Problem with Advanced Key/Proximity Door Sensors
 

Hi, I've had the new A4 B8 for 2 months with the Advanced Key feature, and over the past week I've noticed that the drivers door sensor (on the outerside of the handle) used for locking the car, has gotten less sensitive, and not been working first time everytime (as it used to). If I move to the rear door and use that sensor it locks straight away. Please note however that this problem is intermittent!

Now in the past three days all doors seem to have become unresponsive to the Advanced Key with regard to unlucking the car. Two days ago I walked to my car, went to open the door, and as the car did not unlock I assumed I'd left the car key on my desk, but no, I had the key on me, but it just didnt work. So I pressed the unlock button on the remote key and the car unlocked as you would expect. The strange thing is the car senses the key inside the car, as I can start the engine as normal without inserting the key. And the boot lid/tail gate also senses the key as the boot lid unlocks when I stand near the boot with the key - it just seems to be the doors that are playing up.

Last night after driving home, while still inside the car, I pressed the lock and unlock buttons on the remote a few times, hoping it might make a difference if it were a 'soft' problem, and when I got out of the car the doors locked and unlocked correctly the 'advanced way' numerous times. However I come to my car again this morning, and, the car did not unlock???

The car is booked in with the Audi dealer, and I'm expecting all this to be covered under warranty as the car is brand new! But so they don't try to fob me off (just incase), and for my own interest, does anybody have any ideas as to what maybe causing this?

Bear in mind:

• The initial problem with the drivers door locking sensor intermittently playing, before the unlocking problem became apparent.
• The entire problem is intermittent (eliminating a blown fuse to my thinking?)
• The ignition and boot lid are working fine.

Hope somebody can shed some light on this...

Thanks!

No problem - delay...
 

Okay, I know what you're talking about since I noticed the same but I'm anal retentive.... are you? Ask yourself, when tapped your finger for the 2nd or 3rd time on the driver passenger side did it work? It does for me. Yes, there's a delay(sometimes it take just a touch, other times several) and I believe it may be related to # of passengers (other door closure rate) and some sort of prediction algorithm as to how long after the door is closed do I allow for lock? (Is the driver still inside, are there passengers, etc). Now I'm just guessing but for you to have the same "intermittent" problem, which I would not consider a problem just yet" is a bit coincidental.

2nd, there may be an interaction between the keys. We have two and I notice a conflict of interest when we are both entering the vehicle.

But most of all to be honest it's like getting to know a new person... Dealership told us we'll be learning things about the details/ins/outs of the car for months to come. I have found something new about the vehicle I did not know about every week for the past 2 months. So personally I believe this thread is excellent if there is a true problem but I'm willing to live with the delay and hope that our vehicles do not have a truly serious issue.....

But best of all we will likely find out a Vag Com modifiable (any care to comment) setting will resolve the delay?

Hi, thanks for your reply, however I do think it is a problem. When its not working, I've tried the sensors upto 5 times, feeling a little silly by seemingly stroking my car! I've also tried moving away from the car slightly incase it still thinks the key is inside, in which case the car won't lock. I've also checked that all doors are closed correctly which they are. I don't often have passengers, so this problem happens when there is only me, and so don't believe it is a passenger/rate of door closes that is affecting it. And as I'm the only driver, there is only one key near the car at any one time, and so no conflicting keys. Although I have tried both keys and have the same issue with each.

To clarify we have the same problem, do you also have issues unlocking the car doors?

I suspect there is a problem with the drivers door sensor as this started playing up first. It says in the manual that the car may not unlock if the lock sensor is also covered, and visa versa. So if this sensors is sending incorrect readings/signals to the 'computer' then I think this may affect the locking and unlocking of the vehicle.

Any Audi engineers on here?? :)

Please delete this account

Hi GDuran144,

Thanks for your reply. Times between have been as short as 4 hours, but sometimes the car didn't even lock after just finishing a journey and getting out it. I was aware from the manual that long periods of inactivity do disable the sensors etc, but I think this is longer than 24 hours?

Anyhow, I took the car in on the 31st, and apparently the logs showed a fault with the near side rear door sensor. A new one has been ordered and the car is going back in on the 6th Jan.

I assume this will fix the problem, but I'll let you know when the work's been done.

Did it work out?
 

Hello, how did it work out?
Did the dealer fix the problem, and was it a hardware malfunction?

I have the exact problem, from one day to another.
AUDI S5.


Best regards,
/Mikael S

Hi Mikael,

I took it in and they changed the sensor, things seems ok although after a day or two of having it back I went away for two weeks and so didn't use the car very much. On my return I got back to using the car as normal, and I still seemed to have the problem but maybe less often...? So I took it back and there was a 2nd faulty sensor. They replaced that too, and said that if a 3rd one goes, they'll replace the 4th as well just to save another trip - apparently there had been a faulty batch?? But since then it's been fine.

The only other thing I am unhappy about with my new A4 is the vibrations/rattles of the interior! I've taken that in a couple of times and they've apparently added extra felt and stuff behind the panels, but it's made little difference. I just don't think the interior is put together as well - or has been done so with inferior materials - never had this issue in my B6 A4 Sport!

Advanced key problem
 

Hi,
Great, thanx for the reply - I will contact my dealer.
You didn't have to pay, or?

No I didn't have to pay, the car was new so all under warranty. :D

I have an 09 a4 prestige and i have the same problem. I'm not so sure about 4 hour interval but after like 5 days of not driving, I go to my car and it does not unlock when I put my hand in there. I only got my car for like 2.5 months, this is not cool =(