Keys not working

Faults and Technical chat for the Volkswagen ID.3
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Tom_b
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2020 4:13 pm

Post by Tom_b »

New ID3 received this week. Very nice, but 4th outing and now a big problem.

Go back to car, unlock button on key won't work. Nor will keyless entry. Unlock the car by putting the key in the hole (how old fashioned!). Alarm goes off, but stops on switching ignition on and all is well.

Park up, button on key won't lock the car. Lock by turning key in hole again. Come back to the car, still won't unlock remotely. Again unlock manually, alarm goes off but now ignition won't recognise that the key is in the car. Get out and lock manually, which shuts up the alarm.

Call my wife who brings me the spare key. This won't unlock the car remotely either, but after a manual unlock and the alarm going off yet again it will at least let me turn on the ignition.

Car is going to the dealer this week for another, unrelated, problem so will get them to have a look. But I need it to get to work in the meantime.

Any advice?

HeidiFlowerpt Driver
Posts: 251
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:30 pm

Post by HeidiFlowerpt Driver »

There's a bit in the manual that tells you what to do if the car won't recognise the key. As far as I remember, you place the key in the cupholder (figure of eight shaped receptacle in the centre console) and then turn the ignition on and off several times (using the button on the steering column?). That's supposed to re-pair the key to the car. Maybe that would help?

I've had my car for two weeks now and the key has worked fine mostly. Once the door wouldn't open when I touched the sensor in the door handle, but when I pressed the button on the key it unlocked fine.
ID.3 1st Edition Manganese Grey - called Heidi Flowerpot
Kelloggs
Posts: 47
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2020 10:06 am

Post by Kelloggs »

I’ve had the same problem 2 weeks ago. Car wouldn’t unlock. I dropped the fob into the rfid cup holder hit the brake and put it in drive to clear alarm. Yesterday in Tesco car park it wouldn’t lock at all. Same routine , put it in reverse, parked and got out. This time it locked. It’s booked in for 2.1 update.
id3 life performance pro heat pump, turquoise,black.
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Id3noob
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2021 10:23 pm

Post by Id3noob »

Did the update solve the issue? I'm having the same problem tonight. Home charging. Both keys stopped working.
Id3 frustration
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:36 pm

Post by Id3 frustration »

I've got the same problem but even worse. I can't even unlock with the manual key , so I am totally locked out of the car. I have also tried the spare key. BTW my ID3 is a first edition with version 2.4 software installed. Fortunately my car is at home locked up securely in my garage.
I will contact the dealer tomorrow.
Has anyone else been locked out of their ID3 to this extent?
Id3 frustration
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:36 pm

Post by Id3 frustration »

I've got the same problem but even worse. I can't even unlock with the manual key , so I am totally locked out of the car. I have also tried the spare key. BTW my ID3 is a first edition with version 2.4 software installed. Fortunately my car is at home locked up securely in my garage.
I will contact the dealer tomorrow.
Has anyone else been locked out of their ID3 to this extent?
G43FAN

Post by G43FAN »

If it doesn't unlock with the manual key it sounds like a different issue. That's just a mechanical process, so it sounds like your lock has seized in some way?
What about the boot release, does that work?
mechatony11
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue May 16, 2023 3:57 pm

Post by mechatony11 »

I apologize for bringing up this old post. I recently bought a 2015 VW Golf; the key fob LED works fine, which means the batteries are good. But the receiver doesn’t respond. I just manually unlock the vehicle and remove the receiver to check. On my way removing the receiver, I saw that the connector was removed. I re-connected it, then tested, and it worked fine! I learned this here: search for "Volkswagen Key Not Detected Fix on YOUCANIC” and you will see an article that goes over common causes and possible fixes; you can read about it yourself. I hope this information can assist someone else with a similar issue.
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