My Tiguan Locks Me Out with the Key in the boot!!

[Tigar_CC]

On the weekend, as I left my car key in the baby pram. Just as I closed the boot all the doors lock itself.

I had to get a friend to take me back home to fetch the spare key. So I was thinking, is there someway to turn off auto-lock for all doors off when the boot is closed? It wouldn't be too safe if it was a little kid that did it rather than a very brain absent dad.

[aussietig]

On the weekend, as I left my car key in the baby pram. Just as I closed the boot all the doors lock itself.

I had to get a friend to take me back home to fetch the spare key. So I was thinking, is there someway to turn off auto-lock for all doors off when the boot is closed? It wouldn't be too safe if it was a little kid that did it rather than a very brain absent dad.

Sounds like you just opened the boot only via the remote (i.e. middle button on the key)?

It will do that ... lock by itself once you close it.

Just don't use the middle button as a precautionary measure.

[jcubed]

Consider yourself lucky

An article regarding an experience we had one Easter week-end. You may call it "testing".


These days, some cars automatically lock the boot when you close it. Likewise, one of our group’s Mercedes Benz C180. Upon closing the boot prior to our trek up the mountain one morning, Adriaan looked up to his free hand holding the key, and realised that this was the hut key – the one he brought to the car to lock in the boot. You may well know that slow “dawning of implication” feeling.

Although there was no spare key and we would have to get the car open at some stage - as together with the keys was also his wife’s handbag with the passports required for our passage back through the Swaziland border the next day - we decided not to smash a window straight away, but proceeded with a plantation/mountain drive, to allow us to be inspired by nature and ponder alternative, hopefully less destructive, ways of getting into the car boot.

After a lovely morning out, we arrived back to confirm that the locking pins pull right into the door trim, so there was going to be no easy wire coat-hanger fishing. On this model car, there is no fold-down rear centre armrest allowing access into the boot. So the plan was that, if we could get into the passenger compartment, the unlock button on the instrument panel would be pressed, popping the boot.

We enquired at reception whether there was anybody with knowledge as to how to effect keyless entry into this type of car, and lo and behold, a very youthful personnel member claimed to be experienced in this sort of thing. All he needed was a number plate. Well, obviously we were speaking to an expert here, so I promptly whipped one off my son’s Forester and handed it to him.

He proceeded to slide it into the door between the glass and the window seal, opposite the locking pin. I was relieved that the number plate was of Perspex and not metal, otherwise some touch-up work to the paint might have been required, the way things were going. But, oh dear, something solid was encountered prior to the locking mechanism being reached. It turns out afterwards that on some cars (local taxis maybe?) the procedure works every time, but that on others, a steel plate is installed inside the door to prevent exactly this.

Back to reception again, this time consulting the yellow pages, which provides the number of a locksmith in Mbabane (20km away) who – oh, happy day! – answers when rung from the public phone – no cell phone reception here. After some (which actually felt like a very long) time he arrives and explains that the possibility existed that he may not be able to get the car open, but he’ll try his best.

Now that the REAL locksmith had arrived, there was no need for everyone to hang around, and some of us departed the camp for a scenic drive. During this outing, we had the great honour of meeting Ted Riley, the founder of the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, at the homestead he grew up in - Riley’s Rock.

Upon our return to the open air repair shop around 2 hours later, we arrived just in time to see Adriaan bashing his car’s tail light in with a hammer. We were given a quick summary of the events thus far:

• The locksmith had managed to pry the driver’s door away from the seal with two screwdrivers and unlocked it by inserting a metal strip down the INSIDE of the window

• The alarm system sensed this action as breaking and entering, and disabled the remote boot unlocking button on the instrument panel.

• Next, the back number plate was taken out, a few holes drilled through into the boot from where the number plate used to be and

• the manual boot latch operating cable unhooked through these access holes, in the process

• severing the wiring loom to the lock. It was then realised that the latch was not a simple catch, but a motorized electric unit, so pulling the steel cable did not release it.

• In desperation, Adriaan phoned his service agent at home, and for the second time on Easter Sunday, the phone was answered.

• From Worcester in the Western Cape (1800 km away), the problem was telephonically diagnosed as now having escalated to the point-of-no-return, with the advice – smash the LEFT tail light.


So, in a leap of faith, this is what was done.

Once all the plastic, chrome, glass and other bits were removed, the bag and keys could be retrieved by Adriaan sticking his arm through the hole, feeling around blindly.

Of course, even with the key in hand, the boot could still not be unlocked by the remote - as the wires were now severed; neither by the mechanical key, as the release cable had been unhooked and could not be replaced.

The 4 occupants’ luggage was therefore packed into Armas’ off-road trailer the next day for the trip back home.

Back in Johannesburg, prior to their return to Ceres, the car was almost fully repaired for AUD1323. This cost, in addition to the AUD75 the locksmith charged, is a far cry from the AUD170 quoted for a new replacement rear light for the car from an independent seller. Had we known this, we would have broken the light straight away and come away cheap at the price.

But there you go: The exact science of hindsight rules supreme yet again.

Should you therefore ever find yourself in this predicament in a similar car, DIY your LEFT tail light – no idea what would happen should you decide to take out the right one – and save yourself some money.

“Almost” fully repaired? Well, yes, because the two dents in the roof made by the locksmiths’ screwdrivers when he prised the door open, was left as reminder to the owner of an ordeal which turned out remarkably well. And of a GREAT holiday!

And of course not to close the boot EVER again with his bally car keys in it!

[aussietig]

Holy sheet ... I just want some light reading when I get home!

Definitely won't find this a recommended link on Dub Addiction.

[jcubed]

Holy sheet ... I just want some light reading when I get home!

Sorry mate - instead you got an education.

Is this the greatest forum EVER, or what !

[Tigar_CC]

Sorry mate - instead you got an education.

Is this the greatest forum EVER, or what !

hahahaha OMG. Now I am really scared...!! I was expecting someone would come up with a solution, wasn't expecting a great story. Having said that, if the same thing happened in Australia. Expect to be charge least $500 from the locksmith if not more.

[aussietig]

I was expecting someone would come up with a solution, wasn't expecting a great story

I believe it is possible to turn off the auto lock on the rear lid via VCDS coding.

As I've seen it within Module 9 as a Bit (check box).

Ironically, this function is meant to be a convenience setting if used properly and for those who just want to grab something out of the boot, while rest of the doors are locked and armed. Once you're finished, close the lid and just walk away.

So you would be deliberately disabling this function on your remote.

[MGV]

Has anyone heard of that thing where your spare key can unlock your car via a mobile phone connection? Assuming someone has access to your spare, that is... Yeah, i'm sceptical too, but have been told it actually works... Anyone else heard of this?

[Captain Bungers]

Has anyone heard of that thing where your spare key can unlock your car via a mobile phone connection? Assuming someone has access to your spare, that is... Yeah, i'm sceptical too, but have been told it actually works... Anyone else heard of this?

I daresay the answer is no...

Unlock Your Car With Your Cell Phone? - BreakTheChain.org

[MGV]

A mate (that has a Bombadore) told me he heard of this, so tried it & he reckoned it worked... He probably tried it from 40m away!

[aussietig]

How about the one that says you shouldn't keep your phone in your trouser pocket, cause it'll fry your balls, but more importantly the tadpoles.

Any truth in that?

Especially thinking these days with these pocket WIFI devices and iPhone 4 that serves as a WIFI hub.

Would be interested if that's the case, cause Mrs is hinting a snip is on the cards.

[Tigar_CC]

Be cool if it does work. If it does, feel free to post an step instructions!! For now it is just a roumor!!

[roju]

I've tried the mobile phone trick at work with my '09 Caddy, and it actually *did* work for us. This was from about maybe 20m away, and from inside a building, but I'm sure that it was well clear of the range of the remote on it's own.

I am yet to replicate this for myself, but I have a feeling that the phones used may contribute to the success, as they may pick up and transmit, as well as reproduce different levels.

[aussietig]

Another cool trick that works is to point the remote right up to the side of your head (execution style).

For whatever reason it does extend the range of your remote, when you're out of range and need to lock or unlock.