DIY BY: "creativconfusion" from VWVORTEX.COM
Well ... they keys seemed similar enough ... how hard could a little internal swap be ... right ?
Well here is the complete DIY for making it all work. It is broken into 3 sections, one for disassembly, one involving the swapping of remote parts, and another for the mobilizer swap.
Requirements:
- Two keys (one old and one new ... otherwise whats the point)
- Box Cutter
- Sturdy Knife for prying
- Hairdryer
- small screwdriver
- Glue (quick drying if you are ADD like me)
Main Disassembly (Part 1):
1) First pry between the two parts of the keys in order to separate them into the key/mobilizer half and the remote half
2) Set aside the key halves (we'll deal with this later in the mobilizer section)
3) Pry open the two halves of the remote part of the key (exposing the battery and circuit board)
Hint: Keep your stuff separated and organized ... confusion is not fun
4) Remove both sets of batteries and the clasps that hold them
5) Pry at the corners of the circuit boards until you get them to come away from the plastic knobs that bind them (go straight for the corners if you can because on the sides there are resistors and if you hit them you better be proficient with a soldering iron)
Now gather the following parts:
- New remote casing (front and back)
- Old circuit board
- Old battery clasp
- Old batteries
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Remote modification and re-assembly (Part 2): (The tricky part)
1) Look closely at the button side of the new remote ... there will be two plastic pins sticking up in the in addition to the big circuit board holding pin ... remove the pin closest to the big one because it will interfere with the installation of the circuit board (refer to image if confusion occurs)
2) Observe the image and remove the highlighted section of the old plastic battery surround because it too will interfere with installation of the circuit board (the chip on the old board is a bit bigger than the chip on the new board)
3) Place the old circuit board into the button side of the new remote ... it should fit snugly and should pop down over the two big pins
4) Place old battery clasp and batteries into the spot where the new clasp and batteries were. The batteries should be roughly in the middle of the remote and pushed as far towards the silver ring as possible.
5) Take a small piece of plastic (no taller than the batteries) and push it firmly against the batteries. This will serve to keep them from sliding around in the remote since the newer battery was bigger than the old batteries we are installing.
6) Glue the plastic firmly in place but do not allow to much to creep out towards the non battery side otherwise it will interfere with the chip and you will have to shave it off later
7) Once the glue is dry try to put the pieces of the remote back together ... you may have trouble with the prongs of of the battery clasp not seating perfectly ... in that case you will want to trim the inner prong off and shorten the outer prong insuring that it will not touch anything other than the part on the circuit board it is intended to. Do not force the halves together ... if they don't fit ... something is in the way ... check fitment and trim plastic / glue as necessary
8) If all went well your new remote section should work with your car and you are finished with that part.
Note: Sometimes when the parts are disconnected they will clear their memory ... if your car has forgotten your remote you must re-sync the two using the guide at the link at the top of this page
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Mobilizer swap (Part 3):
1) Remove the VW emblems on both of the key halves.
2) Remove the small screw hidden behind the emblem
3) Pry the key portions in half (sometimes its a little sticky, in that case take it easy and slowly work your way around)
4) Mark the key blank that actually turns your car on so you don't confuse them
5) Look for the tiny pill shaped piece (the mobilizer) buried in each and try to pry it out. If it doesn't come out easily try heating up the whole piece with a hairdryer and then pry again.
6) Do not mix these mobilizers up either (they turn off the immobilizer in your car !)
8) Put the mobilizer and key blank from your original key into the plastic housing for the new key.
9) Make sure you wind the spring correctly on your key blank or else it will not spring open anymore (it might do nothing or it might spring closed)
10) Put the two sides together, put the small screw back in, and make sure the key blank pops out when you push the button.
11) You are now finished with the key half.
Final assembly:
1) Put the halves of your new creation together
2) Go test your remote and test to see that the key disarms the immobilizer when you turn on the car.
Troubleshooting:
- If the Immobilizer comes on you are disorganized and put the wrong mobilizer into the key
- If your remote doesn't work check the contacts inside the remote to make sure that they make contact with the battery and the designated spot on the circuit board ... and not anywhere else.
- If the remote still doesn't work check the DIY for re-syncing remotes here http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1216091
The whole thing took me about 2 hours of messing around because i was taking pictures and trying different methods ... if it takes you longer and you need motivation you can always imagine me drinking a beer and laughing at you.