Locked out of my T6.1 Coast - a cautionary tale.

[Cwcltd]

About £200 per key fob with programming to vehicle.

thanks WG.

 

[Cwcltd]

£230.67 for one new programmed key fob. Requires V5 and driving licence to order. 10-14 days for delivery then the van and existing keys need to go to the workshop for programming with the new third key.

 

[kurienp]

I had 3 keys at purchase and removed the blade.

@WelshGas , WG! you are a star! that is such an awesome but simple idea ... and not sure why I did not think about it before!

Now to figure out how to remove the blade. Are those screws or just pins that can be pushed out.

 

[Eber123]

Apparently if you unlock the van but don’t open the drivers door the immobiliser remains functional, so if you open and close the sliding door, and your keys are inside the van locks up. But I definitely opened the drivers door. Anyway.. lesson learnt and I’ll await an update from VW.

Good afternoon,

Sorry for the question, because I won't get my head around this. From where does the van know that the key is inside? It is just a normal key with remote control (fair enough with a chip for the immobilizer).

I always unlock the van with the remote control from they key. Open the sliding door (and never touch any of the other doors), close the sliding door. At that point the van never locks up again on his own accord. Well, fair enough I still have they keys in my hand, but with my train of thoughts that doesn't matter.

I did some tests this afternoon on my T6 from 2017:

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Put the key into the van and closed the sliding door
----> the van stays unlocked

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Locked with the remote control on the key, key in my pocket
Closed sliding door
---> Van locked all doors

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Locked with the remote control on the key, keys inside
Closed sliding door
---> Van locked all doors, key inside

The way I see it is, that at least on the T6 from 2017 it is easy to lock oneself out. Closing all doors after the lock button on the remote control is pressed and the key is inside.

The only way to prevent it is that VW would have setup / configured the van in the way that it is not possible to lock the van if any of the doors are still open.

The problem I see is, it should be very difficult to get into the car (even for the AA, maybe not for VW technical service). If those services can get easy into the cars, people with bad intensions get the same tools and also get easy into the car.

The best is to ensure that the lock button won't be pressed as long as doors are open or to get a "Surf Key". By the way, how to get a Surf Key?

Happy secure California
Eberhard

 

[kurienp]

@WelshGas , WG! you are a star! that is such an awesome but simple idea ... and not sure why I did not think about it before!

Now to figure out how to remove the blade. Are those screws or just pins that can be pushed out.

View attachment 70717

Well, found the answer to that as well

 

[willwander]

Well, found the answer to that as well

Hammering on tiles made me feel anxious

 

[Cwcltd]

Good afternoon,

Sorry for the question, because I won't get my head around this. From where does the van know that the key is inside? It is just a normal key with remote control (fair enough with a chip for the immobilizer).

I always unlock the van with the remote control from they key. Open the sliding door (and never touch any of the other doors), close the sliding door. At that point the van never locks up again on his own accord. Well, fair enough I still have they keys in my hand, but with my train of thoughts that doesn't matter.

I did some tests this afternoon on my T6 from 2017:

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Put the key into the van and closed the sliding door
----> the van stays unlocked

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Locked with the remote control on the key, key in my pocket
Closed sliding door
---> Van locked all doors

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Locked with the remote control on the key, keys inside
Closed sliding door
---> Van locked all doors, key inside

The way I see it is, that at least on the T6 from 2017 it is easy to lock oneself out. Closing all doors after the lock button on the remote control is pressed and the key is inside.

The only way to prevent it is that VW would have setup / configured the van in the way that it is not possible to lock the van if any of the doors are still open.

The problem I see is, it should be very difficult to get into the car (even for the AA, maybe not for VW technical service). If those services can get easy into the cars, people with bad intensions get the same tools and also get easy into the car.

The best is to ensure that the lock button won't be pressed as long as doors are open or to get a "Surf Key". By the way, how to get a Surf Key?

Happy secure California
Eberhard

Good evening, the text about the immobiliser and the drivers door were made last night by my local VW van centre, and they didn’t understand what happened either; but perhaps the VW technical folks will offer some explanations (which I’ll post here). In the meantime I’m getting more keys and setting up a reserve/emergency key process. I understand there was a software update last week, and some functions on my Cali have only today started working again properly e.g. folding mirrors. Might/might not be linked.

 

[Ting Tong]

If your roof is up the simplest way of getting in is to pull the bottom bellows seal out. At least Calis don’t have keyless start. My daughter drove 150 miles having dropped her key, then had no way to start after they’d stopped for lunch. Luckily the neighbour had a house key to get spare, which was delivered to them by über for £140!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Now wish i’d gone for the 4-key option when ordering my Cali. Would then have done as WG has with a keyless fob. Great idea.
Maybe, the VW digital team will sort out the lock/unlock function in WeConnect for MY21 vans. With the app on both mine and my wife’s phone we’d then be covered (where there’s a signal).

 

[Eber123]

Good morning,

It was not the wisest move from VW to configure the van that it will allow to lock the van if a door was open.

It would have been better that if there was an attempt to lock the van and a door was open it should just use the flashes three times and won't lock. That would tell the user that the van can't be locked because a door is open. That would prevent a lot of unintentionally lock out (which might come with an expensive fix to get access to the van).

Maybe it can be configured afterwards?

Regards,
Eberhard

 

[andyinluton]

Good afternoon,


I did some tests this afternoon on my T6 from 2017:

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Put the key into the van and closed the sliding door
----> the van stays unlocked

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Locked with the remote control on the key, key in my pocket
Closed sliding door
---> Van locked all doors

I unlocked the van with the remote control and opened the sliding door
Locked with the remote control on the key, keys inside
Closed sliding door
---> Van locked all doors, key inside

The way I see it is, that at least on the T6 from 2017 it is easy to lock oneself out. Closing all doors after the lock button on the remote control is pressed and the key is inside.

Its not just T6 from 2017. Its the way it has always been, press lock on the key fob & the van locks up only when the last door/boot is shut.
There is a certain logic to it especially when being used as a car rather than when camping.

If get out as driver & hit lock before the Mrs has shut the door on the passenger side, I would want it to lock as soon as she shuts the door.

When camping the keys stay in the tray on top of the dash, any locking is done via the button on the drivers door as I certainly don't want deadlocks applied whilst anyone is inside. Opening the slider from inside unlocks it & it won't lock again without someone making a concious effort, so no chance of being locked out.

Being able to lock your keys in the boot, or hitting lock on the fob with a door open & then it locking when you shut the door is exactly the way all our other cars work.

 

[Eber123]

Hello Andyinluton,

I actually never thought about how cars manage to lock after the remote button was pressed. In all the years I never managed to lock myself out of a car. Only when it was mentioned here in the Forum I start to think about it.

Can you imagine, one is in the north of Finland far away from everything and one manage to lock himself out! That means either to lift the tent of the roof (if it is open) or smash a window (which one is the cheapest?).

VW with their very long experience maybe should have put some more thought into this.

We do the same. As part of the "camping setup" the key gets into a save corner. The van will be locked overnight (if we lock it) from the button on the door. If we leave the van for a walk we take the key. This should actually prevent us from locking ourselves out.

Have I said all that, we plan a 5 - 6 week journey through Scandinavia next summer. As preparation for this trip I might consider to get a spare key somewhere hidden.

Happy California,
Eberhard

 

[andyinluton]

I would split one of the ordinary keys, keep the metal blade in hidden place under the van & the immobiliser part hidden away inside the van.
If someone then finds the blade part or breaks in & finds the immobiliser they won't be able to drive away till they find the other part.

 

[willwander]

...
Can you imagine, one is in the north of Finland far away from everything and one manage to lock himself out!

I once locked myself out of a hire car in Alaska, while the car was still running! I got out to scrape the windows and couldn't get back in, it sat there on tick-over for about 8 hours while someone drove up to Fairbanks with a spare key.

 

[Lightning]

Hello Andyinluton,

I actually never thought about how cars manage to lock after the remote button was pressed. In all the years I never managed to lock myself out of a car. Only when it was mentioned here in the Forum I start to think about it.

Can you imagine, one is in the north of Finland far away from everything and one manage to lock himself out! That means either to lift the tent of the roof (if it is open) or smash a window (which one is the cheapest?).

VW with their very long experience maybe should have put some more thought into this.

We do the same. As part of the "camping setup" the key gets into a save corner. The van will be locked overnight (if we lock it) from the button on the door. If we leave the van for a walk we take the key. This should actually prevent us from locking ourselves out.

Have I said all that, we plan a 5 - 6 week journey through Scandinavia next summer. As preparation for this trip I might consider to get a spare key somewhere hidden.

Happy California,
Eberhard

I locked myself wearing shorts and a T Shirt in the middle of a freezing cold night. It was such a shock. I had to knock on the door of another van wildcamping near me to avoid freezing, we watched a film together while I waited for somebody.
The thought of this happening in the Arctic, alone in the middle of nowhere, in the winter, means I have worn a surf key necklace ever since, and I tap it to make sure it’s still there every time I get out of the van.

 

[GP]

Why not phone a friend, ask them to install VW Connect and log in to your account (you can change password later), and they can use app to unlock. Alternatively, borrow a phone from someone and do same. Obviously only works if vehicle has phone signal, but most time it will.

I thought that was an excellent idea. However looking into it a bit further it doesn't work if you have an iphone. This function on We connect only works on android phones. However I think I will get my son to load we connect onto his android phone and hopefully that will solve the problem - that is if I can get hold of him when I need him! Why We connect will not work with an iphone is a little annoying and surprising (when I say doesn't work with an iphone I mean the lock/unlock function)

 

[johna]

I thought that was an excellent idea. However looking into it a bit further it doesn't work if you have an iphone. This function on We connect only works on android phones. However I think I will get my son to load we connect onto his android phone and hopefully that will solve the problem - that is if I can get hold of him when I need him! Why We connect will not work with an iphone is a little annoying and surprising (when I say doesn't work with an iphone I mean the lock/unlock function)

It works on my iPhone for my MY20 6.1 without a problem. MY21 does not work yet, but I believe that’s a current problem with MY21 rather than phones.

 

[GP]

It works on my iPhone for my MY20 6.1 without a problem. MY21 does not work yet, but I believe that’s a current problem with MY21 rather than phones.

That's very interesting thank you. If you go into We connect it actually lists the phones that work (for the Lock and Unlock function) and it does not list any iPhones. Sorry to ask but to be doubly sure can you actually unlock your Cali from your iphone? If so then I am being misled by VW since when I phoned them up they said We connect does not function for iphones (lock/unlock function) - they have not said for MY21 builds. The plot thickens.

 

[flying banana]

i reckon using a phone doesn't solve the problem of being locked out. who goes for a pee in the night and takes a phone anyway

 

[johna]

That's very interesting thank you. If you go into We connect it actually lists the phones that work (for the Lock and Unlock function) and it does not list any iPhones. Sorry to ask but to be doubly sure can you actually unlock your Cali from your iphone? If so then I am being misled by VW since when I phoned them up they said We connect does not function for iphones (lock/unlock function) - they have not said for MY21 builds. The plot thickens.

I've done it before and just did a repeat test for you:

Physically verified van locked - App showed locked
Unlocked via App
Heard van unlocking and saw lights flash - App showed unlocked - verified van unlocked
Locked via App
Heard van locking and saw lights flash - App showed locked - verified van locked

So there we are. This was done immediately beside the van but since the connection is via internet that shouldn't make a difference. You have to input your passcode for every lock / unlock action (or you can agree face recognition) and it takes a few moments for the App to update. One time the App did not correctly update lock status so I refreshed (sort of pull the screen down then let go) and it corrected itself.

T6.1 MY20 (built end August 2020)
iPhone X, IoS 14.2

 

[johna]

i reckon using a phone doesn't solve the problem of being locked out. who goes for a pee in the night and takes a phone anyway

Yes, probably not many, but that's not the only locked-out possibility, and there's no single solution. Currently the App thing seems only to be available for MY20 6.1 and it depends on internet connection but it's a good to know if you have this model.

@GP if you've not already seem this thread, it may be of interest: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/we-connect-t6-1.37780/page-2

 

[GP]

Yes, probably not many, but that's not the only locked-out possibility, and there's no single solution. Currently the App thing seems only to be available for MY20 6.1 and it depends on internet connection but it's a good to know if you have this model.

@GP if you've not already seem this thread, it may be of interest: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/we-connect-t6-1.37780/page-2

Thank you Johna for your help. So looking at the thread it seems that when VW do their big software update in the New Year we may get this service - fingers crossed.

 

[Tom Jones]

Exactly the same thing happened to us with e 2017 Beach, luckily the AA man managed to open after trying many combinations with his master key. I was then also worried someone could break in with one of these keys!

My question is whether there is an option in the vehicle config to stop this as it is a permanent worry and an unrequired feature!

 

[Vwcaliforniajapan]

I have left my key inside my T5 a million times and have never had an issue with to lock ! I don't know about keyless since I didn't get my T6.1 yet however I owned several German cars with keyless systems and if I forget the keys inside the cars, I can't lock the cars from outside with a fingertip

 

[Corradobrit]

I have left my key inside my T5 a million times and have never had an issue with to lock ! I don't know about keyless since I didn't get my T6.1 yet however I owned several German cars with keyless systems and if I forget the keys inside the cars, I can't lock the cars from outside with a fingertip

Thats how my Audi S4 B8.4 works. I've sometimes left my keys in my jacket and stored it in the boot. The boot won't close so the car knows where the key is located at all times. Great feature IMO