I have a 2000 Audi A4 so its quite old and I am well aware things at this point tend to break, its something new every few months. About 3 or 4 months ago my Key Fob stopped working. The first thing that popped into my mind is the batteries must have died, after all I have had the car for 12 years and never remember replacing the batteries. So I replaced the batteries and it was working fine again, great. However, just recently my key fob stopped working again. Thought it seems strange the batteries would have died again so fast I still replaced them to see if it was that easy. Unfortunately, that didn't solve the problem. The key fob seems to have failed. I opened it up, its pretty clean, not dust. So anyone have any idea on what happened. Can it be fixed or it just done after 13 years?

 

I've never taken one apart or heard of this issue before, but I do have a electrical background. I've repaired hundreds of xboxs, a good few iphones, tv's, ect. I would recommend taking a magnifying glass and carefully inspecting the board, check for popped resistors/burnt traces/shorts/missing components. If you do find a issue on the board, I would bring it to someone experienced in soldering and working with small electronics. I'm sure you know someone!

 

I forgot to mention in my last post, another test you can do if you can't visually see anything wrong with the board. What you can do is put fresh batteries into your fob and keep a finger over the board and feel is any components get very hot. Sometimes small components will go bad from the inside, usually something broken and shorting, therefore they drain your battery and get very hot. Just a idea, hope it helps.

 

1) batteries to operate all Audi key fobs must be 3.0 volts. if it is 2.9 volts it will either act funny or not work at all.

2) its possible it lost its memory from the car to operate. you could try to reprogram the remote see if that does it.

3) and if the remote is just flat out bad.. i would just buy a new remote, you can buy a new remote seperate from the key. or you could try to fix it.. that would be interesting/ cool if you could figure it out.

 

Thanks for all the good advice. Ill inspect the Fob a little more for damage or heat. If I need to try and re-program on my own is that listed in the owners manual or does anyone have a link or instruction on how to re-program. Or is that a dealer only thing?

 

its been awhile since i've ahd to program a b5 a4 remote... i want to say you....
put one key in the ignition and take your second key and close the driver door take the remote you are trying to program.. and turn it to lock the vehicle and then turn it a second time to lock the vehicle then turn it to unlcok the vehicle then press the lock button on the remote while the key is still in the driver door key cylinder and it should.. and i say.. shoiuld... program it...

so with key you're trying to program in the drivers door key hole..

-lock
-lock
-unlock
-press lock button a few times
i think thats it.. someone may correct me if im wrong