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

Corradobrit · Sep 8, 2023

Craig Gilbert said:
so I told him to go through the large zip in the roof, which he managed to do, and no damage,

Any photos? Glad it worked out in the end and thank your lucky stars the roof was up.

Roger Boeken · Sep 10, 2023

Ting Tong said:
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!

Your neighbour could open your door by calling you and pushing spare fob while holding close to microphone while you keep phone close to car while on speaker.

Viktorgeorge · Sep 10, 2023

Roger Boeken said:
Your neighbour could open your door by calling you and pushing spare fob while holding close to microphone while you keep phone close to car while on speaker.

How does that work?

Roger Boeken · Sep 12, 2023

Viktorgeorge said:
How does that work?

I could not believe it myself at first but a friend gave a demo and i can only say it works. You must find a good location close to your car but after a few trials I have seen it working. It looks like the fob uses frequencies a cellphone can transmit using microphone and speaker. Must be in the higher range of audio since we can not hear it .

Viktorgeorge · Sep 12, 2023

Roger Boeken said:
I could not believe it myself at first but a friend gave a demo and i can only say it works. You must find a good location close to your car but after a few trials I have seen it working. It looks like the fob uses frequencies a cellphone can transmit using microphone and speaker. Must be in the higher range of audio since we can not hear it .

Thanks, @Roger Boeken, I look forward to trying that!

DavidofHook · Sep 12, 2023

Cwcltd said:
We were locked out of our 2020 T6.1 Coast today and it took VW Assistance (the AA) about 5 hours to get into the vehicle. We’d spent the weekend at the Brecon campsite with both the Coast and our Eriba; I’d had the Cali open for about 30 minutes and as it started to rain I closed the drivers door, tailgate and lastly the side door. On closing this door the Cali locked; both our keys were in the van (plus phones etc.). I did not think that a Cali was supposed to lock if a key was inside, (we didn’t touch the locking buttons on the key fobs). Called VW (Apple Watch outside the Cali!) and the first AA van arrived within 20 minutes, and he couldn’t get in as he did not have the right tools. Second AA van arrived and - they do not have the latest tools from VW to permit them to gain access to a T6.1. The AA guys were brilliant and after some 5 hours they opened the doors, and with virtually no damage. I was gearing up to brick the window to get the keys back. Lesson for us is to ensure we never leave both keys in the van, and organise a spare key location, and AA are speaking with VW to get updated tools. For what it’s worth the AA guys see this scenario all too often (Vehicles locking with the keys inside).

We’re currently in France for a month & we both carry keys at all times. Just for that very problem & also you can safely lock the van if the missis is away knowing she can get in when she returns. She can get cross otherwise. We both wear Rohan shorts which always have a key ring to hang them on.

DavidofHook · Sep 12, 2023

Jenny H said:
I just know this is going to happen to me!
Can some kind person point me in the direction of where/how I can plant the spare key please!

I can tell you where not to leave it. Camping in Spain I had a magnetic box for the key. However find something ferrous under the van is not easy, particularly if you do not want to get covered in grease. I therefore left it on the top of one of the rear tyres, knowing that , of course, I wouldn’t forget it! I did forget, drive off one day & lost the key, never to be seen again. Idiot!