Keyless entry.

[David Lewis]

Still finding my way with the Mark 8 golf style. i Can’t seem to figure out how the keyless entry is activated. I have to open the car doors by using the button on the key fob but I think it should open by placing my hand through the door handle but it doesn’t. What am I doing wrong.
thanks for any advice and help.

 

[SRGTD]

Are you able to lock the car without having to use the key fob?

I think it’s possible for keyless entry to be permanently disabled in the vehicle settings menus )accessed via the infotainment screen) so I’d suggest checking there to see if its currently disabled, which would explain why it doesn’t seem to be working.

 

[keith1200rs]

Also, the key has a fairly limited range in keyless mode. Don't put it in an RF shielded holder.

 

[Genegenie]

Serious question: how do people find keyless entry in operation ? Not being a 'negative ninny' but speaking as I find, I know two drivers with keyless entry cars, a Hyundai & a Renault and both report their cars locking & unlocking whenever the car feels like it. E.g. lock the car, walk away and watch it unlock itself, or lock the car & return to find it unlocked . Both returned their car to the respective dealer & no faults were found, both bought their cars so kinda stuck with them. I had a similar experience with the previous model Vauxhall Astra, it would randomly open one or several windows when locked, I ensured windows were closed when locking it in front of witnesses to ensure I didn't imagine it. After several trips to the unhelpful & uninterested dealer my patience ran out & I dumped the car, as mine was on PCP bit of shame as I did like the car. A few weeks later, car already gone, I received a letter from Vauxhall UK stating there was a recall on that model due to a faulty electrical component possibly causing electrical faults & errors, too late, too many hairs already torn out ....

 

[LMWT]

My keyless entry as set (MK8 Style) - all doors unlock on approach.
Lock the car either by fob or touching the sensor on the door handle.

 

[keith1200rs]

Had a Fiesta with keyless for 9 years with no problems. No problems with the Golf keyless so far although it has had a fob battery change after just 8 months. I think that is to do with the way the fob operates when it is in range, not specifically keyless. I have mine set to NOT unlock on approach for security.

 

[PanEuropean]

Serious question: how do people find keyless entry in operation ?

I've had 3 Volkswagens with keyless entry - a 2004 Phaeton (first time VW ever put keyless entry on a car), 2015 Golf 7, and 2024 GTI.

Never had a problem with keyless access. The system works very well and is reliable and trustworthy. It can get a little snarky sometimes in winter weather if there is freezing rain and ice accumulates on the door handles, but this is rare... "normal" winter weather such as snow doesn't cause problems.

There are numerous options that can be set on the MK 8 Golf keyless unlocking depending on the year of manufacture and what optional equipment is installed on the car. For example, my car unlocks the doors when I walk up to it (it detects me when I am about 5 feet away), I don't even have to touch the door handle. There is a 'lock the car automatically when I walk away if I forget to lock it' option that can be set, but those who have used this particular option have reported that it is not 100% reliable.

Michael

 

[PanEuropean]

What am I doing wrong.

If you have the key fob in any kind of protective cover, that will reduce the range of the key fob. If you just have it in a pocket of your coat, no problems, it will always be detected by the car.

There is some uncertainty in the forum community about whether the battery in the key fob is needed for keyless access detection, or whether it is only needed for remote locking and unlocking when pushing the physical buttons on the fob. I do know that on the Phaeton (20 year old technology now), the key fob had a RF chip in it that the keyless system used, it worked without a battery present. But I don't know if that is the case for MK 8 key fobs.

If in doubt, just change the battery and use a high quality battery. Instructions for changing the battery in the key fob are found in the owner manual, it is not a difficult task. Most VW dealers will change the battery for you if you go to the parts counter.

Michael

 

[Genegenie]

Thanks for replies / info, tho obv not my post. I really do speak as I find and am very much 'a try it for yourself' person as, well, you never know for sure until you do try it. As with my comments on DSG 'boxes (know people who had issues, one I test drove tried to embed itself into garage end wall) I do have some concerns in regard to keyless entry which I can see becomming the norm in the future. Nutshell: insurance company would be less than keen settling any claim where "the car just took off & crashed itself" or "it unlocked itself after I locked it", owner / drivers of vehicles with such features will tell you exactly how it is.....

 

[Bbuchner]

Maybe you temporarily deactivated the Keyless entry system.

this is from the manual

Deactivating Keyless Access temporarily​

You can temporarily deactivate the Keyless Access with push-button start unlocking function to prevent the vehicle from being unlocked and started by unauthorized people.

1. Lock the vehicle with the button on the vehicle key.
2. Within five seconds of locking the vehicle, touch the sensor on the outside of the door handle once Do not grasp the door handle during this process.
   Keyless Access is now temporarily deactivated.
3. To check that it has actually been deactivated, wait at least 10 seconds and then pull on the door handle.
   The door should not open.

The next time the vehicle is unlocked, you must use the vehicle key. Keyless Access will be reactivated the next time the vehicle is unlocked.

Deactivating Keyless Access permanently​

You can also permanently deactivate Keyless Access in the Infotainment system to prevent the vehicle from being unlocked and started by unauthorized people.

 

[PanEuropean]

I do have some concerns in regard to keyless entry which I can see becoming the norm in the future. Nutshell: insurance company would be less than keen settling any claim where "the car just took off & crashed itself" or "it unlocked itself after I locked it", owner / drivers of vehicles with such features will tell you exactly how it is.....

Hello Gene:

You don't have to worry. Keyless access has been around on VW products since 2003. To put that in context, when VW first introduced keyless access (KESSY), Windows XP was the current OS and it would be another 3 years before Apple introduced the iPhone.

The logic behind keyless access is quite clever. If you lock the car - either by using the button on the key fob, or touching the lock position on the door handle - and the car subsequently receives an unlock signal, either by using the unlock button on the key fob, or touching the unlock position on the door handle - and no door is physically opened within 30 seconds of the car receiving that unlock signal, the car will automatically lock itself back up again. Go ahead and try it.

In the early days of keyless entry systems, thieves could recover a signal from the key fob stored within a house and use that to open a vehicle parked outside the house. Beginning with the MK 8 Golf, the key fob itself has a motion detection system within it. If it has not been moved for a period of time (not sure how long, probably 5 minutes or so) it "turns itself off" and will not unlock the car. You can try this feature out as well if you park your car in a garage at your house. Leave the key fob sitting on the roof or hood, go away for a while, then try opening a door using the door handle. The car will stay locked until you pick up the key fob and shake it a bit.

Lastly, if you leave a key fob inside the car, and you lock the car up using a second key fob, the fob you left inside the car is deactivated and will not work anymore until the car is unlocked in the future using the second key fob (the one used to lock it up).

So, no worries...

Michael

 

[David Lewis]

Seems I’m getting Keyless start and keyless entry confused. the Mark8 style comes with Keyless start as standard but keyless Entry is an optional extra which can only be fitted during manufacture. sadly it wasn’t on my car.

 

[PanEuropean]

Seems I’m getting Keyless start and keyless entry confused.

You are not actually confusing the two systems, because they are one single system that is commonly referred to as KESSY (Keyless Entry Start SYstem). Both the keyless entry feature (touch-sensitive door handles) and the keyless start feature (push-button start) use the same controller and the same key recognition technology.

I've never heard of a MK 8 Golf having keyless start but not keyless entry - what country was your car originally sold in?

Michael

 

[keith1200rs]

In the UK keyless start is standard but keyless entry is extra (on Life and Style models - not sure about others)

 

[David Lewis]

Yep it’s a U.K. spec