Key questions and anti-theft information
Replacement Keys
Replacing a transponder key can be costly. Coding a replacement key for your vehicle requires specialized equipment available only to your VW dealer and to certain independent repair facilities and locksmiths that are qualified to make remote control keys. This equipment can also be used to disable a key which is lost or stolen by reprogramming the remaining keys to the vehicle. In addition, because all key programming accesses a single secure database, a permanent record is generated whenever a replacement key is coded to a particular vehicle.Features may not be available on all models. See your dealer for details.
Code Security
No security system can provide 100% protection against theft, and thieves may be able to overcome the electronic immobilizer. However, objective data has demonstrated a dramatic reduction in theft rates in vehicles equipped with immobilizer and “smart key” technology. For these systems to be effective, the codes that are unique to a particular key and a particular vehicle cannot be allowed to fall into unauthorized hands. At the same time, vehicle owners who have lost or misplaced their sets of keys need to be able to obtain replacements in the most convenient manner possible, while preserving the security of key coding information.
The Smart Key – Yours and yours alone
Even an exact physical duplicate of a key cannot start the vehicle unless the key’s transponder and the vehicle’s immobilizer have been coded to each other. Securely encrypted and constantly changing electronic codes match your specific key with the onboard computer on your vehicle – and your vehicle alone.
The Immobilizer – The New World of Anti-Theft Technology
All VW vehicles are now equipped with a state of the art electronic “immobilizer” anti-theft system. The critical component in this system is a sophisticated electronic anti-theft device – the “immobilizer.” The immobilizer activates when the ignition key is removed and, together with the engine control unit, prevents unauthorized starting of the engine.