Golf 8 Key Fob - cover fitting

[p.eTSI]

Hi all,

We needed to replaced thet key fob battery, which was easy enough. The battery lives under this side of the case, the black case is a thin piece of single plastic, that just pops out using 4 clips:

(not my pic, taken from the web)

Unfortunately the OTHER side of the case was peeled off:

(not my pic, taken from the web)

...and we're struggling to get it back on. This seems to be a very snug fit, and the black item itself is a single piece of thin bendable rubber, not plastic like the other side. Due to the tight fit, it's not so easy to press back into place, as it seems it needs to fold in around the perimeter of the case.


Does anyone have any pointers please?

 

[Braxton]

I'm not sure what you mean. The second picture looks normal.

Try leaving it in the sun or carefully using a hair dryer to soften the material

 

[SRGTD]

@p.eTSI; This YouTube video may help;

It‘d be worth checking the key blade release spring is in the correct position inside the key fob (see from approx 3min 5 sec - 5 min in the video); if it’s worked loose and isn’t sitting correctly in place, it could be preventing the cover being fitted back into place. Also, check the plastic locking tabs on the reverse side of the removable cover are correctly aligned with the slots they fit into in the main part of key fob - if they are, then based on the video, it looks as if the cover should just snap back into place without any force, provided the new battery has been correctly inserted (the correct way up) into its recess.

I must say I agree with the presenter in the video - the overall construction of the key fob doesn’t look to be particularly good quality - IMHO key fobs on previous generation cars were more solidly constructed. Sadly a sign of the times and cost cutting by VW.

 

[p.eTSI]

I'm not sure what you mean. The second picture looks normal.

Try leaving it in the sun or carefully using a hair dryer to soften the material

For clarity, the second picture, like the first, were just taken from online resources. It's not my actual key. Which I post below.

@p.eTSI; This YouTube video may help;

Unfortuantely not, that's the side which is a single piece of plastic, with 4 clips, and hence easy to pop out and pop back in.
It's the OTHER side of the fob we worked loose and now cannot get back in.

Pics below :

 

[bentin]

Sadly a sign of the times and cost cutting by VW.

There are indeed cost cutting efforts on the Mk8, but a new key design, after using exactly the same one since the B5 A4 in 1995 isn't one of them. They probably had the old key amortized down to $0.03/each by 2021.

 

[Topaz]

Doesn't seem to be very well made mine has come apart a few times (the metal key from the fob).

 

[SRGTD]

Doesn't seem to be very well made mine has come apart a few times (the metal key from the fob).

IMHO seems that it might be classic case of ‘if it ain‘t broke, don’t fix it’. The old style key fob for my 2020 Polo GTI+ (same as the mk7 / mk7.5 Golf’s key fob) is sturdy and robust and hasn‘t ever unintentionally come apart - neither did the fobs for my previous four VW’s, and they are the same design as my current key fob.

 

[bentin]

The newer Audi key works well, I just hate the old VW key with the button to release the key no one has ever used. It’s always coming open in my pocket and just feels like a cheap, old design.

 

[SRGTD]

Not all VW’s have a push button to start and stop the car’s engine. Therefore, owners that need to start their cars conventionally by inserting the key into the ignition keyhole will use their key often.

With the mk8 Golf in the UK, it’s only the performance models and the GTE plug in hybrid that get a start button as standard - owners of non performance models will need to use the key blade to start their cars. I’m assuming non-performance models get a different design of key fob, with the key blade attached to the fob, rather than a separate blade that can be completely removed.

 

[p.eTSI]

Doesn't seem to be very well made mine has come apart a few times (the metal key from the fob).

I don't think it feels particularly cheap (but definitely cheaper than the car the Golf replaced, an A-Class). Also, why cover something that is likely to be dropped, or living amonst other metal keys, in a shiny piano black finish .


Despite the side track discussions, can anyone help with the predicament described in the first & fourth post please, ?

 

[SRGTD]

I don't think it feels particularly cheap (but definitely cheaper than the car the Golf replaced, an A-Class). Also, why cover something that is likely to be dropped, or living amonst other metal keys, in a shiny piano black finish .


Despite the side track discussions, can anyone help with the predicament described in the first & fourth post please, ?

Agree; glossy piano black seems a strange choice for a key fob, bearing in mind how easy it is for it to become scratched.

Back to your predicament - you could try the following - it might need an extra pair of hands to help hold the cover in place as you refit it;

• Starting with the corner marked ‘x’ on your picture below, Insert that corner into place on the fob and then work outwards in the direction of the arrows from that corner. I’d suggest using something like the tip of the blade of a small flat bladed screwdriver (e.g. electrical screwdriver, watchmaker’s screwdriver or similar) if necessary in the recessed channel on the cover to help push it back into place. Use the extra pair of hands to hold the partially refitted cover in place as you continue working around the edges as it’ll leave you with both your hands available to work the remainder of the recessed channel on the cover back into place with the help of the screwdriver blade. The corner of the cover that I‘ve circled in your the picture looks as if it has a small cut out in the recessed channel, so leaving that corner until last should mean it’s hopefully easier to manipulate it back into place.
• If the above isn’t successful, then you could;
  1. warm the cover first as @Braxton has suggested to make it more flexible or
  2. smear a very very thin layer of something like washing up liquid - or similar product with lubricating properties - along the recessed channel around the edge of the cover first to make it easier to push the edge of the cover back into place. If you decide to do this, I’d stress the importance of using any lubricant very sparingly to minimise the risk of there being any excess lubricant getting inside the key fob casing and potentially causing irreparable damage to internal components e.g. semiconductors, electrical connectors, the battery.

Good luck! It might not work and trying this method is at your own risk, but it could be worth trying.

Please update this thread if it’s successful.

 

[Braxton]

The keyfob is coated in plastic, it's not like piano black exposed

 

[Braxton]

Doesn't seem to be very well made mine has come apart a few times (the metal key from the fob).

Ah yes, this a design flaw but certain third party covers fix it, most don't

The case on the left leaves the key end as the load bearing. So when you have stuff attached with a key ring it's pulling on the key inside. This probably will break the latch mechanism over time.

The case on the right has its end structure that takes most of the load (some initial still goes to the key). The downside is you can't remove the key without removing the case.

 

[Michael gti07]

I like the design, although I'm surprised it's not alot smaller.
I've a pertinent question though, Why did they get rid of the emergency button.
I've only ever used it by accident myself, so anybody................

 

[SRGTD]

I like the design, although I'm surprised it's not alot smaller.
I've a pertinent question though, Why did they get rid of the emergency button.
I've only ever used it by accident myself, so anybody................

It’s probably a very similar size to the key fobs of many other car manufacturers. Maybe the fob’s considered by VW to be the optimum size to be easily found if it’s carried in a bag where it might become ‘buried’ under the bag’s other contents - important for owners without keyless entry to be able to locate their key fob easily as they need to use it to lock / unlock the car; if it were smaller it could be more difficult to find. It also needs to be large enough to accommodate essential components - RFID transponder chip, circuitry, antenna (I have no idea how much space those components take up), button cell battery and key blade.

I‘m not 100% certain, but I don’t think VW key fobs in the UK have ever had an emergency button. I’ve owned VW’s for just over 20 years and none of them have had a key fob with an emergency button.