Hatch opens randomly - any ideas

[philsmith]

Yes it is getting pressed in my pocket I realise that, but I hate having lots of keys and key fobs so just having the key in my pocket at all times is how I like it.

Never had this problem on two previous keyless E classes.

What I would like to know is if it is possible to reprogram the key/car so the hatch will only open when you are close to the car?

[BFG1]

Yes it is getting pressed in my pocket I realise that, but I hate having lots of keys and key fobs so just having the key in my pocket at all times is how I like it.

Never had this problem on two previous keyless E classes.

What I would like to know is if it is possible to reprogram the key/car so the hatch will only open when you are close to the car?

 

I've never had this with a VAG key either, so it must be a slight design fault on this new design of key.

 

My wife is now smug as like you I like to keep all my essential keys in my pocket so I don't forget them, now she's got her way & the car key stays out! I've now had to open the front door numerous times to go back for the car key.

 

I'd be interested in being able to limit the range of the boot opener too!

[philsmith]

I only keep the car key in my pocket.

Then I only go out with the house keys, all other keys are kept in the house separate, as I said I hate carrying keys of any kind, especially if they have silly fobs attached.

I have one of these to keep the house keys in,

 

[Superb170]

I only keep the car key in my pocket.

Then I only go out with the house keys, all other keys are kept in the house separate, as I said I hate carrying keys of any kind, especially if they have silly fobs attached.

I have one of these to keep the house keys in,

 

That's a neat idea!

[Guest]

I use Key Ninja. Groupon usually have a deal with them (approximately £8), it's got an LED torch either side and a bottle opener!

[l4wrence]

I was thinking there may be some sort of generic hard case that the car key could fit into to stop buttons pressing accidentally when in a pocket. Had a search on Google but couldn't really find anything suitable.

[philsmith]

Yes a carbon fibre case would be nice, then the buttons would be recessed, hopefully someone might make one at some point.

 

found one similar for a VW

 

Edited 3 February, 2016 by philsmith

[thepook]

Mine has just done this and its not keyless...keys were in my pocket and, to be fair, my jeans are probably a little tighter since Christmas.

 

Is there any way to set it so that the boot cannot be opened from the key unless the car is unlocked?

Edited 7 February, 2016 by thepook

[T800]

You have to be standing by the car to close the hatch with the key so could the key/car be programmed so you cannot open it without being next/near to the car?

 

A bump for this issue.

 

It took me a while to identify the probable cause, which seems to be confirmed on here (key fob in trouser pocket). I do now try to remember to leave the key out of my pocket when going into the house but I occasionally forget. Like this evening, tired after work and battling man flu all day. Boot (estate) wide open again tonight so just as well I checked before locking up the house for the night. 

 

I've really lost confidence in the car because of this issue. I worry that there are many situations that might arise where I would forget to treat the key fob with kid gloves if in a hurry or otherwise distracted. What if the boot opened just after leaving the car in a car park. I could be in range of the car but if it's not in line of sight and too far away for me to hear the beeps I'd be none the wiser until returning to the car. (This happened when staying with a family member in his fifth-floor apartment last summer – the car was fine when I looked out the window at breakfast time but when we went down to the car around 11 a.m. the boot was wide open.)

 

It's easy to say I should get in the habit of being careful with the key fob and only leaving it out on a flat surface button-side-up when at home but what about when visiting relatives, taking the car on a ferry or staying in a hotel? On trips like these it's second nature for me to keep the key with me in the front pocket of my trousers.

 

Care manufacturers know that an accidental door-unlock signal can happen. Like many cars, if the Superb's central locking is activated accidentally and the car passenger doors unlock the doors will lock again shortly afterwards if there's no activity at the car and a door is not opened. When the boot opens this is not the case. The car remains open to the elements (and anyone passing by) and the car alarm is deactivated. Even a second random press of the key fob's tailgate button is of no use because the boot cannot be closed with that button unless you're standing by the back of the car with the fob in your hand.

 

Has anyone on here contacted Skoda about this?

 

I really believe it is verging on being a recall issue. At the very least, when a car is being booked in for its next service the dealer should be asking for both keys to be dropped off with the car and Skoda should be issuing software fixes (or replacement key fobs, if that's what it takes) that limit the range of the boot button on the fob to just one metre.

[philsmith]

I keep searching for a key cover for the key but there is no suitable one at the moment.

When there is this should cure the problem as the buttons will then not stand proud, but as you say, it really is not acceptable that the car does this in the first place!

[CTRob]

Taken from the VCDS thread: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PVYHNQY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1?tag=b0f1c-21

[eurotraveller]

Have the same annoying problem!

 

May give this a go: http://www.keyart.de/gruppe,schluesselcover,de/Skoda,12050,12053,ab-082012

 

On the previous page (http://www.keyart.de/gruppe,schluesselcover,de/Skoda,12050,Superb ) it states that this will – if you have an L&K – fit only the ‘spare’ key, not the key with the faux chrome ends for some reason.

[philsmith]

None of those covers will fit my key, mine is a L&K and has Kessy.

 

Both my keys are the same btw

Edited 19 January, 2017 by philsmith

[CTRob]

I know it is an inconvenience but as a temporary measure can remote opening of the boot by the key be disabled?

[RickTT]

One press of the boot equals unlocked.

 

Long press equals unlock and release catch.

 

Pretty sure you wil be able to code out the long press feature.

 

I had a Mk4 Golf GTI and got a MK5 key and coded that to enable the boot release.

Edited 19 January, 2017 by RickTT

[micloi]

This saved me from this issue:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PVYHNQY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[T800]

I know it is an inconvenience but as a temporary measure can remote opening of the boot by the key be disabled?

 

I wish it could. I don't use the feature (apart from by accident  :notme: ). I did when I first got the car and was reading through the owner's manual and pressing the buttons on the fob to observe their function. Apart from that, I don't thing I've ever thought to intentionally unlock the boot using that button on the key fob. I don't think that there is anything I can do in the car's settings screens to disable the fob's boot-unlock button.

[T800]

Have the same annoying problem!

 

May give this a go: http://www.keyart.de/gruppe,schluesselcover,de/Skoda,12050,12053,ab-082012

 

On the previous page (http://www.keyart.de/gruppe,schluesselcover,de/Skoda,12050,Superb ) it states that this will – if you have an L&K – fit only the ‘spare’ key, not the key with the faux chrome ends for some reason.

 

 

This saved me from this issue:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PVYHNQY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

This could be worth a go, as an interim fix. Hard to tell from the photos and description on the site if the sides are rigid enough to prevent compression of the button but given that it has worked for micloi....

 

I'd prefer Skoda to get on with altering the functionality so that the fob's boot-opening button cannot be operated unless the key is within, as the manual states for the boot-closing function, "a maximum distance of about 2 m from the door". 

[micloi]

This could be worth a go, as an interim fix. Hard to tell from the photos and description on the site if the sides are rigid enough to prevent compression of the button but given that it has worked for micloi....

 

I'd prefer Skoda to get on with altering the functionality so that the fob's boot-opening button cannot be operated unless the key is within, as the manual states for the boot-closing function, "a maximum distance of about 2 m from the door". 

 

It is rigid enough and also the dimensions are almost perfect for the size of the fob. And I paid £2 more when I ordered mine ... ;(

[Prykey]

Tempting fate here I know but never had an issue with mine, once I'm home I take the keys out of my pocket and put them in a drawer.

[philsmith]

Ok got so fed up with this that I decided to take drastic action.

 

Took  the key apart, easy but you do need a very small torx driver, and took out the buttons.

On the back of the boot opening button there is a small peg that presses on the switch, cut this off with a sharp knife, put it all back together and hey presto, boot opening is now totally disabled!

 

Looking back I guess I could have just shortened the peg a little so you had to press harder for it to activate. I'll see if I miss the function or not and I could always glue a little bit of plastic onto the button if I needed to or modify the spare key as well.

 

But happy now that I will not come out in the morning to find the boot wide open!

 

Yes I know I could have taken the key out of my pocket whilst in doors but I prefer to keep it in my trouser pocket, just a habit really.

[Prykey]

Ok got so fed up with this that I decided to take drastic action.

 

Took  the key apart, easy but you do need a very small torx driver, and took out the buttons.

On the back of the boot opening button there is a small peg that presses on the switch, cut this off with a sharp knife, put it all back together and hey presto, boot opening is now totally disabled!

 

Looking back I guess I could have just shortened the peg a little so you had to press harder for it to activate. I'll see if I miss the function or not and I could always glue a little bit of plastic onto the button if I needed to or modify the spare key as well.

 

But happy now that I will not come out in the morning to find the boot wide open!

 

Yes I know I could have taken the key out of my pocket whilst in doors but I prefer to keep it in my trouser pocket, just a habit really.

 

Glad you found a way that suits you philsmith, its all about what fits your requirements. For me its helped with a trait that I had which was always having the car keys in my pocket and as I go sometimes 2-weeks without using the car I don't really need to carry them all the time so putting them in a drawer kills two birds with one action :D

[BillyJim]

This saved me from this issue:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00PVYHNQY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

  :thumbup:

Thanks micloi. Per your post I ordered the case you suggest and it duly arrived this morning.

Since I posted in this thread back in December 2015 I've only had about two or three erroneous activations, which is still two or three too many.

So out I went with the chrome topped key in it's nice new leather case safely ensconced in my tightest trouser pocket. God knows what the neighbours were thinking as I stood out there pressing and rubbing my pockets, doing squats and Benny Hill impersonations, but I simply couldn't get the boot opening to activate.

On the other hand, giving the case a good tight squeeze in the middle I was still able to open the boot remotely, so no qualms about fiddling with the case to get the key out on the rare occasion I might actually need the function.

[facet edge]

I don't know if it has been changed but I have to press hold the button for a considerable time before the boot opens, one quick push does nothing.

Maybe my fob is faulty but I have to make a determined push to operate it. Unlocking the doors is a quick press as normal.

[Prykey]

  :thumbup:

Thanks micloi. Per your post I ordered the case you suggest and it duly arrived this morning.

Since I posted in this thread back in December 2015 I've only had about two or three erroneous activations, which is still two or three too many.

So out I went with the chrome topped key in it's nice new leather case safely ensconced in my tightest trouser pocket. God knows what the neighbours were thinking as I stood out there pressing and rubbing my pockets, doing squats and Benny Hill impersonations, but I simply couldn't get the boot opening to activate.

On the other hand, giving the case a good tight squeeze in the middle I was still able to open the boot remotely, so no qualms about fiddling with the case to get the key out on the rare occasion I might actually need the function.

 

You haven't got a video of you trying out your key cover have you BillyJim :D

Edited 20 January, 2017 by Prykey