Just about to return the car and then I lost the car key

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
I scheduled to return my 2011 Q7 on 7/5, and then the car key is nowhere to be found yesterday. That's the only key for my car which is in danger of being towed away tomorrow(parked in front of a leasing office).

Since I just need to open the car and turn on the engine to drive to the closest dealer, what's the simplest solution for it?

Thanks!
 

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
I scheduled to return my 2011 Q7 on 7/5, and then the car key is nowhere to be found yesterday. That's the only key for my car which is in danger of being towed away tomorrow(parked in front of a leasing office).
Since I just need to open the car and turn on the engine to drive to the closest dealer, what's the simplest solution for it?
Thanks!
Sounds like you may have to have it towed to the dealer. You should have free
roadside assistance with the $1000 gift card program or if you have a warranty left.
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
Sounds like you may have to have it towed to the dealer. You should have free
roadside assistance with the $1000 gift card program or if you have a warranty left.
Is VW accepting a car without a key? How can I approve it can be driven under it's own power? This is frustrating.
 
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aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
Is VW accept a car without a key? How can I approve it can be driven under it's own power? This is frustrating.
People are having them towed in. You may need to have the dealer cut and program a key after it's towed in. The turn in specialist needs to see the miles on the car; that's why it has to have a key.
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
People are having them towed in. You may need to have the dealer cut and program a key after it's towed in. The turn in specialist needs to see the miles on the car; that's why it has to have a key.
Sounds like that's the only way to go. Wonder how much the dealer will charge for it.
 

maybe368

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2014
Location
Phoenix
TDI
Happily none
I would be searching for the key. It has to be somewhere. Someone drove it the last time and it must be somewhere. That said, it might be worth towing it in, now, and have a key done at the dealer. The return from VW is almost certainly worth the cost of the key and towing. I once lost my wallet, searched everywhere for it (or so I thought), cancelled all the credit cards, went to get in my car to go somewhere and there it was on the ground outside my car...Mark
 

drsven

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2009
Location
Bay Area
TDI
2011 JSW - DG Buyback
Is VW accepting a car without a key? How can I approve it can be driven under it's own power? This is frustrating.
Key(s) are one of the check box items they will ask for at BB.
Although, he did not go into detail -
Dealership rep. stated to me (at least at VW) they will have stricter guidelines as far as condition and operability with the 3.0L BB.

If you have AAA they may have a locksmith service capable of making a key? Maybe check with the dealership hosting the BB and explain your dilemma.

I've misplaced my key FOB a few times and it's never a good feeling. Hopefully it will turn up.
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
25-30 years ago, I looked 30 minutes for my key

25-30 years ago, I looked 30 minutes for my key.

I found it in my left hand

Grrrrrrrrrrr
 

kooyajerms

grocery getter
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Pomona, Southern California
TDI
97 B4V (mine), 11 x5 35d (hers) 04 V10 (that one you want), 2014 Q7 (mom's) 74 Shasta 1400
Key(s) are one of the check box items they will ask for at BB.
Although, he did not go into detail -
Dealership rep. stated to me (at least at VW) they will have stricter guidelines as far as condition and operability with the 3.0L BB.

If you have AAA they may have a locksmith service capable of making a key? Maybe check with the dealership hosting the BB and explain your dilemma.

I've misplaced my key FOB a few times and it's never a good feeling. Hopefully it will turn up.
Ain't no locksmiths making a Q7 key FOB but the dealership. No buying a blank on eBay and bringing it to the dealer either. Just gonna have to cough it up at the dealership.
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
Ain't no locksmiths making a Q7 key FOB but the dealership. No buying a blank on eBay and bringing it to the dealer either. Just gonna have to cough it up at the dealership.
Sounds in the neighborhood of hundreds. There goes half of the Bosch money, actually all of it, mama!
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
Ain't no locksmiths making a Q7 key FOB but the dealership. No buying a blank on eBay and bringing it to the dealer either. Just gonna have to cough it up at the dealership.
Awful:mad:

But

Great:)

No one can "copy" your key.

Even back with my 2001 Camry, to get a new key to replace one that was worn, it was more dollars than I was used to, but I had to "Prove" who I was, and that I "owned" the car.

Drivers License and Registration (I think?)

The key was "worn" because it was my wife's key, on a ring of keys and "junk" mostly in her 20 lb. purse. Grrrrrrr.

We both now store our extra key fob in a safe place.
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
Life of the battery in a keyfob

Any one know the expected life of the battery in a 2015 Golf TDi ?

Thanks in advance:)
 

TDIforDays

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2017
Location
USA
TDI
few of each 2.0 and 3.0
Go to the dealer and pay for a new key. Let this be a lesson not to lose keys.

I am sure you are getting PLENTY of cash during buyback. couple of hundred is not gonna make a big difference
 

maybe368

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2014
Location
Phoenix
TDI
Happily none
Go to the dealer and pay for a new key. Let this be a lesson not to lose keys.

I am sure you are getting PLENTY of cash during buyback. couple of hundred is not gonna make a big difference
I know that is expensive, but a single key for a car is just not a good thing. I got my 300 SDL with only 1 key, one of those that require a small milling machine to make a copy of. I could buy a blank on eBay for 15 bucks, but the cutting of it cost 45 dollars including a blank . I asked the guy if I had brought in a blank, how much would it have cost. He said 45 dollar, I have to pay for a mini milling machine that rarely gets used...Mark
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
What an expensive mistake.

Joined AAA for $105, plus first day towing service $35

Dealer charged $285 for a spare key(!), and $100 for programming, total $428 OTD.

So that's $568 out of the window, folks. DON'T EVER LOSE YOUR CAR KEY!
 

FVWVWF

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Location
Canada
TDI
Sold - 2012 TDI Highline Manual
What an expensive mistake.

Joined AAA for $105, plus first day towing service $35

Dealer charged $285 for a spare key(!), and $100 for programming, total $428 OTD.

So that's $568 out of the window, folks. DON'T EVER LOSE YOUR CAR KEY!
Thats crappy....happened to my buddy as well.
Maybe this will help in the future. :D
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/key-lanyard
 

scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
Way back in 2003, when we bought the 2000 NB - our CPO came with only ONE FOB /key. GRRR . Fortunately, at that time you could get a Valet key / cut and programmed for "only" $90 - as compared to $150 for a FOB and key and programming. Then about 6 months later , we had the car into the dealer for service, and they had a breakin for the keys to be serviced. GRRRR again - had to buy ANOTHER valet key , but at least the dealer picked up what wasn't covered by insurance. When we asked about why didn't they cover ALL the costs - their remark was "WE are the victim here" -excuse me - am I chopped liver ?!?!? That was when we started looking for independent mechanics.
 

y2kbird

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 29, 2006
Location
earth
TDI
'02 Black Jetta, '03 Blue Jetta
What an expensive mistake.

Joined AAA for $105, plus first day towing service $35

Dealer charged $285 for a spare key(!), and $100 for programming, total $428 OTD.

So that's $568 out of the window, folks. DON'T EVER LOSE YOUR CAR KEY!
Is this a bad time to mention that AAA will reimburse upto $150 towards locksmith/key replacement service, depending on region and membership tier? http://www.aaa.com/aaa/001/benefits.htm On EVERY car I buy, one key goes in my safe, always. Nobody ever touches the second. That way if a key is missing it is easier to retrace its last steps and the drivers last steps.
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
Is this a bad time to mention that AAA will reimburse upto $150 towards locksmith/key replacement service, depending on region and membership tier? http://www.aaa.com/aaa/001/benefits.htm On EVERY car I buy, one key goes in my safe, always. Nobody ever touches the second. That way if a key is missing it is easier to retrace its last steps and the drivers last steps.
Can AAA make a replacement audi key?

They even were not able to open the car door. Tried twice.
 

Airpizz6

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Location
Bel Air, MD
TDI
Now TDI-free, but there now is a 15 MB E250 BT in the driveway
Modern technology is great but situations like this make me scratch my head.

Was quite fortunate when I picked up our '15 MB E250 in March. It came with three complete key fobs. One for the wife, one for me, one for the safety deposit box.
 

kooyajerms

grocery getter
Joined
May 5, 2004
Location
Pomona, Southern California
TDI
97 B4V (mine), 11 x5 35d (hers) 04 V10 (that one you want), 2014 Q7 (mom's) 74 Shasta 1400
Is this a bad time to mention that AAA will reimburse upto $150 towards locksmith/key replacement service, depending on region and membership tier? http://www.aaa.com/aaa/001/benefits.htm On EVERY car I buy, one key goes in my safe, always. Nobody ever touches the second. That way if a key is missing it is easier to retrace its last steps and the drivers last steps.
Wouldn't have worked for the Audi. No one else cuts them. VW it may have worked, but not for this one.
 

Rico567

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Location
Central IL
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL Premium (Turned in 7/7/18)
Lost my main keyring last year, for the first time EVER. A diligent retracing of my steps enabled me to find it, but since it had been dropped along the edge of a cornfield, I think it was pure luck that I spotted it.
So— I went out and bought a set of Key Ringer key finder devices (available at fine stores and Amazon everywhere). They're fob-sized, come in a set of two, and me and my wife each carry one. They will not communicate with your phone or a network or anything like that, they can only call each other, but when the button is pressed, the other one rings LOUDLY, manufacturer claims 300 feet, which I wouldn't bet on with my ears. So far, although we tested them after purchase, we haven't had a real incident.
Way cheaper and less hassle than replacing keys.

NB: It's easy to say "don't lose your car keys." That works until it happens. Human beings make mistakes, the only thing we can do is make whatever happens manageable, and I think the best advice in this thread is to always have a spare key— never go with just one.
 
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S2000_guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2013
Location
ohio
TDI
2014 Sportwagen TDI
Different strokes for different folks, but...

Whenever we travel out of town, we make sure that my wife has a key to my car in her purse. I've been on a couple of trips out of town/vacations where the driver lost the keys or locked them in the car. People make mistakes. So I prefer to have the spare key somewhere where it's available to us to take along anytime we go out of town.

(We figure that if we get stuck locally, we can get someone to bail us out; out of state it's different.)
 

MBQ

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Location
Houston, TX
TDI
2012 Golf TDI 4Dr DSG
So eventually I paid the audi dealer a total of $289.44 to make the key, and that offers a little condolence.
 

2015vwgolfdiesel

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Location
Oklahoma
TDI
2015 VW Golf S DSG Silver
Different strokes for different folks, but...

Whenever we travel out of town, we make sure that my wife has a key to my car in her purse. I've been on a couple of trips out of town/vacations where the driver lost the keys or locked them in the car. People make mistakes. So I prefer to have the spare key somewhere where it's available to us to take along anytime we go out of town.

(We figure that if we get stuck locally, we can get someone to bail us out; out of state it's different.)
That makes good sense.
 
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