One of the first things I did after buying our Westy was to start familiarizing myself with its features and idiosyncrasies. I found out a few things in the process about keys and locks.
The 2003 Eurovans we bought came with a key fob that includes remote keyless entry. I have become pretty accustomed to keyless entry systems over my last few cars, so this is a welcome feature. Unfortunately, the rear hatch lock does not work correctly with the remote entry. The hatch can be locked and unlocked OK with the key but not with the remote entry. I’m taking Westy in to the shop tomorrow to get that fixed.
The other thing I learned was about the keys our Westy: there are a lot of them!
VW Keys (L-R): Key fob with remote keyless entry (master key),
emergency key and glove compartment key.
The 2003 Eurovans were sold with two remote entry keys, but we only received one. I thought it would be a good idea to get another one. Great idea, but it looks like this will not be possible. VW stopped selling these key fobs in 2013, and they are nowhere to be found. You can get new cases, new blank keys to fit them, but not the electronics inside for the remote entry. I’ll keep looking to see if they become available, but it looks like a lost cause at this point.
Another thing I learned was that the emergency key I received will operate the locks but doesn’t work in the ignition. There is a slight difference between this key and the master key; I don’t know if this is normal, but if you look a this key in the photo you can see it would be difficult to use long term.
That started me looking for a replacement key that would work as a master but without the remote keyless entry feature. I found that VW ignition keys have electronic components inside that work with the ignition. There is an immobilizer in the ignition system that is deactivated by the micro-chip in the key.
I found out that replacement keys with the electronics are available from VW, so I ordered one. Once you get the key you have to get it programmed by the dealer so that it is matched up to your vehicle. This turned out to be a fairly expensive purchase. The key cost $50 and the programming cost $85. That’s $135 for one key. Yikes!
Replacement Ignition Key
You’ll also note that the replacement key is a different shape from all the other keys in the photo above. I guess that’s to help aging brains like mine from confusing one with another. Now if I could just remember what each key is supposed to do!
I forgot to mention the locking gas cap. The 2003 Eurovan has the gas cap located just behind the driver’s door. This is accessed by opening a hinged flap. Most new cars today have a mechanical release system that operates this kind of flap, but not the Eurovan. That means you have to keep the gas cap locked if you want to prevent unauthorized access. The gas cap is locked/unlocked by the master key or emergency key.
Update: Keyless Entry
I recently found an ad on eBay for a Eurovan Keyless Entry fob. This isn’t the original Eurovan fob, but one advertised to work for a Eurovan. I bit the bullet and bought one. Here’s what it looks like:
As you can see, it’s the bottom portion of a key fob. It came with a concise set of instructions on how to program it. I followed these and guess what? It works!!
The real Eurovan key fob has two buttons while this one has three. the center button (trunk release) doesn’t function, but the other two do. I’ll be keeping this in reserve with my spare ignition key – now I have a complete backup set!
If you want to check out eBay for this listing, search for “Eurovan T4 Remote.” If any are available you should see something like “VW 1993-2004 Eurovan T4 REMOTE new 3 button keyless entry fob (Fits: EuroVan).”