Replacement key for Audi A6 2006

[sapstar]

I bought a 2006 Audi A6 last weekend. The seller had only 1 key. I called Audi Dealer to find out that a spare key would cost me £210 including VAT. Is there an alternative to buy this from Audi?

I have searched on the internet to find some sellers selling keys which contain a new transponder and can be programmed to work with an audi vehicle, but I can't find anything which matches the part number on my current key (4F0837220R - 868 Mhz). Can someone suggest any alternatives?

[Guest 2]

I'd trust no one but Audi with key information.

[sapstar]

Thanks for the information Chris. I believe I have to get it from Audi for £210. I have checked sent emails to many auto locksmiths I could find online who said they cannot make keys for my Key fob part number and it has to be done at the dealer. So I don't think I have any other options. Just for reference to other users looking for spare keys, I am adding the detailed information from an auto locksmith here.

For a start a6/q7 with that key uses an 8e EPROM chip ! Immpossible to buy & key is impossible to unlock & reuse unless you have a dump from EPROM in kessy module the secondhand key was programmed too
You can't even modify the key to put standard 8e transponder in it because then that will just start car once programmed but remote will never function
In a word you can't use second hand 4fo keys & anyone who knows what they are doing would be able to tell you that
Sadly most autolocksmiths I know don't have a clue ! Plus you need very special equipment to program them ! Dealer can only do keys they order to chassis number.

[sapstar]

Would anyone be able to tell me if the below process will work getting a spare key for my Car.

1. Buy used remote key from ebay with same part number and with blank blade £20 (4F0837220R - 868 Mhz).
2. Cut the blade from a local locksmith to match the existing one. (£10 approx)
3. Program the new key. eBay.co.uk Guides - How To Program Reprogram Your Audi Remote Key Fob - A4. Now we have a key which can open the car with the remote but cannot start it.
4. Buy a plastic valet key from Audi programmed to your transponder to start the car - £85.
5. Cut out the transponder from the plastic key and put it in the remote key. (Or put both keys together in one key ring).

Total comes to around £115 which is almost half the price of what Audi charges for a brand new remote key.

[richball65]

I was under the impression that only Audi can programme a new key....could be wrong

[sapstar]

I have a feeling that the reprogramming done by Audi is mainly for the immobilizer and remote buttons can be programmed by the above process.
Not really sure though.

[sapstar]

The below shop said, they can make a key for Audi A6 with out the buttons. This can manually open the door and start the car. They charge £72 for this. They are located in Orpington. I am planning to go there in the next few weeks to see if this is really true (because almost all the auto locksmiths told that my car has a special chip which can only be programmed by Audi). This guy said he is aware that it has a new chip, but he has programmed it before.

Express Auto Keys Online Shop - Car and Motorbike Keys Cut to Number or Photo

[Vixter42]

HI
i bought a 1991 TT in April this year but was only supplied 1 key, which recently stopped working, I changed the battery but the remote still doesn't respond so I had it checked to be told the actual remote is dead and needs replacing. I saw one on eBay for £38 and was wondering if anyone else had done this before, not actually bought the key from Audi?
thanks very much
Vicki x

[M3 Compact]

It would be nice to find a definitive answer to all of this!

I have 3 Audis and all the keys will turn my 2008 A6 ignition barrel, including the starter position! ....
Obviously it won't fire with the 'wrong' keys, due to the immobiliser chip, I'm surprised by the blade cutting irrelevance tho!

I only have one key for the A6, but a new fully remote control key has been ordered (requiring the V5) from the Audi dealer that's local to the indi who sold me the A6....

It's 80 miles away from here and to save me from the hassle of going back there, they've contributed £50 for the local coding of my new key when it arrives arrives.

My 17 YO son also has a VW Fox with a flakey remote key and the local VW dealer will supply a key for £50. (+ £50 for coding.)

I have VCDS and, if I can save myself £100 by coding all of the keys myself???

[folkwagen]

Definitive answer is, you cant re-use an A6 C6 key and you can't get an A6 C6 key anywhere other than a main dealers, full remote part no 450837220(R or other letter(s)) depending, 293 euro including coding in my neck of the woods. Solid key, 4F0837185, 193 euro and valet key, 4F0187216, 168 euro. prices in sterling about 75% of these, that's £500 for a full set. I would love to be wrong on this, only have one key. The transponder chip in these keys is not a separate little glass capsule like the previous series A6, which used a Magnamos ID48 chip. this chip could be removed and replaced with a virgin chip, and the key could be re-coded to a different car, so a used key could be bought and re-programmed. Not so with the C6 A6 key, the transponder slot in the key is empty (I looked) and the transponder chip (Magnamos Crypto 8E) appears to be part of the remote circuit board, so the only reusable part of a 4F0837220 key is the plastic case. You can't buy a valet key, programmed, and put its transponder into a used key as the remote part can't be recoded to the car, so it would just look pretty, start the car but no remote locking. there are many ads on Ebay for this key, 4F0837220* and none are advising that they are next to useless. The picture below shows the transponder on the remote board, the coppery thing.

Attachment 20441

In previous versions of this key for the A6 B6, up to 2005, the transponder was under this board in a little gray plastic case and could be changed.