I had notification from my local / supplying main dealer regarding a recall outstanding for my car stating 'There has been a recall go live on Karoqs and Kodiaqs regarding the vehicle locking the keys inside and we have to carry out a software update'.

 

I recall a KESSY equipped SEAT Toledo I previously owned allowed me to lock the keys in the boot, which necessitated a trip for a family member with the spare key!

 

More recently I did lock our Karoq and then returned shortly thereafter and popped the boot and inadvertently left the key in the boot, before slamming the boot closed, although the system functioned as intended, beeped and popped the boot open again👍

 

I have read several stories online relating to this issue though and one post  in part where a company owned Kodiak locked itself with the engine running and it was suggested to maintain a subscription to connect services, as this would allow remote unlocking in a scenario where keys are locked in the car. 

 

Must say I'm pleased I specced the third key option and might now reconsider my decision not to renew connect services 🤔

 

Edited 19 July, 202419 Jul by pinkpanther
Typo

Given the implications of the car locking I took advantage of the 1 month free trial of care connect and reactivated it👍

 

In the longer term I guess an annual fee of £36 might be worth it for peace of mind? 

 

In the meantime I took the opportunity to download an updated digital certificate, but remain a little frustrated this function is effectively behind a pay wall. 

 

To be honest I hadn't missed the functionality of either care connect or infotainment online, once the initial one year expired, especially as we tend to use a combination of either wireless Android Auto (which is typically rock solid) or wireless Apple Carplay (which tends to be glitchy from time to time) rather than the built in satnav. 

 

I wonder if you only get the option of a free month trial once? 

Edited 19 July, 202419 Jul by pinkpanther

On 19/07/2024 at 11:04, pinkpanther said:

I had notification from my local / supplying main dealer regarding a recall outstanding for my car stating 'There has been a recall go live on Karoqs and Kodiaqs regarding the vehicle locking the keys inside and we have to carry out a software update'.

 

I recall a KESSY equipped SEAT Toledo I previously owned allowed me to lock the keys in the boot, which necessitated a trip for a family member with the spare key!

 

More recently I did lock our Karoq and then returned shortly thereafter and popped the boot and inadvertently left the key in the boot, before slamming the boot closed, although the system functioned as intended, beeped and popped the boot open again👍

 

I have read several stories online relating to this issue though and one post  in part where a company owned Kodiak locked itself with the engine running and it was suggested to maintain a subscription to connect services, as this would allow remote unlocking in a scenario where keys are locked in the car. 

 

Must say I'm pleased I specced the third key option and might now reconsider my decision not to renew connect services 🤔

 

What month / year is your Karoq?

 

The boot re-locks by design even with the keys in - it's only the power opening boot that knows the key is there and re-opens it.   It does follow the way it worked before keyless - VW must have decided that the greater risk is leaving the boot unlocked.

3 hours ago, Rory said:

What month / year is your Karoq?

 

The boot re-locks by design even with the keys in - it's only the power opening boot that knows the key is there and re-opens it.   It does follow the way it worked before keyless - VW must have decided that the greater risk is leaving the boot unlocked.

March 2023

On 19/07/2024 at 11:04, pinkpanther said:

I had notification from my local / supplying main dealer regarding a recall outstanding for my car stating 'There has been a recall go live on Karoqs and Kodiaqs regarding the vehicle locking the keys inside and we have to carry out a software update'.

 

I recall a KESSY equipped SEAT Toledo I previously owned allowed me to lock the keys in the boot, which necessitated a trip for a family member with the spare key!

 

More recently I did lock our Karoq and then returned shortly thereafter and popped the boot and inadvertently left the key in the boot, before slamming the boot closed, although the system functioned as intended, beeped and popped the boot open again👍

 

I have read several stories online relating to this issue though and one post  in part where a company owned Kodiak locked itself with the engine running and it was suggested to maintain a subscription to connect services, as this would allow remote unlocking in a scenario where keys are locked in the car. 

 

Must say I'm pleased I specced the third key option and might now reconsider my decision not to renew connect services 🤔

 

My excellent local /supplying main dealer applied the update today. 

 

The campaign is 57NL

Took ours in today for the dealers 3rd look at the suspension knock and they said they'd also be doing a recall. 

 

I asked what for and they said "just an update to a control module" in a 'go away and stop asking awkward questions' way   Pressed a bit more and they said exactly as above - it's to do with the keys being locked in the car.

 

It did seem to throw a bit of a wobbly recently  - I changed the key battery and then a few days later it was randomly saying the key battery was low (I know the keys with the thinner CR2025 can be iffy with the battery, but the newer CR2032 keys are better.   The car was also saying the drivers door was open when it wasn't but other doors were open.   I messed around with the key and locking for a bit and it's been fine since.

 

The entire locking the keys in prevention thing is quite clever in one respect and quite a worry in another - vis a vis, it's such a complicated bit of tech and at what cost when it goes wrong?

Either way, armed with the spare key I had a play around - you can lock a key in the boot just as long as you've got a key in your hand outside - but if you move the spare out of range it will lock for a few moments but then unlock again.

Fully locking the car with the door sensors is disabled with a key inside, unless you've got the spare in range.

 

This system isn't full proof though as I found to my cost when I locked a set of keys in the boot of a KESSY equipped SEAT Toledo. 

 

Kind of glad we opted for the spare (third) key when speccing the Karoq 👍

Edited 7 August, 20247 Aug by pinkpanther

2 hours ago, Berisford said:

 

Either way, armed with the spare key I had a play around - you can lock a key in the boot just as long as you've got a key in your hand outside - but if you move the spare out of range it will lock for a few moments but then unlock again.

Fully locking the car with the door sensors is disabled with a key inside, unless you've got the spare in range.

 

 

Hmmm - not sure about that.  The common thing that catches people out is: 

You're out somewhere with one fob, other is at home.   Starting with car fully locked, open the boot only, put the fob down inside the boot.   Slam boot lid.   Hazard lights flash a few times - you might not notice this, or you might stand there thinking "why the heck are they flashing?".  Boot relocks.  You then call for someone to bring you the other fob.

 

This is by design - it's the way it used to work with normal remote locking.  Indeed even when it was keys - you'd unlock the boot, put the keys down and slam the boot.  Doh!

 

If the car has a power tailgate, it won't lock, it'll reopen itself.

3 minutes ago, Rory said:

 

Hmmm - not sure about that.  The common thing that catches people out is: 

You're out somewhere with one fob, other is at home.   Starting with car fully locked, open the boot only, put the fob down inside the boot.   Slam boot lid.   Hazard lights flash a few times - you might not notice this, or you might stand there thinking "why the heck are they flashing?".  Boot relocks.  You then call for someone to bring you the other fob.

 

This is by design - it's the way it used to work with normal remote locking.  Indeed even when it was keys - you'd unlock the boot, put the keys down and slam the boot.  Doh!

 

If the car has a power tailgate, it won't lock, it'll reopen itself.

 

Keep a subscription to the remote app.

1 hour ago, logiclee said:

 

Keep a subscription to the remote app.

 

It actually happened (hence I know about it) on daughter's 2018 Ateca and I don't think that has suitable connectivity.  Lukily she was only a couple of miles from home.

 

Other daughter did use the app on her Kamiq as someone at her work had accidently picked up her keys and taken them home!  The app opened the car is a few seconds.

 

I've so far resisted paying as I think subscription services are a slippery slope.  Eventually we'll be paying significant monthlies just to keep using our cars.

It's not just a Kessy/keyless thing. 

 

Some years ago I was on holiday and had my SLR in the boot of my Passat.  

 

I heard the roar of a Lancaster so ran to the car, opened the boot, grabbed my camera, shut the boot and yes I'd left the keys in the boot.

 

My dad had to drive 160 miles to bring me the spare key.

I can’t envisage the key ever leaving my pocket, so it surprises me that folk leave keys in cars.

On 07/08/2024 at 15:49, Rory said:

 

Hmmm - not sure about that.  The common thing that catches people out is: 

You're out somewhere with one fob, other is at home.   Starting with car fully locked, open the boot only, put the fob down inside the boot.   Slam boot lid.   Hazard lights flash a few times - you might not notice this, or you might stand there thinking "why the heck are they flashing?".  Boot relocks.  You then call for someone to bring you the other fob.

 

This is by design - it's the way it used to work with normal remote locking.  Indeed even when it was keys - you'd unlock the boot, put the keys down and slam the boot.  Doh!

 

If the car has a power tailgate, it won't lock, it'll reopen itself.

Well I tested it over again yesterday - if I unlock just the boot, leave the key on the boot floor and slam it shut. - it does indeed lock but 2 seconds later it unlocks again and stays unlocked.

12 hours ago, BoxerBoy said:

I can’t envisage the key ever leaving my pocket, so it surprises me that folk leave keys in cars.

 

In my daughter's case, she kept the fob in her bag.  She locked the car outside her friends house, but then her friend came out of the house with the dog to go for a quick walk, so she popped the boot open, put her bag in and slammed the boot shut.

13 minutes ago, Berisford said:

Well I tested it over again yesterday - if I unlock just the boot, leave the key on the boot floor and slam it shut. - it does indeed lock but 2 seconds later it unlocks again and stays unlocked.

 

Interesting, thanks.  Perhaps they've added, or beefed up the boot "fob present" sensor - or changed the auto-relock functionality.

 

Certainly VW Group forums are full of reports of people who've done it.  Some people say the boot won't lock, some say it'll unlock as it can still detect the key, although that doesn't work on later models if the key has been left for a a while as it shuts down.

 

Here's what normally (or at least, what used to happen if it's changed) happens - notice the extra flashes when the boot is closed: 

(

A big fear is the person that says they need something from your car and they ask for the keys.

Then when you say do not lay them down they think you are a nutter.

 

Never worth trusting even your nearest and dearest though to go off with the keys to open your car.  Well if you really know them...

On 07/08/2024 at 19:20, logiclee said:

It's not just a Kessy/keyless thing. 

 

Some years ago I was on holiday and had my SLR in the boot of my Passat.  

 

I heard the roar of a Lancaster so ran to the car, opened the boot, grabbed my camera, shut the boot and yes I'd left the keys in the boot.

 

My dad had to drive 160 miles to bring me the spare key.

 

I have a spare key hidden inside the car.

 

I can hear from here the gears turning in your brains thinking "thats pointless" but there is method in my madness.

 

The obvious place to stash a spare key is outside of the cabin, behind bumper, under cill, on fuel tank etc but thats a big security risk as a thief could find it and steal the car.

 

So I have a dumb non chipped key stashed outside which will open the door but not start the vehicle, the proper chipped key is hidden elsewhere in the cabin.

No use with keyless entry / start where you can not lock your car because you left a spare key fob in the car. 

3 hours ago, Ootohere said:

No use with keyless entry / start where you can not lock your car because you left a spare key fob in the car. 

Curiously I tried that too - It is possible to lock (my) the car, with the spare fob inside…!

7 hours ago, Rory said:

 

 

 

Here's what normally (or at least, what used to happen if it's changed) happens - notice the extra flashes when the boot is closed: 

 

I'll have a check on the longer time test.......

 

Right, test done again - I can confirm leaving the keys in the boot, as in the video, results in the boot door locking and then 2 seconds later unlocking.

Leaving it for 7 minutes made no difference, still remained unlocked.

In all fairness I didn’t expect anything other inasmuch as the ‘unlocking’ releases the boot door by about 20mm.

Interestingly the red LED alarm indicator continues to flash but opening the boot doesn’t trigger the alarm?

Edited 10 August, 202410 Aug by Berisford
Update.

I just thought to have a look at the online manual.

 

It does say the boot will reopen.  So that has changed from the historical VW Group approach.

 

However it also suggests that if the fob is in  the car then the doors will unlock, but then relock.   Maybe it's that that the update has changed?

 

"Protection against inadvertently locking the key in the vehicle

If the key is locked inside the vehicle, the vehicle will unlock itself automatically. If no door is opened within 45 seconds, the vehicle automatically locks again.

If the key is locked in the boot, the boot lid will automatically unlock itself."