Why would the SKC on the scratch off not work? (01' NB)

03TDICommuter

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01' NB, 5spd
I was excited that I had the scratch off label for the 01' NB I bought but when I went to program the new keys, VCDS said the SKC wasn't correct. I don't believe the previous owner changed the cluster.

The key code on the label is correct, so it matches my Beetle. Anyone know why the PIN on the scratch off wouldn't work? I saw in VCDS a warning about the battery voltage needing to be 12.5V, but would that affect whether the PIN is accepted? Is the PIN not really a PIN that can be used directly? (I did put a 0 at the front to make it 5 digits)

If all else fails, I'll rent a genuine vag tacho cable. I spent many hours today trying to find other software tools that would work with the generic VAG KKL cable I have, and all have failed.
 

03TDICommuter

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01' NB, 5spd
Are you sure you're entering it in the correct block? I did mine a couple months ago. There is one block I recall looking like the correct place to enter it, but it is not.
VCDS prompts me immediately when I go to log into the cluster. This video shows what's going on except after I enter my code, I get an error saying the code is incorrect and to cycle power to try again.
 

Genesis

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Sevier County TN
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'03 Jetta Wagon
You're in the right place if you're following that video -- when you said CLUSTER I thought perhaps you were in the adaptation section, which is wrong. That SHOULD work (I've used it successfully.)

DO check the lock times and that the keys can be matched -- look here: http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/Immobilizer_III_Key_Matching_(Cluster)

If they lock times are NOT ALL ZERO then you're locked out and must wait until they are all zero. The do not count unless the ignition is ON.
 

03TDICommuter

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01' NB, 5spd
You're in the right place if you're following that video -- when you said CLUSTER I thought perhaps you were in the adaptation section, which is wrong. That SHOULD work (I've used it successfully.)

DO check the lock times and that the keys can be matched -- look here: http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/Immobilizer_III_Key_Matching_(Cluster)

If they lock times are NOT ALL ZERO then you're locked out and must wait until they are all zero. The do not count unless the ignition is ON.
I should be IMMO 2 and I don't see any wait time for that.
 

Genesis

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'03 Jetta Wagon
Yeah, you should be 2 based on the year and those other fields are there for that.... my bad.

I guess "pull the SKC" may be your only real option.
 

03TDICommuter

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01' NB, 5spd
Yeah, you should be 2 based on the year and those other fields are there for that.... my bad.

I guess "pull the SKC" may be your only real option.
Yeah, I agree. I was hoping to find software that would work with a few cables I have, but many of the download links have dried up for this 20 year old car. If I don't get anywhere in a few days, I'll rent the genuine cable + software
 

03TDICommuter

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Just rented a Vag-Tacho cable from TuneMyEuro.com. Keeping my fingers crossed that it does the job on the 01' Beetle.
 

Nevada_TDI

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Reno, sort of...
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2001 Jetta TDI
I was excited that I had the scratch off label for the 01' NB I bought but when I went to program the new keys, VCDS said the SKC wasn't correct. I don't believe the previous owner changed the cluster.

The key code on the label is correct, so it matches my Beetle. Anyone know why the PIN on the scratch off wouldn't work? I saw in VCDS a warning about the battery voltage needing to be 12.5V, but would that affect whether the PIN is accepted? Is the PIN not really a PIN that can be used directly? (I did put a 0 at the front to make it 5 digits)

If all else fails, I'll rent a genuine vag tacho cable. I spent many hours today trying to find other software tools that would work with the generic VAG KKL cable I have, and all have failed.
I must be missing something...If your one key works, and you are wanting to program another, all you need is the new key and 10 minutes. As I said, I think I am on the wrong page.
 

KrashDH

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Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
TDI
2002 Golf
I must be missing something...If your one key works, and you are wanting to program another, all you need is the new key and 10 minutes. As I said, I think I am on the wrong page.
You can program a fob if you have one working key fob but to program the RFID chip to the cluster you need the SKC to do that.
 

03TDICommuter

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So. Cal
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01' NB, 5spd
Exactly. I've already paired the new fobs. Unable to pair the keys. I wrote to the original owner to see if the cluster is the original one in the car, waiting for an answer. On the scratch off tag, there's some other tiny numbers there that look like they might be the cluster's serial number, and if so, they don't match.
 

Nuje

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Island near Vancouver
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2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
2001 we bought (used) had a tag as well that I thought might be the SKC. Had no use for it for the longest time, but then got a ½ MFA and tried - no luck. Tried again - nada.

Pulled out VAG-TACHO....totally different number. (And I'm like 99% sure the cluster had never been swapped).

I'd use the little software tool that @gmenounos developed and verify what the SKC is (hopefully it works with your cluster).
 

03TDICommuter

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Should be delivered on Tuesday. Keeping my fingers crossed that it’ll be a slam dunk getting the correct skc code
 

03TDICommuter

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01' NB, 5spd
Update: I received a genuine Vag Tacho cable today from TuneMyEuro (rental). I mirrored my laptop HD, uninstalled the anti-virus, then installed the VagTacho software, hooked it to my Beetle and pulled the PIN without trouble.

The pin from VagTach read 05146. The pin on the scratch off is 1645. So the same digits, but not the same order (ignoring the leading zero).

I don't know if this will help anyone in the future, but if you have the scratch off and it doesn't work, try and re-order the digits like mine is re-ordered and see if it now works.

After trying a bunch of things, I finally now have 3 working keys/fobs.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
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May 29, 2004
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central Ohio
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New Beetle 2003 manual
Not familiar with this scratch off. Where is it?
If you've used a "free" copy of that software, you may want to format that hard drive when done. Offline virus scan tool on a bootable cd or usb stick might clear it.
 

03TDICommuter

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Dec 8, 2016
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So. Cal
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01' NB, 5spd
Not familiar with this scratch off. Where is it?
If you've used a "free" copy of that software, you may want to format that hard drive when done. Offline virus scan tool on a bootable cd or usb stick might clear it.
It was apparently attached to the original keys. The previous owner put it inside the owner's manual.

I mirrored the drive so that I could just erase it when I was done. Not free software, but original VagTacho software but even it trips antivirus software and wouldn't install. (even says to disable AV on the TuneMyEuro website). Thankfully cloning SSD drives is quick.
 

Nuje

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Island near Vancouver
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Somewhat unrelated, but what's the best software for cloning a Windows HD / SSD these days? I'm good with the Mac, but Ghost 2003 is the last Windows cloning tool I've used.
 

03TDICommuter

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So. Cal
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01' NB, 5spd
Somewhat unrelated, but what's the best software for cloning a Windows HD / SSD these days? I'm good with the Mac, but Ghost 2003 is the last Windows cloning tool I've used.
I have a standalone duplicator that works okay as long as the destination SSD is the same size or larger than the source.

For times where I want to clone a disk that isn't full into a smaller disk with enough space, I'll use Macrium Reflect which is free and runs under windows.
 
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benmarks

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Jun 14, 2003
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Portland, OR
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2004 Jetta GLS Sedan Platinum Gray
Not familiar with this scratch off. Where is it?
Yeah, some VERY early MK4 cars came with the SKC on a scratch off label in the glovebox. I believe this stopped in 2001 so the OP is right at the cutoff.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
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Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
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2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Any chance that scratch-off label thing is the SAFE code for the stereo?
 

BobnOH

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May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
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New Beetle 2003 manual
Somewhat unrelated, but what's the best software for cloning a Windows HD / SSD these days? I'm good with the Mac, but Ghost 2003 is the last Windows cloning tool I've used.
It should be easy peasy, no special software required. https://www.tenforums.com/
Commuter- I would be concerned that any infected software will also find it's way to your primary drive.
 

03TDICommuter

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Dec 8, 2016
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So. Cal
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01' NB, 5spd
Commuter- I would be concerned that any infected software will also find it's way to your primary drive.
The primary drive was physically removed. The only risk is if the virus infected the bios. At no point did both drives get connected to the same machine.
 

KrashDH

Top Post Dawg
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Dec 22, 2013
Location
Washington
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2002 Golf
Somewhat unrelated, but what's the best software for cloning a Windows HD / SSD these days? I'm good with the Mac, but Ghost 2003 is the last Windows cloning tool I've used.
I use Macrium Reflect. Great software and product support. There's a free and pain version
 
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