Broken Transporter Key Snapped in Lock

This weeks car key review was easy to choose. When our customer arrived with his 2017 VW van, we couldn’t believe our eyes! With a broken Transporter key, he needed help.

German engineering? It used to stand for something. The old VW cars and vans would run forever. The keys from 2003 era vehicles are still in one piece, fifteen years later. So what happened to this broken Transporter key?

Was the broken Transporter key the customers fault?

The van is used for courier work. Frequent stop/starts with the ignition being turned 150-200 times every day. This is common in the world of multi-drop delivery drivers. 

So will the New VW Transporter be able to cut it looking forward? Are the  keys strong enough to withstand the job? You’ll have to think about this when choosing your new van. Inferior Design and manufacture are now common place in the motor trade, although a broken key that’s just one year old is extreme. 

We recognise that multi-drop drivers use the ignition lock far more than most of us as regular users. However, the weakness in these keys is a warning for us all. It’s a look into the future of VW keys. The same as Ikea testing the kitchen drawer all day and all night long until it fails. 

Is a Broken Transporter key covered under warranty?

Unfortunately not. We’re told this is user error, the key has been mis-treated and therefore, isn’t covered. To replace a broken Transporter key at the dealer will cost £246 per key.

Can the broken Transporter key be fixed?

Yes. This isn’t simple, because of how the key case has been fixed together. Good news.  Following our method to open the key won’t damage the electronics inside.

What do I need to fix they key?

Firstly a new repair case. These come with either two or three buttons.

To open the old broken case we use these external circlip pliers, which are amazing to be honest. Because they exert force moving away from the key, we’ve never had a problem where the circuit board gets damaged. 

To find out how to fix the new style of broken Transporter key, watch our YouTube video, by clicking the link below.

We believe there are big problems ahead for VW, Seat and Skoda keys. They already have problems with the newer style key. 

You’ll need to keep an eye on the flip mechanism, losing blades and ignitions that fail. 

Let us know if you have this problem, we’d love to hear from you

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