No Key. Hold key up to marking. Manual!

[CooseVW]

Bit of a blog from today's events and my experience might be of some assistance to someone who is frantically searching the forum one day after their van refuses to start 1.5 hours away from home...

So I hopped in the van and went to start it as normal. The engine turned over once then I got the error

'No Key. Hold key up to marking. Manual!'​

which makes zero sense as it's not keyless start.

I plugged in my Carista OBD scanner and the fault that was standing was 'Engine BCM module locked' (or something along them lines) and it would not reset. I tried disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes to see if that would reset anything and it didn't, then I tried giving my key battery a good rub to try and get a bit of extra oomph out of it, both to no avail.

Anyway, admitted defeat and rang the RAC. They turned up pretty quick and the guy was super helpful but hadn't seen this before on a T6.

He suspected an immobiliser issue so offered either recovery home on a flat bed truck or call an automotive locksmith.

Anyway, I opted for the locksmith as if he couldn't resolve the issue there was no charge and I'd be recovered home anyway.

Anyway, £450 later, I had a brand new genuine VW key coded in the car park (after removing my clocks) and all in the world was well again.

I'd done a bit of googling and it would appear that a genuine VW key, coded by the dealership is about £400, so £450 didn't seem too bad in comparison and in desperation.

It transpires that the key that failed, appears to be a fake copy of a genuine VW one.

So in short, if you get that message... get your credit card ready.

 

[Sasquatch]

Glad you sorted it. That's why I never bother with non OE keys.

 

[whodat]

Dammit
It took a main dealer 2 days to get me a key cut and programmed!

 

[CooseVW]

Glad you sorted it. That's why I never bother with non OE keys.

I'd be of the same opinion now also. The garage i bought the van from 6 months ago replaced one of the original keys due to the blade being snapped and this is the one which failed.

Dammit
It took a main dealer 2 days to get me a key cut and programmed!

How much did they charge you for the pleasure? I'm trying to rationalise my 'sod it' moment of spending.

 

[whodat]

Around £350 inc VAT for a new key from dealer when I got the van.
Said they had to get it programmed from VW in Germany and then had to program it with the van etc etc. Made it seem like it was a hacking into the Pentagon sort of job and I should be grateful.
They did also mention in passing that VW could disable that key remotely if it went missing but not re-enable it again.

I would have done the same as you in that position though. Need the key or you have a very big paperweight.

 

[CooseVW]

Around £350 inc VAT for a new key from dealer when I got the van.
Said they had to get it programmed from VW in Germany and then had to program it with the van etc etc. Made it seem like it was a hacking into the Pentagon sort of job and I should be grateful.
They did also mention in passing that VW could disable that key remotely if it went missing but not re-enable it again.

I would have done the same as you in that position though. Need the key or you have a very big paperweight.

That makes me feel a little better!

My concern was that I get recovered home, get my spare key and when I go to try it it didn't work. Then it's the van side of the immobilliser circuit which is goosed and the RAC won't move the van to a garage as I've already used my recovery.

I'm just pleased it's sorted.