Evening all! I’m due to trade in my 2021 fabia and I’ve searched the house for 3 days and can’t find the second key!! Does anyone know if timsons are able to code a replacement or is this a dealership job? If so, is it a quick and expensive job?

Thanks!

Sorry, I don't know what Timpson's can do.

The replacement for remote key with key blade (not KESSY) that stopped working on my wife's 2015 MK3 Fabia was £143.40 for remote and £41.40 to program, this was in Feb 2023.

For your next car - don't have a spare key (remote) have two keys that you use alternatively (to whatever time frame suits you) that way you know where to find both keys, that the batteries work in both keys and you get even wear of batteries, keyblades and lock cylinders.

Cookiedudeuk

Timpsons can supply and code replacement remote key-fobs.

https://www.timpson.co.uk/autokeysonline/autokeys/findkey

For a 2021 Fabia, the details I found were as follows:

You'd need to confirm whether the prices quoted for new remote keys include programming and (apparently) not all Timpsons branches can provide this service.

If there's a Timpsons branch near you, I suggest you discuss this (preferably face-to-face) with them, asking what's involved and what the overall cost would be. Also ask a friendly Skoda deakership.

While my local Timpsons branch changes my watch batteries and I know they can provide replacement remote key-fobs for some cars, I've never explored obtaining a replacement key-fob from them for my vehicles. I do recall - it was years ago - asking if they would cut a simple 'dead' metal key for a motorhome I owned. (I planned to hide that key on the vehicle so that I could get in if the remote key-fobs were somehow locked inside.) But, although they would sell me another complete key-fob, they would not (or could not) provide just the key.

3 minutes ago, DerekU said:

Cookiedudeuk

Timpsons can supply and code replacement remote key-fobs.

https://www.timpson.co.uk/autokeysonline/autokeys/findkey

For a 2021 Fabia, the details I found were as follows:

You'd need to confirm whether the prices quoted for new remote keys include programming and (apparently) not all Timpsons branches can provide this service.

If there's a Timpsons branch near you, I suggest you discuss this (preferably face-to-face) with them, asking what's involved and what the overall cost would be. Also ask a friendly Skoda deakership.

While my local Timpsons branch changes my watch batteries and I know they can provide replacement remote key-fobs for some cars, I've never explored obtaining a replacement key-fob from them for my vehicles. I do recall - it was years ago - asking if they would cut a simple 'dead' metal key for a motorhome I owned. (I planned to hide that key on the vehicle so that I could get in if the remote key-fobs were somehow locked inside.) But, although they would sell me another complete key-fob, they would not (or could not) provide just the key.

Thanks appreciate the reply I did see that on their site but wasn’t sure if it was accurate. Contacted a local locksmith who does cars and said he couldn’t do it and would need to be dealer. Gonna give Timsons a call this morning. Thanks again

There's nothing particularly specialist about adding a key on those. Whereabouts in the country are you? Someone might be able to recommend a better locksmith.

I’m in North East, County Durham… cheers!

Good suggestion to contact your Dealership and get a cost for this, I got full costings over the phone as this is not an uncommon things especially when dealing with s/h cars. Plus I have seen on Briskoda a member put he had a good reputable place do the work and it went wrong and needed to go to Dealership, which they paid for IIRC it lock out the other key too. The newer the car the more I'd suggest Dealership for comfort and come-back but I don't know how easy or not it is for anyone with an appropriate scan tool to do this for a 2021 Fabia, it might be very easy thing.

I considered getting a clone (or s/h?) key programmed but decided against it.

Timpsons branches are IIRC each individually owned so there could be a range of competence but some might be very experienced in security matters. James Timpson was a Minister of State and IIRC still helps with some Government stuff.

..

Edited 21 March, 20251 yr by nta16

So called timson and they said due to security coding on newer VAG group they can’t do it. Called dealer and they can do it for £280inc VAT but they have to be ordered from factory in Czech and up to 21 days.

I called into the local Timpsons branch this morning and asked about this.

I was told that they could only provide non-remote keys, though certain larger Timpsons branches had the equipment and expertise to deal with remote keys (and the quoted prices would include programming the new key).

I also said that, while I had been able to obtain from the Timpsons website key-related information for a 2021 Skoda Fabia (data shown in my previous posting) I had not been able to do this for a 2022 Fabia. As there had been a significant specification change around then - I thought it quite likely that Timpsons could not deal with the remote keys of current-model Fabias and Cookiedudeuk has now confirmed this is so.

I think VW has done more lockout stuff or barriered (no idea of technical computer terms) programming to require more licensed machinery for various reasons some which they might proudly boast about and perhaps some they won't admit to. It's like when they went from metric fixings to Torx and others so the tools became more specialist to their Dealerships and less widespread to general mechanics and garages.

Perhaps they envied what Tesla can get away with (so far).

Check your insurance. My policy will replace keys if lost. Not sure what the excess might be. Another option would be to buy a second hand fob and have new blade cut. A decent car locksmith should be able to copy the transponder.

Alasdair

Alasdair I agree about the insurance if that was part of the policy or added extra but, and I could well be wrong, I'm not sure in this case it might just be s/h fob (or generic new) and a bit of swapping, but I might be wrong. I think I could have done something with my wife's 2015 VWŠkoda but there was no way I was taking the risk as both cars are used alternately (6-month swap) but even as a spare key, or only key if other was lost/mislaid, the merest hint of an issue with it and the boss would be very unhappy and I would have to get the Dealership alternative immediately if not before.

You would need to get the transponder chip copied but if I remember correctly you used to be able to programme/sync a new fob by inserting into ignition and turning on but not starting. leave for 10 mins and then repeat. It worked on my old Seat but newer cars may need VCDS to assign a second hand fob to car. Still got to be cheaper than a dealer. Perhaaps someone on here near you has VCDS that could help?

Had a quick google and found mobile locksmith in durham? https://mobilelocksmithdurham.co.uk/ There are a few others. I would give them a call to see if they can help.

Alasdair

In the Good Old Days it was often relatively simple to switch off things like oil-change/servicing dashboard warnings and to program key-fobs using procedures that involved no supplementary equipment. (Example here)

http://www.freefordradiocode.co.uk/key/content/skoda-key-fob-programming.php

That's generally not the case with recent cars's remote key-fobs that will require specialised equipment for the programming task. This 2023 BRISKODA thread related to Superb Mk 3 models

Contacting Timpsons was suggested and it was said that "they won't do KESSY but will supply older keys".

My local Timpsons branch could not provide remote key-fobs and, although some Timpsons branches can do this, the original poster has now been told by Timpsons that, due to security coding, they cannot provide/recode remote key-fobs for newer VAG group vehicles.

Regarding replacement keys for Skoda cars, there are plenty of businesses advertising that capability online. This firm

https://www.autolocksltd.com/auto-locksmith/car-key-replacement/skoda/

advertises

Whether they can actually do this for a Fabia Mk 4 would need to be checked.

Apparently neither VCDS nor OBDeleven are capable of programming the remote key-fobs used with recent-ish VAG Group vehicles. An ODIS system is required, which means either using an 'official' VAG group dealership or a business specialising in VAG Group vehicles.