to use the car.
I can open the car with the key, but I always set off the alarm.. any idea how to avoid that?
sidehaas
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Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2021 7:04 am

Post by sidehaas »

Roberto/MattC, have you followed the procedure to re link the key to the car by placing it in the correct cupholder? From memory I think it's covered in the online manual.
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