Remote key-anyone tried the backup key inside ?

[Ringsby4]

I did,and to my surprise it wouldn't go into the drivers door lock more than half way.Feels like there is a solid obstruction with a slight amount of give-like pushing against high density rubber or something ?
Heidi is in pristine condition and came with 2 keys,the prev owner was fastidious,I couldn't imagine he broke a key and just forgot about it..and how in the hell would you break that solid milled key anyhow.
Anyone else tried that *secret* hidden key ? Did it work ?

[Smac770]

Inserts and locks and unlocks fine for me.

[Ringsby4]

Inserts and locks and unlocks fine for me.

Oh,that's good,weird for me...I guess eventually Ive gotta pull the door apart and get the lock mech to a locksmith,I'd hate to be far from home and the electronics fail-that insert key is there for a purpose after all...

[Smac770]

You could try and pry the cover lid open with something small and then vacuum and see if anything comes out. But it could just be the tumbler is jacked.

[Ringsby4]

You could try and pry the cover lid open with something small and then vacuum and see if anything comes out. But it could just be the tumbler is jacked.

the tumbler is jacked I'm thinking...

[DrGER]

Do you have the plastic emergency key ? We got both fobs and the plastic emergency key with our '14 A4 back in '17. I pulled ours out recently to make sure it works everywhere (driver's door, glovebox, dash ignition switch in its holder); I found the fit in the door lock is snug. Maybe a previous owner broke off the original in the lock ?

[Ringsby4]

Do you have the plastic emergency key ? We got both fobs and the plastic emergency key with our '14 A4 back in '17. I pulled ours out recently to make sure it works everywhere (driver's door, glovebox, dash ignition switch in its holder); I found the fit in the door lock is snug. Maybe the original broke off in the lock ?

No,I didn't get that plastic key but I can see when interrogating ECU that there are 3 Keys initialized for the car and we got 2.The only keyhole I can find is the drivers door,we don't a glove box lock ( very trustworthy nation we are ..... probably not though lol ! ) and nowhere to fit the bare key in the ignition.
Unless anyone has had a similar situation and a solution as mine,it's off to the locksmith-but It's low on the list .....

[f1torrents]

Ok..

- Any VW/AUDi key will go "all the way" into any VW/AUDI lock... It just wont turn if its not the correct key. (Its not the key its the lock that's the problem)
- The door locks on Audi's are notorious for seizing/gumming up do to long periods of no use.
- You can spray a oil like WD40 etc. to free it up, I spray it on a old key as well to help it get deeper into the lock.
- You may have to let it sit a few days and then hammer on it with your palm to persuade it in.
- Once it's free you have to add grease to the lock like white lithium, graphite etc. as the WD40 will have washed all the grease out.

I have to do this with almost every door lock I run into that's 5+ years old.
It's even worse when I have to pick the lock when the customer has lost all their keys.

[Ringsby4]

Ok..

- Any VW/AUDi key will go "all the way" into any VW/AUDI lock... It just wont turn if its not the correct key. (Its not the key its the lock that's the problem)
- The door locks on Audi's are notorious for seizing/gumming up do to long periods of no use.
- You can spray a oil like WD40 etc. to free it up, I spray it on a old key as well to help it get deeper into the lock.
- You may have to let it sit a few days and then hammer on it with your palm to persuade it in.
- Once it's free you have to add grease to the lock like white lithium, graphite etc. as the WD40 will have washed all the grease out.

I have to do this with almost every door lock I run into that's 5+ years old.
It's even worse when I have to pick the lock when the customer has lost all their keys.

Thanks appreciated,good suggestion ,I'll try that right now.I'm an Inox man,so that's what I'll use......

[Ringsby4]

Took the car to a locksmith and he used a pick and led light and confirmed that there is something jammed in the cylinder and the lock has to come out to have any chance of removing the obstacle.
This is turning into a PITA.Anyone actually had one of these locks in their hand ? does it look like it can be pulled apart ? I had a look at pricing for new and yep,they're expensive.
My worry is with the key lock not working is that if there is a central electrics failure that disables the central locking then I can see that the only way to get into the car is to remove the front screen....

[MyDimeIsUp]

My car never came with a second fob... nor a backup key (just the plastic shell). I'm basically on prayers that I never lose my key. It's what > $300 for a new key? My old Toyota was $25 for the key and to find a dealer who would cut it was ~$65. Considering its all local hardware, I'm surprised we haven't heard of a way to program our own keys fobs for cheap yet.

[Ringsby4]

My car never came with a second fob... nor a backup key (just the plastic shell). I'm basically on prayers that I never lose my key. It's what > $300 for a new key? My old Toyota was $25 for the key and to find a dealer who would cut it was ~$65. Considering its all local hardware, I'm surprised we haven't heard of a way to program our own keys fobs for cheap yet.

It's not only the cost for the key,lock picking to get in ( if possible ) programming at dealership etc can run well over $1000.
Guard that key with your life !

[f1torrents]

I highly doubt there is something caught in the lock.
Its more likely wafer 7 or 8 is bound up and stuck in place.

You can remove the lock easily however disassembling it is not for a novice.
I would not recommend this route.

What have you/the locksmith tried?
Have you tried the method described above?

[Ringsby4]

I highly doubt there is something caught in the lock.
Its more likely wafer 7 or 8 is bound up and stuck in place.

You can remove the lock easily however disassembling it is not for a novice.
I would not recommend this route.

What have you/the locksmith tried?
Have you tried the method described above?

I wasn't considering doing this myself.The locksmith I mentioned above is major in our town and I feel fairly confident with them.In my post #10 above this is where we went with this on my visit there.He said it was really difficult to see inside the slot in the cylinder.
I tried repeatedly with inox ( locksmith said he doesn't like this but I'd already done it ),I could try spray lithium grease ?
My desperate thoughts are If the locksmith is unsuccessful or damages lock ,get him to remove the wafers and the lock could be operable with any ( Audi and other specifics ) key but looking at Google I see there is wiring at the back of the key-so its not mechanical ? If not and the electrics fail,the same situation exists that I have already- the car cannot be unlocked.The other vehicles I own have a mechanical lock in at least one door ( along with remote central locking )
Seems that if it is only an electrical switch there doesn't seem much point repairing it as even if just the touch sensors fail on the doors,I still have the key fob with its unlock button with me and can do what the emergency insert key does -or am I missing something ?
It sounds like you are really familiar with these,thanks

[f1torrents]

Like I said above.

You are only using the spray lubricant to free up the lock.
Once its free you then have to grease it to prevent it from seizing again.

You have to soak the hell out of it and use a key to get the lubricant all the way to the back. Or those long hoses that come on the spray lubricants.
spray the heck out of it several times every few hours.. ALOT .. and then more....

Once its had time to settle in, maybe days..... Then use a key. I prefer an old one . Any VW or Audi key will be fine and use the palm of your hand to pound it in. Do not use a hammer or any tools, just the pressure your palm can exert.

It will free itself. I do this on a regular basis, its very common.
I'm in Canada where locks are exposed to the worst conditions here.

[f1torrents]

The funny part is.
Most of the time when I have a customer who has lost all of their keys and I have to pick the lock to enter the vehicle, I have to do this exact procedure to free up the lock.
They are all always seized up.

I don't even charge them extra for this, as I already know its going to be seized.

[Ringsby4]

The funny part is.
Most of the time when I have a customer who has lost all of their keys and I have to pick the lock to enter the vehicle, I have to do this exact procedure to free up the lock.
They are all always seized up.

I don't even charge them extra for this, as I already know its going to be seized.

Great info again.I did try over say 3 days from memory but you've given me renewed hope !
I have sprays upon sprays here,WD40,Inox,Lanolin ( great for de rusting and leaving a surface protective film ,heavy though-I'm not putting that near it ) and lithium grease.
I'm on to it after lunch and will use ultimate due diligence...
But about the lock,is it only electrical ?

[Theiceman]

Wonder if the plastic key they give You is busted off in there

Sent from my SM-G973W using Audizine Forum mobile app

[Ringsby4]

Wonder if the plastic key they give You is busted off in there

Sent from my SM-G973W using Audizine Forum mobile app

I think if that was the case it would probably break off close to the entrance...

[Theiceman]

yeah i thought so too but what else could be in there ?

[dtsdig]

The lock on my wife's EOS was frozen solid for like 3 years. This winter, I took the lock cylinder out (which was really easy to do following a youtube video), set it on some cardboard and absolutely soaked it in degreasers and PB Blaster. I re-soaked it 2 or 3 times and tried working the key every couple hours. It finally broke free! I cleaned the hell out of it, continued working it with the key and then re-lubed it and reinstalled it. Works perfectly again.
The lesson being, I could have believed that something was broken off in it if I didn't know better. When these Audi/VW locks freeze up, they really freeze up!

[f1torrents]

The lock on my wife's EOS was frozen solid for like 3 years. This winter, I took the lock cylinder out (which was really easy to do following a youtube video), set it on some cardboard and absolutely soaked it in degreasers and PB Blaster. I re-soaked it 2 or 3 times and tried working the key every couple hours. It finally broke free! I cleaned the hell out of it, continued working it with the key and then re-lubed it and reinstalled it. Works perfectly again.
The lesson being, I could have believed that something was broken off in it if I didn't know better. When these Audi/VW locks freeze up, they really freeze up!

This is exactly what is happening to OP's lock..

[Theiceman]

i wonder if dropping it in an ultrasonic bath would work ?

[Ringsby4]

Still trying to find out if it is only an electrical switch or does the key operation actuate a mechanical function as well to unlock the drivers door? As said above I can see a wiring loom coming out the back in pics of the lock mechanism.
EDIT: Okay,It looks more like a a mechanical toggle to hook up to door handle after having a closer look.....

[Ringsby4]

Following up on how I resolved my problem.
No amount of soaking in solvent,gently forcing and copious cursing would free my lock.
I bought this from Aliexpress,states for left door but of course is interchangeable ( RHD over here )

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000...137f53d6evSCLK

OEM was hundreds of $$$'s.
I'm relieved I can get in now,locked out of your own home or car would be absolute ......
EDIT: My inquiring mind is going to force me to cut the jammed one open and see what was causing the problem.

[Smac770]

Curious too what had it jacked. Probably a broken pin spring or stuck pin or something in the key channel.

https://youtu.be/jf4uLb2IZiU

Interesting video, but it shows how you'll need to be able to get all the pins to drop to pull the tumbler out of the housing.

[Ringsby4]

Curious too what had it jacked. Probably a broken pin spring or stuck pin or something in the key channel.

https://youtu.be/jf4uLb2IZiU

Interesting video, but it shows how you'll need to be able to get all the pins to drop to pull the tumbler out of the housing.

If only ours were that easy to pull apart.It's a different housing system and appears to have two locking plates towards the front that hold the tumbler assy in.
In any case as I can't get my key in,to actually withdraw the tumbler housing out is impossible as some of the reeds may be sticking out in the locked position.
I'm thinking Dremel....

[Ringsby4]

"Curious too what had it jacked"......
I attacked it with a hacksaw on either side,first the outer housing /inner housing then the cylinder and it was..... a freakin snapped off plastic valet key wtf .I wouldn't have thought it would have broken off so far in ( about 2 reeds in)
I'd of liked to have witnessed that butchery from the background....maybe even pliers were involved in this treacherous act .....

[Ringsby4]

Wonder if the plastic key they give You is busted off in there

Sent from my SM-G973W using Audizine Forum mobile app

You got it,so did my locksmith who had a brief look at it.....curly one though......