Well it's happened.

[flying banana]

How do you get a surf key made up for an older van (mine's 2015)... I assume you have to order one through a VW Commercial dealership?

a guy on ebay does them. he can make one from a photograph (which is a bit concerning). i have 2 and they work well. less than a tenner a pop

 

[WelshGas]

How do you get a surf key made up for an older van (mine's 2015)... I assume you have to order one through a VW Commercial dealership?

No.
You can try Timpsons, or your local locksmith. Some do, some won't. Search eBay, Internet or Amazon for Surf Key.
Key can be cut from key number or photo of key. No electronics just the blade.

 

[Perfectos]

Post #11

Surf key

Evening Does anyone know the cost of buying a surf key? Also does the van lock fully if the main keys are hidden inside the vehicle . Getting close to ordering a van, so not sure if the 4 key option is better, but obviously these needs to be kept dry. Thanks

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Amarillo]

Just leave one there when camping?

That’s what we do.

 

[Borris]

How do you get a surf key made up for an older van (mine's 2015)... I assume you have to order one through a VW Commercial dealership?

Timpsons did mine. If they have suitable key blanks available and the operative has had the training they should be able to do it. They were about £10 a key if memory serves and no ID was asked for. A surf key will only get you in. It won't do anythong else.

 

[Borris]

Mrs B’s response.
View attachment 79781

Very nearlly word for word.

 

[Velma's Dad]

No.
You can try Timpsons, or your local locksmith. Some do, some won't. Search eBay, Internet or Amazon for Surf Key.
Key can be cut from key number or photo of key. No electronics just the blade.

Just checked the VW price just now while I was picking up my van from workshop - £92 inc VAT.

Am tempted to check what local locksmith would charge but then as you say that would be just for the blade so good for getting into van but no good for driving it home if you've lost your main keys altogether.

[EDIT] Just seen Borris's post re Timpsons. That sounds a good basic fallback for little money (and hope you've managed to get into your van now Borris).

 

[Borris]

Just checked the VW price just now while I was picking up my van from workshop - £92 inc VAT.

Am tempted to check what local locksmith would charge but then as you say that would be just for the blade so good for getting into van but no good for driving it home if you've lost your main keys altogether.

[EDIT] Just seen Borris's post re Timpsons. That sounds a good basic fallback for little money (and hope you've managed to get into your van now Borris).

When we purchased our van we ticked the option for four sets of keys. My wife has just asked me where the other three sets are?

My reply: Why, at home of course.

 

[Jenny H]

bit late now!...but when camping, put the surf key in a key safe attached to the rear towing eye.

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Thank you Ive just ordered one of these as just know this will happen to me at some point - oh & I might need some direction to find the towing eye!?!
Hope youre having a well deserved glass of beverage Borris!

 

[SusiBus]

If you've been sucked into ticking the four key option box, that gives you keys you'll never use. I think someone has already suggested that you can take one of those keys to pieces, extract the blade, and use that as Surfer key. That way you also have the electronic box as a spare should you need it.

I previously wrapped up Surfer key with insulating tape, and then fixed it to the wiring loom. That way I think you'll be hard pressed to have someone being able to find it. One tip is not to secure it too much, or in too difficult a place to get at, that when you want to retrieve it in the middle of the night, you can't.

 

[Vagophile]

Just curious. I also think that one day...
However, in my extensive key collection, handed over when I bought my used Cali, is a key which operates all door locks (but not remotely) and starts the van. Is this a special order, or the type of key that @Velma's Dad refers to supplied by VW dealers?

 

[Perfectos]

May I respectfully suggest a change of profile picture?

 

[The Merle]

If you've been sucked into ticking the four key option box, that gives you keys you'll never use. I think someone has already suggested that you can take one of those keys to pieces, extract the blade, and use that as Surfer key. That way you also have the electronic box as a spare should you need it.

I previously wrapped up Surfer key with insulating tape, and then fixed it to the wiring loom. That way I think you'll be hard pressed to have someone being able to find it. One tip is not to secure it too much, or in too difficult a place to get at, that when you want to retrieve it in the middle of the night, you can't.

I wouldn’t post info like that in here as you prob post pics of van and you don’t know who’s reading things

 

[Perfectos]

where exactly did you leave the keys Borris !

 

[Velma's Dad]

Just curious. I also think that one day...
However, in my extensive key collection, handed over when I bought my used Cali, is a key which operates all door locks (but not remotely) and starts the van. Is this a special order, or the type of key that @Velma's Dad refers to supplied by VW dealers?

I think that is the "£92" key that you can get from VW. It contains a coded chip so can be used to start the van and cancel the alarms etc.

The alternative is a Timpsons/locksmith-made "blade" key that can be used to open the door but, lacking a chip, that's all it does. So only useful if you lock your keys in van (but extremely useful in that scenario).

Perhaps others can verify that?

 

[WelshGas]

I think that is the "£92" key that you can get from VW. It contains a coded chip so can be used to start the van and cancel the alarms etc.

The alternative is a Timpsons/locksmith-made "blade" key that can be used to open the door but, lacking a chip, that's all it does. So only useful if you lock your keys in van (but extremely useful in that scenario).

Perhaps others can verify that?

Correct.

 

[Borris]

If you've been sucked into ticking the four key option box, that gives you keys you'll never use. I think someone has already suggested that you can take one of those keys to pieces, extract the blade, and use that as Surfer key. That way you also have the electronic box as a spare should you need it.

I previously wrapped up Surfer key with insulating tape, and then fixed it to the wiring loom. That way I think you'll be hard pressed to have someone being able to find it. One tip is not to secure it too much, or in too difficult a place to get at, that when you want to retrieve it in the middle of the night, you can't.

I wasn't exactly sucked into getting the four key option. At what that option costs it represents good value. You'd only have to lose one set and the replacement would doubtless cost more.

However, being a security minded sort of chap I hid the other three sets away at home just in case they fall into enemy hands. After this incident I might have to rethink that policy.

Your idea to use one set is sound, I'm giving that some thought.

 

[Jester]

I wasn't exactly sucked into getting the four key option. At what that option costs it represents good value. You'd only have to lose one set and the replacement would doubtless cost more.

However, being a security minded sort of chap I hid the other three sets away at home just in case they fall into enemy hands. After this incident I might have to rethink that policy.

Your idea to use one set is sound, I'm given that some thought.

I leave my 3rd key with a friend so they can forward it next day Delivery. So hotel for the night.

 

[Cwcltd]

As they say "Every cloud has a silver lining". The VW Assist man arrived after two and a quarter hours and all is now well. What I gleaned from him made getting locked out a very useful experience.

What was reassuring was that it took this fully trained VW Assist chap nearlly fifteen minutes to get in. If it had been ten seconds I would have been concerned.

The whole process was done by picking the drivers door lock using three specialist tools. What was disturbing was that apparently one of these tools which should work on it's own, can be purchased for around £50 on Ebay. However, it does take some experience to use it effectively.

I had insisted on them sending VW Assist as opposed to a local garage or the AA which were the alternatives. I didn't want some guy with a bent coat hanger or plastic wedge messing about with our van. So I can thoroughly recommend VW Assist if you ever find yourself in the same predicament.

As to the cause, I believe that I must have inadvertantly knocked the lower lock button down on the slider when alighting. We've had three Calis to date and never had this happen before.

So what else did I learn. Quite a lot but unfortunately much of it wouldn't be well received so moving on. Apparently the overfilling of the Adblue tank issue has been resolved on models from 2019. He said that whilst they had no end of issues with this on previous model years those after this date can be filled to the brim at the pump and should be, outherwise they don't reset themslves to say they have been filled up.. The question is am I brave enough to try it? Perhaps some form of third party confirmation is required first? Can anyone confirm?

We were similarly locked out of our 6.1 at the Brecon campsite mid December. The AA Assist guys were confident they could quickly open the van using their specialist door picks, until they realised our van was a 6.1, and at that point VW had not issued AA with new picks (for the 6.1 locks). So the clever AA guy took about 2 hours to open the doors (reassuring I suppose).

 

[Velma's Dad]

I wasn't exactly sucked into getting the four key option. At what that option costs it represents good value. You'd only have to lose one set and the replacement would doubtless cost more.

Yup. I was told a replacement key (ie the full fob version that comes with the van) is £250.

 

[Cali Phillip]

As they say "Every cloud has a silver lining". The VW Assist man arrived after two and a quarter hours and all is now well. What I gleaned from him made getting locked out a very useful experience.

What was reassuring was that it took this fully trained VW Assist chap nearlly fifteen minutes to get in. If it had been ten seconds I would have been concerned.

The whole process was done by picking the drivers door lock using three specialist tools. What was disturbing was that apparently one of these tools which should work on it's own, can be purchased for around £50 on Ebay. However, it does take some experience to use it effectively.

I had insisted on them sending VW Assist as opposed to a local garage or the AA which were the alternatives. I didn't want some guy with a bent coat hanger or plastic wedge messing about with our van. So I can thoroughly recommend VW Assist if you ever find yourself in the same predicament.

As to the cause, I believe that I must have inadvertantly knocked the lower lock button down on the slider when alighting. We've had three Calis to date and never had this happen before.

So what else did I learn. Quite a lot but unfortunately much of it wouldn't be well received so moving on. Apparently the overfilling of the Adblue tank issue has been resolved on models from 2019. He said that whilst they had no end of issues with this on previous model years those after this date can be filled to the brim at the pump and should be, outherwise they don't reset themslves to say they have been filled up.. The question is am I brave enough to try it? Perhaps some form of third party confirmation is required first? Can anyone confirm?

good to know it takes a while with the right tools unlike the Ford Transits that seemed to be seconds on theft videos.

 

[Perfectos]

Yup. I was told a replacement key (ie the full fob version that comes with the van) is £250.

New Key for The T5 / 5.1 can be supplied and programmed by a third party so long as you have the original key.
I had a new fob and key supplied by a mobile fitter cost about £80 several years ago.

there are Youtube vids on how to program a new key fob for the T5 / 5.1

you sometimes get these mobile companies at VW / car shows

 

[Amarillo]

Just curious. I also think that one day...
However, in my extensive key collection, handed over when I bought my used Cali, is a key which operates all door locks (but not remotely) and starts the van. Is this a special order, or the type of key that @Velma's Dad refers to supplied by VW dealers?

View attachment 79805

We have two of those.

We ticked the £50 option of two remote keys and two rigid keys when ordering.

On delivery we discovered that option was discontinued, and no one asked us if we’d like to upgrade to the more expensive four key option. So instead we paid an extra £100 for two chipped rigid keys. As soon as you unlock the vehicle with the rigid key the alarm goes off, but silences once the rigid key is in the ignition.

It doesn’t really fit the definition of a surf key as the van can be driven with it.

 

[Hamish S]

As I have a T6.1 I assumed I would be able to use the app to unlock Florence so wouldn't need 4 sets of keys. I have in the past used the app to allow my son back in the van whilst I'm still finishing my drink. This has got me thinking what happens if my mobile is in the van with the keys.............

 

[Eber123]

Tomorrow I have to do some tests to see how it is possible to lock myselve out. I still can't get my head around it... (but this happens with many things these days).

If we are on a camping tour my wife has a key for the camper as well. But I have to find a better way. As long as we stay in Ireland it is ok, maybe on the continent. But if we (finally) go aehad with our Scandinavia tour it would be a disaster to be locked out in a very remote place.

Happy secure California,
Eberhard