My skoda has key fob with physical spring-loaded key. I lock/unlock my car using the key fob and start the engine with the key. Today I was in a mall parking when my fob battery died. Since my door handle has an obvious lock that is always there, I tried to unlock it with the physical key. Little did I know that it would set the alarm off because locking with the fob + unlocking with a key was considered a security breach by the car's computer. Anyways, a quick google search showed me how to change the battery. I quickly went back in, bought a new battery, used one of the open ended scissors to pry the old battery and insert the new one. 

 

Now I have 2 questions. First, does it mean I have to carry a CR2025 battery and a precision flathead screwdriver on me in case this happens again? Because the physical key did not unlock the door, it just made the alarm give me tinnitus.

Second, what would have happened if I lost the fob completely? Does the spare key (that is just the key, no fob) unlock the car locked by the fob? Or is it useless in this case? If I'm 200Kms away from home, can I go get the spare key or do I have the car towed to the nearest skoda service?

The battery only powers the remote unlock feature. Unlocking the door with the key should not set off the alarm. If it did you may have a fault somewhere in the system.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Hi, welcome, no problem but you have posted in the wrong forum, and less likely to be seen here by the general site population.

 

You don't say what model you have but as my wife done exactly the same the other day all is fresh in my mind.

 

Yes the alarm sounds and is noisy if you open the car with the keyblade (ETA: well it did for us and the same on a neighbour's car that only has a spare keyblade)  but if you quickly put the keyblade in the ignition and turn it on your ears will thank you as will others around.

 

The keyblade should open the door - unless your model operates different to my wife's but you may have been turning the keyblade in the wrong direction, VW go the opposite way to what I'd expect.

 

Up to you if you carry a spare fob battery and small Xmas cracker screwdriver but it would be best to change the battery before it gets too low and to use the fob when you are near the car rather than a long way off (as I used to have to remind my wife).  On my wife's fob there is a little red light on it so you can see if the fob is at least transmitting. 

 

Are you sure its a CR2025 (20mm wide by 2.5mm deep), I think that's what I put in my wife's fob.

 

As far as I know the spare key without remote does not turn on or off the alarm, I can't remember if the alarms can be disabled (other than turning off interior (and tilt for towing?)

 

For better answers than Google and me consult your Owner's Manual, read it and you will know a lot more about your car and its functions and odd VW ideas.  If you don't have the paper printed copy  or if you prefer you can usually download a pdf copy from the following link. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

Do check in the Owner's Manual if the fob needs synchronising after replacing the fob battery (yours may not but I do not know, best to check).

 

You are best posting in the forum for your model (and mark or year) but if you say what you have got I or others can direct you (I am just an ordinary poster) or you can find it for yourself, I'm guessing you have an older model but I might be wrong.

 

A good tip for you from me is not to let your car battery too low in charge, even if the car starts and the lights seem bright enough your car battery could still be too low and need charging and depending on your use just driving the car may not be sufficient to properly recharge the battery particularly this time of year.

 

Good luck.

 

Edited 4 December, 20223 yr by nta16
ETA: typo

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

28 minutes ago, chimaera said:

The battery only powers the remote unlock feature. Unlocking the door with the key should not set off the alarm. If it did you may have a fault somewhere in the system.

(I was still typing as you posted.)  You may well be right as I don't know the OP's model but using the keyblade on my wife's 2015 Fabia set the alarm off for her and when I tried later with the keyblade.  Now originally we may both have initially set the alarm off by turning the keyblade in the wrong direction by habit, I don't know as I quickly had to stop it as it was at night and obviously now is too early in the morning to try again going the correct way (if I remembered the correct way as its arse-about-face to my mind).  I'll try later if I remember.

 

Edited 4 December, 20223 yr by nta16
the book told me

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

@chimaera On my wife's 2015 Fabia (from the VW confusingly called 'Operating Instructions') Owner's Manual / Driver's Handbook.

 

Edited 4 December, 20223 yr by nta16

Oh, sorry for the missing info. It's 2016 Rapid Spaceback 

8 hours ago, nta16 said:

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

Hi, welcome, no problem but you have posted in the wrong forum, and less likely to be seen here by the general site population.

 

You don't say what model you have but as my wife done exactly the same the other day all is fresh in my mind.

 

Yes the alarm sounds and is noisy if you open the car with the keyblade (ETA: well it did for us and the same on a neighbour's car that only has a spare keyblade)  but if you quickly put the keyblade in the ignition and turn it on your ears will thank you as will others around.

 

The keyblade should open the door - unless your model operates different to my wife's but you may have been turning the keyblade in the wrong direction, VW go the opposite way to what I'd expect.

 

Up to you if you carry a spare fob battery and small Xmas cracker screwdriver but it would be best to change the battery before it gets too low and to use the fob when you are near the car rather than a long way off (as I used to have to remind my wife).  On my wife's fob there is a little red light on it so you can see if the fob is at least transmitting. 

 

Are you sure its a CR20252 (20mm wide by 2.5mm deep), I think that's what I put in my wife's fob.

 

As far as I know the spare key without remote does not turn on or off the alarm, I can't remember if the alarms can be disabled (other than turning off interior (and tilt for towing?)

 

For better answers than Google and me consult your Owner's Manual, read it and you will know a lot more about your car and its functions and odd VW ideas.  If you don't have the paper printed copy  or if you prefer you can usually download a pdf copy from the following link. - https://manual.skoda-auto.com/004/en-com/Models

 

Do check in the Owner's Manual if the fob needs synchronising after replacing the fob battery (yours may not but I do not know, best to check).

 

You are best posting in the forum for your model (and mark or year) but if you say what you have got I or others can direct you (I am just an ordinary poster) or you can find it for yourself, I'm guessing you have an older model but I might be wrong.

 

A good tip for you from me is not to let your car battery too low in charge, even if the car starts and the lights seem bright enough your car battery could still be too low and need charging and depending on your use just driving the car may not be sufficient to properly recharge the battery particularly this time of year.

 

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the detailed information. I'd like to shed a little light on the matter. 

 

The car is 2016 Rapid Spaceback 

 

In the panic I may have not turned the key correctly. Could you please tell what direction should I turn the key to open the door? 

 

The reason this happened is because there were no signs of the low battery. Even the last unlock I did was from 10+ meters. 

 

Yes, it's CR2025. I saw it when I popped the cover on the fob. 

 

Sure, will check what the manual says. 

 

I posted here because surely the alarm system in my car isn't specific to this model and year, right? 

9 hours ago, nta16 said:

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

@chimaera On my wife's 2015 Fabia (from the VW confusingly called 'Operating Instructions') Owner's Manual / Driver's Handbook.

 

Wow, that's stupid!

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

1 hour ago, chimaera said:

Wow, that's stupid!

 

To me a perfect fit with VW's computer programs.  😄

 

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

@musa800 10m, I would suggest you get nearer, a lot nearer, to the car to lock it and unlock it, I have no proof but feel it would wear the battery more from a distance, certainly if there is interference in the area, the greater the distance the greater the chance of interfere.

 

I would imagine that the alarms systems did at least vary over the years but again do not know.  I am surprised that a 2016 car still has a spare key (blade) only and not two remotes as with my wife's but car manufacturers work to decimal places of pennies / cents with costings.

 

From 2016 Rapid Owner's Manual for yourself and other viewers.

 

 

 

Edited 4 December, 20223 yr by nta16
taking on other ideas

17 minutes ago, nta16 said:

I have no proof but feel it would wear the battery more from a distance

Nonsense.

 

To extend the effective range of a 433mhz central locking keyfob put it under your chin and touch it to the flesh of the neck before pressing the button, it sounds crazy but really does work and I can only speculate as to why.

 

It also works with garage door, gate controllers etc, maybe also on the 868mhz frequency ones, I have not tried.

The keyfob transmitter will transmit the lock/unlock signal at a fixed signal strength, if too far away from the receiver unit, it (the receiver) will simply not operate.

Longer operation time of the transmitter keypress is likely to shorten fob battery life.  

Edited 4 December, 20223 yr by Warrior193
clarification

On 04/12/2022 at 00:57, chimaera said:

The battery only powers the remote unlock feature. Unlocking the door with the key should not set off the alarm. If it did you may have a fault somewhere in the system.

 

From my manual, 2003 Octavia:

"Unlocking the vehicle using the key

 

Note
If the vehicle is equipped with an anti-theft alarm system, you must unlock the
vehicle by inserting the key into the driver door you then have to insert the key into
the ignition lock and switch the ignition on within 15 seconds after unlocking the
door. The alarm will be triggered if you do not switch on the ignition within 15
seconds"

 

Not stupid, as it's a guard against people picking the lock before attempting to hotwire the car, or other similar methods of theft.

If only it were 15 seconds on the Yeti or I were able to reprogram it to that.

 

When I park up to go running or hiking I put a spare key without immobiliser chip in the fuel filler flap and lock the keys (hidden) in the carthe logic is that a thief could get in but not drive away.

 

When I return and open the drivers door with the dumb key the alarm goes off instantly, I have tried all the probable programming options in VCDS without success, does anyone have any ideas?

It is just as well to disable alarms because regardless of when they go off be it in a city, car park or even in a rural area nobody takes a blind bit of notice that matters or approaches you too question if you are the legit owner / driver.

They might give a look as you mess about getting the alarm off, maybe give you one of those looks like got the T-Shirt.

55 minutes ago, toot said:

It is just as well to disable alarms because regardless of when they go off be it in a city, car park or even in a rural area nobody takes a blind bit of notice that matters or approaches you too question if you are the legit owner / driver.

They might give a look as you mess about getting the alarm off, maybe give you one of those looks like got the T-Shirt.

People said the same thing when I fitted a motorcycle alarm, but it's nothing to do with them... It's there purely so *I* get woken up and prompted to blaze outside with something in hand with which to beat the bike thief senseless.

These days, however, you might get someone filming it on their smartphone at least, which may then identify the thief.

One hopes so if someone is stealing your vehicle.  Or they just film you setting off your own alarm to put on Chuckle of the day on BRISKODA. 

Or they film you beating the thief, sorry that should be victim, senseless.

 

The thief whose taxpayer funded lawyer comes out with a watertight excuse for why the innocent victim was beside your bike (he heard the alarm go off 😆) who gets acquitted despite a string of previous convictions whilst you get a prison sentence.

Edited 6 December, 20223 yr by J.R.

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything.

 

I think you'd have to go back to the days of Raffles for anyone to be picking a lock, a big screwdriver and perhaps hammer if needed has been the tool kit for decades, well it was decades back when my wife's unlocked car was broken into and the face of the non-face-off 'radio' was broken off and tax-disc stolen.  £400 worth of damage and the car was unlocked anyway and non-face-off radio left in dash, I think they might have been so young as to only know face-off 'radios' back then.  £7 to get another tax disc.

 

Best not to attack anyone.  "Dad held in Herts prison and appeared on 24 Hours in Police Custody after chasing robbers tells what it was like in jail" -https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/hertfordshire-news/dad-held-herts-prison-appeared-7892880 

 

On 06/12/2022 at 12:29, nta16 said:

 

I think you'd have to go back to the days of Raffles for anyone to be picking a lock, a big screwdriver and perhaps hammer if needed has been the tool kit for decades, well it was decades back when my wife's unlocked car was broken into and the face of the non-face-off 'radio' was broken off and tax-disc stolen.  £400 worth of damage and the car was unlocked anyway and non-face-off radio left in dash, I think they might have been so young as to only know face-off 'radios' back then.  £7 to get another tax disc.

 

Best not to attack anyone.  "Dad held in Herts prison and appeared on 24 Hours in Police Custody after chasing robbers tells what it was like in jail" -https://www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/news/hertfordshire-news/dad-held-herts-prison-appeared-7892880 

 

 

Anyone with a few quid and Google can obtain the tools and use-knowledge to 'pick' open a lock far faster than with a hammer and screwdriver, which results in the non-destructive theft of a vehicle and so yields a higher fenced price... I say 'pick' as it's often not the traditional technique of torque wrenches and rakes or anything, but still lock manipulation or even bypassing without braking anything. It's just unfortunate that only professional thieves bother with such things.

 

As for attacking.... I merely advise leaving no witnesses. That includes the ability of the thief to offer testimony.