JKJ

The Advanced Key system in my '15 Q7 Prestige is starting to act oddly, so I'm looking for thoughts from the gang.

Basically, it's refusing to lock or unlock the car when I get in first thing in the morning on the way to work. The little LED in the key fob blinks 3 times slowly when I put my hand on the door handle to unlock, which the manual says is normal behavior. It's the same behavior no matter which door I try to use, or whether the key is in my hand or in my pocket.

But when I use the unlock button on the fob (or put the key in the lock manually), the car locks and unlocks normally. And then the Advanced key touch to lock/unlock functions start working normally too. For the rest of the day, it works normally with the key always in my pocket.

I thought it could be interference from my phone being on bluetooth, so I tried with the phone left in the house (no success). I also thought maybe interference from the garage door opener/transmitter, so I made sure that wasn't in use (nor were my neighbors). Again no success.

Could this be as simple as a dying battery in the key fob? Or am I looking at something more significant?

Greystoke

We have the same issue with our '14 P+...I just keep pulling the handle until it unlocks (usually about three pulls).

Grey

the_duke

I would first replace the battery in the fob. If that doesn't fix it there could be other issues. From my previous experience with my 2005 A8 smart key is one of the first things disabled if the system detects low battery voltage. It's highly unlikely that your car battery is bad already with it being so new but things happen. A VCDS scan will tell you if the car is disabling that function due to low voltage.

JKJ

Unfortunately, mine won't unlock regardless of how many tries. Ok, I gave up after 10 or so, but still.

Will check the fob battery and see if that helps.

J. Patterson

Our 2011 gets a new battery in the fob pretty regularly (every 12 months or so) Always works after that. Come to think of it, my 2015 S5 has already needed one too. I bet that is all you need.

Edd W

If it works after several pulls of the door handle that suggests at least one handle is faulty. A scan will short either open circuit or short to ground.....

JKJ

The key fob didn't work again this morning, so I dug out the seldom used second key fob, and the door unlocked properly on the first try. Sounds like it might just be a dying battery in my case (whew!).

the_duke

It does sound like a battery. They are very easy to swap. Press the button to remove the metal key. Then flip the fob over. There is a plastic button on the back side. Press that and wiggle the battery tray out of the key. It has a rubber seal so it does take some constant pressure and wiggling to get it out. The battery is a CR2032.

Greystoke

Not on the 07-15 Q7...we have an old style fob which requires a small flat blade screwdriver to open the battery compartment.

Grey

the_duke

I stand corrected. My Dad always said to assume was to make an *** out of you and me.