After 2 weeks of ownership of a 2023 Pro S AWD, I absolutely love this car, other than the lack of mirror memory, it just delivers in every aspect, especially in range that is far far beyond 255mi. But there's one big frustration: the key fob. It's objectively awful. People complain about the car lacking phone as key function, and we are missing auto-lock, but honestly, its the fob.

It's large, it's heavy, it lacks tactile buttons, it has very poor responsiveness, and by far the shortest range I've ever seen (about 20 feet). On top of that the lock button has to be pressed twice for the car to make a lock sounds (brief honk). In reality, I usually have to press the button 3-4 times to get the sound confirmation. And if the car is not locked because let's say one of the doors is not closed correctly, the car isn't really giving clear feedback.

In my 2012 Prius I've almost never taken out my key out of my backpack it just worked. And with my I3, I was able to open or lock from 200 Ft away, and I could tell what I was pressing based on the button shape.

Is there a fix for this?

20 feet is 6 meters according to my calculation and therefore much too short.
Even at 100 feet 30 meters my key works to lock/unlock the doors
have you tried the second key yet.
I always have the key in a laptop bag and it always works.
Sounds like it's the key itself, I think.

 

Yeah, tried both keys and similarly underwhelming. Perhaps I should try to add a new battery to one?

 

It is what it is. I wouldn't call it large or heavy though. I had 2020 Escape before which was large and heavy, though range and buttons were awesome.

 

Now that you brought it up, I notice the flaws. I have not tried distance yet. Probably the worse tactile feel remote compared to cars I had 20 year ago.

I wish the car would just lock on its own proximity to the phone or lock 20 seconds after car is turned off when butt lifts off the seat. Then I wouldn’t have to fiddle with the lame remote. Or better yet connect it to the phone. Please VW 🙏.

 

No mirror memory? Our 2022 Pro S AWD has mirror memory. Did VW drop that? I find it odd that the driver's seat does not go to the preset position based on each driver's fob. I would imagine a software upgrade could fix that.

 

Just noticed that too in my 2023 every time I switch user between my wife and I we have to readjust the mirrors.

 

I used a raspberry pi and a HW-147 NFC Module to clone my dorm room fob that looked identical.
Also some GitHub library maybe mediafaire or something.

routerlogin

watch IPL

 

After 2 weeks of ownership of a 2023 Pro S AWD, I absolutely love this car, other than the lack of mirror memory, it just delivers in every aspect, especially in range that is far far beyond 255mi. But there's one big frustration: the key fob. It's objectively awful. People complain about the car lacking phone as key function, and we are missing auto-lock, but honestly, its the fob.

It's large, it's heavy, it lacks tactile buttons, it has very poor responsiveness, and by far the shortest range I've ever seen (about 20 feet). On top of that the lock button has to be pressed twice for the car to make a lock sounds (brief honk). In reality, I usually have to press the button 3-4 times to get the sound confirmation. And if the car is not locked because let's say one of the doors is not closed correctly, the car isn't really giving clear feedback.

In my 2012 Prius I've almost never taken out my key out of my backpack it just worked. And with my I3, I was able to open or lock from 200 Ft away, and I could tell what I was pressing based on the button shape.

Is there a fix for this?

Agree 100%! No way to feel where to push the fob lock without looking and fishing it out of your pocket. For a car that starts and stops by sitting in the seat… it’s an absolute crime to force us to take the key fob out and fumble with it to lock the vehicle. And the door handle lock is not a great solution. Please, please just allow me to walk away and auto-lock after I get 10 feet away or after a set time limit.

 

Personally I'd be fine with a fob with no buttons, especially if it was smaller. Never use 'em. I do wish I could lock the doors with the inside lock button while getting out (like Honda allows).

 

On the ID.4, you'll use the “Unlock” button often to unlock your charge cord; many people report finding the charge cord still locked in place when one would expect it to be unlocked.

 

The fob should also have a way to manually command the starting of pre-conditioning.

It should also have a “Panic” button that isn't far too easy to trip.

 

The fob should also have a way to manually command the starting of pre-conditioning.

Isn’t there an environmental setting for “start hvac when car is unlocked”? Then you could unlock the car to precondition (Assuming it’s in a safe place).

 

Maybe I’m missing something but I never take the fob out of my pocket… on either VW, I just touch the inside of the door handle to unlock and outside of the door handle (on the indent) to lock. If that’s not working for you guys, try taking it to your dealer and ask them to double check the KESSY system.

Also, VW uses elaborate time of flight security to prevent the use of re-transmitters/amplifiers to perform a relay attack which could let someone open your car while the key is still inside your house. (Google Hyundai car thefts to learn more.) This could cause it to shorten the effective range.

And sadly, yes, as extensively covered elsewhere on this site, for 2023 the power folding and memory side mirrors were moved up to a new “Plus” trim, along with 360 camera and black roof.

Oh, and yeah, it’s bigger than it needs to be, but pretty easy to carry - and it’s the VW corporate key fob, same as Mk8 Golf and others… so don’t expect it to change until they finally change it for all their cars when they end their infatuation with shiny black plastic sometime!

 

it’s bigger than it needs to be, but pretty easy to carry

Yeah, designed like a good suppository! 😳

 

Does individual IQ affect the range amplification coefficient?

 

Yeah, Einstein could unlock his car from the next town

 

I do like it better than the Mk7 Golf key, which was squatter and heavier, more squared off and had the switch blade style pop-out key! They also put a lot of effort into the pop-out key ring mechanism that is also the emergency with an extra press of the same button.

 

The pop-out key isn't a useful defensive weapon though, compared to the more-traditional push-button spring-out key.

And if you don't know what I'm taking about, ask a woman in your life.

 

wait until you start inadvertently setting off the panic alarm with the keys on your pocket while driving...then you will realize how stupid the key design really is. I ended up taking mine apart and disabling the panic button it was so annoying.

 

I just put a key cover on it …

 

I have my car (‘23 AWD PRO S) set to auto-unlock when I approach, and I touch the triangle indentation on the door handle to lock (lights flash to confirm) before I walk away, so I just keep the fob in my purse and almost never have to use the buttons on it.

 

The lack of automatic locking when you leave the car may be a safety feature that prevents you from absent-mindedly leaving the kids/dogs locked in the car and leaving. I find touching the door handle to lock seems to work fine, and the car unlocks automatically when I walk up to it. So I just leave the key fob in my pocket or backpack. I am quite satisfied with how the system is set up, except for seats not automatically adjusting. OH! The anguish there!!!

 

I am quite satisfied with how the system is set up, except for seats not automatically adjusting. OH! The anguish there!!!

That is something coming in a future software update, I believe!

 

I rarely touch it. The car unlocks when I approach and I lock via the door handle when I’m walking away…I would love phone as a key though.

 

Curious on other people's thoughts on how I use the car to get groceries.

Park car, get out, touch door handle button to lock. Easy enough.
Come back with groceries, foot sweep for trunk to open, put groceries in, close trunk, get in car. Easy enough.
Get home, park car, open trunk with switch in driver door. Go to back, get groceries out with two hands, feet sweep to close truck....oh...put down groceries on floor you just picked up. Walk to driver door or pull key fob out of purse/pocket, lock car, and then pick up groceries. Not ideal. Why won't VW put a lock/unlock button near the handle of the trunk?

 

Get home, park car, open trunk with switch in driver door.

Might try just getting out of car and lock the door from door handle. Then walk around back and foot sweep the trunk open. Grab the goods. Then foot sweep the trunk closed. All should be locked.

 

I'm not sure I have ever touched the buttons on the FOB. They sit in my pocket. I just walk up and pull the handle to open and touch the handle to lock when I walk off. It works just like the GTI.

 

The first person to repackage the fob internals (incl. the key) into a fob of half the size and half the weight gets my money. Bonus points for tactile buttons and no panic button.
Weighty fobs impress car reviewers and also buyers on the sales floor. After that: pure annoyance.

 

The first person to repackage the fob internals (incl. the key) into a fob of half the size and half the weight gets my money. Bonus points for tactile buttons and no panic button.
Weighty fobs impress car reviewers and also buyers on the sales floor. After that: pure annoyance.

Just bought a used fob on ebay. I'll give it a try, but I doubt there's much extra space in the fob.

Couldn't find any pictures of this new fob disassembled, so I'll try to make a thread about it.

No promises I don't get distracted with something else though.

 

At least disabling the exit lights seems to work well (at least at night), to give instant feedback on the car being locked.

 

I changed the batteries and A/B tested the key with the new battery vs. the stock battery one. It made a consistent improvement from about 12m/40Ft through my living room. So @Pascal's advice improved. It's shocking though, we had the car for 2 weeks...that FOB should have new batteries.

Added an embossed sticker to the lock button, now I don't have to take the fob out of my pocket, and it now also easier to press lock and gives me better tactile feedback when pressed.

 

I changed the batteries and A/B tested the key with the new battery vs. the stock battery one. It made a consistent improvement from about 12m/40Ft through my living room. So @Pascal's advice improved. It's shocking though, we had the car for 2 weeks...that FOB should have new batteries.

Added an embossed sticker to the lock button, now I don't have to take the fob out of my pocket, and it now also easier to press lock and gives me better tactile feedback when pressed.


View attachment 19929

 

I lock my slow-ass kids in the car all the time. Depending on how long they take, every now and then the alarm goes off, but usually not, but they always get out, and the doors stay locked. I don't know of an interior motion sensor in this car, either, probably just a timer.[/QUOTE]

You get my vote for Dad of the Year!

 

You get my vote for Dad of the Year!

The year has just started.

 

I don't know how the FOBs and their batteries are handled from production to shipping to dealer prep for sale, but I can imagine there is a lot of sitting around, and potentially a lot of time spent near the car communicating. So I guess not too surprised some are handed over to owner in a weak condition.

 

This is probably the answer.

WIth the new batteries, even the pull-to-open door opening works with remarkably less delay.

 

Have the car for 4 days and pressed the alarm button accidently twice already. Never happed on other cars before. Getting a fob case. There are plenty mentioned in the forum. Just stop that alarming from my pocket

 

Here's the thread about taking it apart (permanently).

ID.4 Key Fob Disassembly

There's not much info online about disassembling the ID.4 key fob. So I bought one off eBay and cracked it open. Here's what I found so you don't have to. Summary: Don't try this, there's no reason to, and it will NOT go back together. The two silver metal pieces on the outside of the fob are...

www.vwidtalk.com

 

So I had a minor incident with the key fob, locking mechanism of the car and it reminded me what a poor design it all has.
So I'm in a parking lot, in a rush, my kids are about to get out of the car, one wants to exit on the opposite side but I tell them to exit on my side. The car doesn't lock. I press the fob 5x. No beep. Lights are on. I push the door handle lock spot. Nothing. I decide to start walking away because we're in a hurry, look at the car, headlights eventually turn off, internal lights still on. I shrug my shoulders and leave. Coming back, the internal lights are still on, but the car's doors were locked.

So what happened is my kid pulled the handle on one of the doors so it wasn't locked properly. I would have had to sit back in the car to see that the door's open, which I couldn't because I can't leave my small kids unattended even for seconds in a parking lot, or open and close all doors from the outside that we didn't have time for. So it's all that can be wrong here.

A) If the car beeped I knew unambiguously that it's not locked
B) If the car key triggered the lock beep consistently, I would know it's not locked