DIY: Making cheap spare keys

[78F350]

Pelican Parts has a good article about replacing the ignition switch. Some of the pictures and description are useful here.




Buy a blank HAA style key. They are common for Porsche, VW, Audi, and others. I got five Audi keys with a flip-fob for under $30.
Find a locksmith that cuts them and make a duplicate of your key. I have heard them called “Laser cut keys”, “side-milled keys”, and “Sidewinder keys”. The locksmith that I went to was very uncomfortable doing it and wanted to be sure that I understood that they would not start my cars.

Open your key and remove the transponder. I imagine that it is fragile because it looks like glass. You will most likely break it, or drop it and lose it. Mine didn't break, but I dropped it somewhere between my kitchen table and the area behind my garage where I keep my parts car. It was only due to the grace of God that I ever found it.


After finding the transponder, I decided to make it padded and harder to lose.

I inserted it in a hollow piece of nylon cord, then sealed it with heat-shrink. You may simply chose to glue it in place. ...risky.


Pull the rubber cover that surrounds the ignition switch.


Zip-tie & glue the transponder in position on that cover where it is on top of the ignition to the right of the connection for the coil. (North American, left hand drive car)
Tip: I had the position verified before applying any glue or adhesive. Test it with just a zip-tie or other temporary measure before you make a mess.


I secured the cord inside the dashboard so that in case the transponder ever comes loose I will be able to recover it easily.
This view is looking towards the steering column from where my side vent is removed:


With the transponder in position and the rubber cover installed, test your key.


Follow-up edit: I just completed the same job on my Passat. It had an identical tumbler and coil, but was much harder to access. To make sure that the transponder stays in place I used some E6000 industrial adhesive (Black). I was so happy with it, that I scraped off the glue I used on the Boxsters and used the E6000 on them. Great product.

I am not recommending that anyone do this. I was simply curious enough to experiment with it until it worked and thought I'd share. Future plans for it will probably be a remote starter.