Extending range of keyless entry remote

I had a look at the HOW TO for extending the range of the keyless remote but this doesn't seem to be applicable to my 99.5 Jetta. I took off all the necessary dash parts and the two wire plugs I have going in are a beige block of wires (on the left) and a blue plug connector on the right. In neither one of these do I see a clear cased copper wire that would be the infamous short antenna that I need to tap in to.

Has anyone performed this mod on a 99.5 Jetta? Just kind of stuck that the HOW TO perhaps let me a bit astray.

This was the one I tried but to no avail.....
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1484540&page=2

The 99.5s do not have the wire. It must be added. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time.

1. Face car
2. Open mouth wide
3. Place remote under chin
4. Push button

Sounds mighty crazy and looks totally retarded, but dang if it don't work.

egibbys said:

The 99.5s do not have the wire. It must be added. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time.

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So which slot do you plug it into then?

DoctorDawg said:

1. Face car
2. Open mouth wide
3. Place remote under chin
4. Push button

Sounds mighty crazy and looks totally retarded, but dang if it don't work.

Click to expand...

I know, I read here today that it works but I'd rather an alternative. I could choke on a bug or something.

Here is the TSB for the fix.

http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/517/2068Extending_Remote_Range_VW_TSB.pdf

egibbys said:

Here is the TSB for the fix.

http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/517/2068Extending_Remote_Range_VW_TSB.pdf

Click to expand...

Thanks, I wonder if you could make Part No: 1JM 970 228 out of something. Just two non-connected wires perhaps? Would you want a short wire for the ground and the positive one being the longer one that you run up the A pillar for extended range?

b1jackson said:

Thanks, I wonder if you could make Part No: 1JM 970 228 out of something. Just two non-connected wires perhaps? Would you want a short wire for the ground and the positive one being the longer one that you run up the A pillar for extended range?

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Yes you may be able to make your own wire. Its the connector thought that is tricky to replicate. I believe the positive wire is the one that you want to run up the A pillar. I assume the other end of the ground wire just gounds to something. It doesn't need to be long.

For $7 at the dealer, I decided not to mess around with trying to make something up (the connectors would be problematic) and just ordered it. I got it today and its about 18 inches long. I soldered a long wire onto the + wire and I'll run this up along the pillar.

The guy at the service dept. had no idea what I was ordering when I gave him the part #. Also the technicians had no idea what it was either. Pretty simple fix for an annoying problem.

I now have all kinds of range! Thanks TDI club. This is an awesome under $10 and under 1/2 hour mod!

b1jackson said:

I know, I read here today that it works but I'd rather an alternative. I could choke on a bug or something.

Click to expand...

So don't open your mouth, it works just fine without the oral aperture.
Actually, I hadn't heard of opening the mouth technique, does that increase the range even further?

Save looking like a dork and hook up an antenna. The holding to your throat thing is a bit better but not much. Maybe depends on how many dental fillings you have or metal plates in your head.

b1jackson said:

For $7 at the dealer, I decided not to mess around with trying to make something up (the connectors would be problematic) and just ordered it. I got it today and its about 18 inches long. I soldered a long wire onto the + wire and I'll run this up along the pillar.

The guy at the service dept. had no idea what I was ordering when I gave him the part #. Also the technicians had no idea what it was either. Pretty simple fix for an annoying problem.

I now have all kinds of range! Thanks TDI club. This is an awesome under $10 and under 1/2 hour mod!

Click to expand...

So did that come with a ground wire or not? If it did where did you send the ground?

yes, its a two wire cable. I basically replaced it with the part and in the exact manner of the VW bulletin that someone posted earlier. The negative plugged into one part of the harness and the positive on the other.

DoctorDawg said:

1. Face car
2. Open mouth wide
3. Place remote under chin
4. Push button

Sounds mighty crazy and looks totally retarded, but dang if it don't work.

Click to expand...

This works best with a pointy tinfoil hat. Try it at a gtg and watch how well it works, especially after a few beers to help concentrate the brain waves.

b1jackson said:

yes, its a two wire cable. I basically replaced it with the part and in the exact manner of the VW bulletin that someone posted earlier. The negative plugged into one part of the harness and the positive on the other.

Click to expand...

Where did the other end of the negative go?

egibbys said:

Where did the other end of the negative go?

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There are two connectors (one + and one -) that snap into the harness plug. These wires are just tape wrapped into a plastic sleeve about 18 inches long. From the part received from the dealer, that is meant to be the whole antenna and you just strap that inside your dash as per the bulletin. I just pulled the tape of the plastic sleeve to access the + wire and I soldered onto it with a 6 foot extension. I guess the negative just stays taped up in the plastic sleeve. I tucked that portion under the dash and ran the 6' extension wire up and hidden in my pillar.

I don't believe the negative one is that important to ground as you would a typical ground (ie) to a clean metal surface. The part received from the dealer gave no option of this so I didn't bother with it.

Will this work on a 2010 Audi A3? I seem to be having this problem also.

I did this to my 2001 and found little to no improvement. Bought a used fob from FleaBay and it had much better range.
After I washed the new fob with my jeans the range went down to about the same as the old one??
I think there may be a connection there somewhere!

Seriously.

DoctorDawg said:

1. Face car
2. Open mouth wide
3. Place remote under chin
4. Push button

Sounds mighty crazy and looks totally retarded, but dang if it don't work.

Click to expand...

It's crazy but it works, worked on my Pontiac too.

Conrad -JSW said:

It's crazy but it works, worked on my Pontiac too.

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If you hold it above your head in your hand, do you get even better range?

where2 said:

If you hold it above your head in your hand, do you get even better range?

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Not as good as placing the fob under your chin and using your head as an 'antenna extender'. Try it for yourself and see.

Saw another post, but try this before cutting. I only had a 10ft range with my remote. Found advice to extend range. Took everything apart, then decided to test range and get an effective range to compare. Plugged it back in and started testing while backing away. Suddenly 10ft was now 170ft when I finnally backed into a fence. Maybe the only prob is a bad connection. If not here is another site with good pics.
http://billswebspace.com/ExtendingMKIVKeyFobAntennaRange.htm

Uncle Milty said:

Bought a used fob from FleaBay and it had much better range. After I washed the new fob with my jeans the range went down to about the same as the old one??
I think there may be a connection there somewhere!

Click to expand...

Have you tried to clean the FOB after this by removing the battery and spraying with electronics part cleaner or dip/soak it in high proof isopropyl let completely dry and try it.