Key got wet now won’t work - any advice?

[Bazabailey]

Hi everyone - the key to my t6 Cali got wet after the waterproof pouch sprung a leak whilst I was sailing. Red light flashed a lot and MFD said I needed a new battery. Dried on a radiator and then fitted a new battery. No joy. Any thoughts?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi everyone - the key to my t6 Cali got wet after the waterproof pouch sprung a leak whilst I was sailing. Red light flashed a lot and MFD said I needed a new battery. Dried on a radiator and then fitted a new battery. No joy. Any thoughts?

Salt water I presume? If so probably beyond repair. New key fob and coding to vehicle - expensive. I believe between £150/£200.

 

[Bazabailey]

Yes but surprisingly little

 

[westfalia]

It's buggered.

 

[westfalia]

Does rice not draw out water? or did i just make that up?

If it won't work then at least you will be able to knock the pin out
and just have a small surf key.

 

[Sad]

Could it need reprogramming if it had no power to it for an extended period?

 

[Bazabailey]

Thx I have a surf key but after a fellow sailor had his car pinched and insurance failed to. Pay always carry it with me

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Does rice not draw out water? or did i just make that up?

If it won't work then at least you will be able to knock the pin out
and just have a small surf key.

Expensive mishap !!

 

[Bazabailey]

Should add it was in a coded box attached to his towbar

 

[westfalia]

Should add it was in a coded box attached to his towbar

Who's towbar? and what was a towbar doing sailing?

 

[Bazabailey]

There is a meme in there somewhere!

 

[HB19]

It might be worth taking the cover off and removing the battery before putting it in a mug filled with rice for a couple of days Before you discard it. The rice will draw out the moisture. I have used this method for keys, mobile phones and many other gadgets and it usually does the trick. Salt water is less certain however. I use pudding rice because it’s usually less dusty. Good luck.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

It might be worth taking the cover off and removing the battery before putting it in a mug filled with rice for a couple of days Before you discard it. The rice will draw out the moisture. I have used this method for keys, mobile phones and many other gadgets and it usually does the trick. Salt water is less certain however. I use pudding rice because it’s usually less dusty. Good luck.

Not a bad plan. After taking the battery out, maybe wash it with distilled water to remove any salt residue, then try the rice trick to dry it (or maybe get some silica gel)?

 

[Bazabailey]

Many thx everyone

 

[Calimili]

Not a bad plan. After taking the battery out, maybe wash it with distilled water to remove any salt residue, then try the rice trick to dry it (or maybe get some silica gel)?

I was about to say this.ä, good advice. It' the salt and minerals in the water that cause damage to circuitry , not the water per se.

 

[18hunts]

Worth checking your car insurance details, damage and lost keys are covered separately in our policy, for I believe £25.

 

[WelshGas]

Does rice not draw out water? or did i just make that up?

If it won't work then at least you will be able to knock the pin out
and just have a small surf key.

It could work with Fresh water, but sea water rarely if ever.

 

[Bazabailey]

Cheers will try rice then insurance - many thx

 

[paradise city]

+1 for the distilled water after removing battery idea.

Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[Wildcamper]

Salt water is quite conductive so with the battery in then it is likely that some component has been shorted out, fried in other words. However, you have nothing to lose in trying to wash out the salt using distilled or deionised water, as mentioned. If me, I would soak the key overnight then shake the water out and then repeat and finally dry over several days in a warm environment. It is the salt you need to remove to have any chance of recovery. Good luck.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

WD-40 Contact Cleaner 400ml - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Quick-drying, non-conductive spray. Easily cleans oil, dirt, flux residue and condensation from sensitive electronics and electrical equipment. Improves electrical contact in cars in damp conditions. Simply spray on and allow the product to dry before powering up...

www.screwfix.com

 

[Wildcamper]

WD-40 Contact Cleaner 400ml - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. Quick-drying, non-conductive spray. Easily cleans oil, dirt, flux residue and condensation from sensitive electronics and electrical equipment. Improves electrical contact in cars in damp conditions. Simply spray on and allow the product to dry before powering up...

www.screwfix.com

Give it a go. However, this is oil based and salt does not dissolve in oil based liquids. Unless you remove the salt, wet or dry, the key is unlikely to work.

 

[Ray Cali]

Fell in a stream with my key in my pocket. Costly accident. New key = 170.60 for key, then 51.60 for it to be set to van by VW. Lesson learnt, don’t get it wet.
Also take your V5 or take a photo and send it to them. The key comes from Germany and they need all the info off your V5

 

[Alan Andrews]

Does rice not draw out water? or did i just make that up?

If it won't work then at least you will be able to knock the pin out
and just have a small surf key.

I dropped my key in to a large puddle on the NC500 last year. Seemed to be fine for the remainder of the journey, then a couple of months later the key started to play up.

It would repeatedly unlock or lock, even when in my pocket of whilst holding the bunch of keys.

I removed the battery and dropped it in to a bag of rice. In fact it is still in the bag of rice.

I now use the spare key.

 

[Gavin123]

Soaked our discovery key with sea water. Stopped working. After numerous AA visits guy turned up who knew his stuff. Water had shorted the key and drained the battery. Salt had ruined pretty much everything. He said best to have washed out with de ionised water (which I think someone else mentioned) then dried it out. The car can be started with a dead key (it’s a proximity key) so we did that for rest of holiday while leaving car unlocked! Spare key at home. New key needed. Don’t mention the cost, just don’t.