I've just bought a 2004 Fabia VRS and I'm loving every minute of it! The only problem is that it only came with one key as the other one went walkabout. I've done a lot of research about how to add keys, and letting them unlock the door seems simple enough, but the real hurdle is getting them to start the car! Unfortunately the Secret Key Code (SKC) has been lost in the depths of time, and I don't particularly want to spend a couple of hundred pounds for a new key to be added at the dealers when I could do it myself.

After much investigating I found that there were tools that could read the SKC or 'Login Code' form the car (Eg. Here) but they were quite expensive, a quick check of ebay showed that you could get the cables cheaper (Eg. Here) but they came without the software. I then found the software was available as a download here. 'Hey!' i thought, 'Job's a good'un!'

At the moment I'm thinking I should give it a try - worst case I lose £25 and a few hours of my time, best case I find a cheap way to add new keys that I'll happily put together a FAQ for as I see there's been a lot of questions about it!

So whaddaya think? If I buy a cable from eBay and download the software, will it all go smoothly, or am I kidding myself on?

TBH i would have thought that if it was as "easy" as you say other people would have done it (alot) already. JMTPW

The vag tacho wont work on the VDO v07 dash pos which is fitted to the fabia vrs.

I have tryed and failed. IT works on the pre 2003 fabias but not on the latest ones.

I tried and tried and tried to get the skc out fo skoda, even went through legal proceedings and i failed

In the end my local skoda dealer who i spend alot on parts with did the job for for not very much

sorry to be the bearer of bad news :thumbdwn:

John

Bah! Thought it was sounding too easy! :( Cheers for the input guys, looks like I'll have to start being nice to the dealers instead!

The supplying dealer may have a record of it.

I'm still 100% convinced that as long as you can prove you own the car that they(Skoda UK), for a reasonable fee, must provide you with the SKC/Radio code.

Radio code, sure but SKC is a different animal. Skoda is IMHO the least one of the VAG group where mechanics are actually able to see the SKC and give it out.

You are right Sebastian, Skoda now use the online system similar to VW so the techs will not see the SKC.

The EU Block Exemption legislation should mean that car manufacturers are no longer allowed to hold a monoply on such things -

Block Exemption for Cars Quick Facts - BERR

I had a right nightmere trying to get my SKC. Never managed it and i even got shown the process of dash pod change on the vas screen. At not one point did the operator see the code :thumbdwn:

Its not the dealers fault, its skodas.

Might be worth consulting the office of fair trading OFT ?

Hmmm... just had a message back from the eBay seller that's providing the cable. I asked him:

I'm looking to add a new key to my 2004 Skoda Fabia VRS' date=' but don't know the Secret Key Code (SKC) or login code.

Can you confirm that this cable will be compatible with my car and will let me do this without knowing any codes?

Also, as there is no software supplied with the cable, could you tell me if the software available for download on this page: AUDI-VW immobiliser Login Code (Secret Key Code) reader by diagnostic would work (link to the software is above the second last picture). If not could you tell me where I can obtain the software from?

Thanks for your time.

and got the response:

Dear SwimmerBoy' date='

Thank you for your email and interest in our product.

Regarding your query, I am pleased to confirm that this item can indeed work on your car and let you add a new key without knowing any codes. You can download the software at the following link:

[url']http://www.obdfactory.com/data/software/vwimmo.zip[/url]

So on that note I've purchased it and will let you know what happens. Worst case I can return it under the trade descriptions act or whatever! Watch this space!

hope it dose work as i only have 1 key aswell

Hmmm... just had a message back from the eBay seller that's providing the cable. I asked him:

and got the response:

So on that note I've purchased it and will let you know what happens. Worst case I can return it under the trade descriptions act or whatever! Watch this space!

And if it works, ill buy the cable off you

Hi,

I only got one key (and no SKC) with my 01 Fabia too, so I ordered two keys from Hickley Valtone (part no:HVKHU66T6) and got a copy of Vag tacho 1.7. I got the keys cut for a fiver then plugged the computer into the car. I managed to get the SKC code (although Vag Tacho 1.7 seems to give it in hexadecimal format), but couldn't get Vag Tacho to program the new Hickley Valtone key.

I could get Vag Tacho to tell the car not to start with my original key :eek: but I managed to get the original key to work again, which makes me think that the transponder in the Hickley Valtone key does not work right. Anyone got one of these keys to work? I can't use VAG COM with the Tacho cable I have because the instructions warned me that the cable risks being damaged if I use it with any other software.

Anyway, even if I don't manage to re-program the new key, I've learned the SKC code (I reckon it's right because I managed to re-program the original key with it), and I've got a spare key for emergencies and one for active pursuits, so I don't think I'm out, and I reckon I'm lucky that I seem to have got away with that and still have a working car.

I did feel sick when my car didn't start with the original tho!!

The problem that I had with VT 1.7 was that it would give letters instead of numbers in some parts of the SKC. VT 2.2 seems to work OK (you need a cable to go with it as the 1.7 cable won't work with it), 2.2 won't do anything later than a 2004 or 2005 car.

yeah, I got that too (something like 1be0 came up), so I guessed it must have been in hex format, I checked by converting it into decimal and seeing that it was within 0-9999.

The manual doesn't seem to mention it, and maybe I'm both wrong and lucky, but if I'm not I reckon it must catch some people out if the hex number shown doesn't contain any letters and they take that to be decimal.

I got two keys to work today!

Vag Tacho is funny tho, to program one or two keys (don't know how to do any more) I needed to erase all old keys, tell it that I only need to program one, say ok, leave it for about 20secs, switch off the ignition, take the newly coded key out, then put a new one in and switch on the ignition again. The two keys seem to work ok now. Before hand, both deffo weren't working.