Keyless Entry, Keyless Go and "A7" key on A8 D2

[IT]

I had a Clifford intellistart on my C5 RS6 - A total gimmick, but I confess I loved it. It gave full remote start / stop capability to the car. I could stand in my living room and listen the V8 grumble into life. Never tired of doing that

Under the covers, it used a lot of hacked wiring and a spare key strapped inside the dash to defeat the Audi immobiliser.

That was back in 2008.

Its not much of a stretch to have a start / stop button instead of a remote control, and likewise proximity keyless isn't really rocket science.

If you can have the immobiliser permanently disabled or mated with a key, then starting the car becomes no more complicated than some constructive 80's style hotwiring....

Insurance would likely be unhappy to cover such DIY mods for theft I imagine, but the Clifford kit was fully approved as it was an immobiliser itself.

[ainarssems]

I have aftermarket alarm with remote start and timer/ daily start. I coded extra immobiliser transponder and it is located in the car but not next to immobiliser coil, so you cannot just force ignition lock or hotwire to steal it. I have another coil next to OEM coil and 3rd coil wrapped around transponder in remote location in car, both additional coils are connected with wires and relay. Normally relay is open circuit so no signal is passed between coils. When remote/timer/daily start is activated alarm switches on relay, complete the circuit and data is passed from transponder to immobiliser allowing start. Alarm also have immobiliser function and will cut fuel pump if start is unauthorized. When started remotely and somebody brakes in it will cut engine, if handbrake is released it will cut engine, or if somebody gets in without opening doors and tries to drive away with handbrake on it will still cut engine if rpm rise over about 1500.

I work night shift and finish work at 6am so I have daily start set to 05:50 on cold days so it starts up by itself, is defrosted and warmed up and I can drive off while others are still scraping off ice from windows.

[MikkiJayne]

Originally Posted by ainarssems

I coded extra immobiliser transponder and it is located in the car but not next to immobiliser coil, so you cannot just force ignition lock or hotwire to steal it. I have another coil next to OEM coil and 3rd coil wrapped around transponder in remote location in car, both additional coils are connected with wires and relay. Normally relay is open circuit so no signal is passed between coils. When remote/timer/daily start is activated alarm switches on relay, complete the circuit and data is passed from transponder to immobiliser allowing start.

That actually works just by placing the coils next to each other? No amplifier or such in the extra circuit?

[ainarssems]

Yes works very well without any issues. I just used 0.4mm enamelled copper wire and did about 30 windings at each end. I actually bought a purpose made unit like this first http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Immobilize...IAAOSwHaBWidEn There was nothing else in it, just a coil in the plastic box in the middle of which you insert spare key and a little relay on PCB. It was bulky both box and the coil at other end and did not fit well so I just used relay from it and made new coils myself. For the second car I started with nothing and just made 2 coils and used small 12V relay.

At close proximity efficiency is quite good you can look at it as 2 transformers connected by 2 wires and relay. Transponder chip is closer, at better position than it usually is when in the key so that helps as well.

[MikkiJayne]

Nicely done

[Adrian E]

Too many interventions with the factory security (even though it is easily defeated) for me to be comfortable with.

The start/stop button looks like one from a B8 era platform. I presume it's too difficult to do this using factory modules from later cars? Some A6s I've driven have had keyless go, but not keyless entry, so might be a suitable basis but I imagine the fibre wiring rules it out, unless the security side is wired traditionally?

The way it works in later cars gives the start/stop button different functionality depending on whether you have your foot on the brake or not. Foot off = ignition on. Foot on = engine start.

Don't much like the idea of defeating the mechanical steering lock, which I assume would have to be removed for this kind of install. The B8 has an electronic steering lock.

[MikkiJayne]

Hmm good point about the steering lock. That's technically an MoT requirement, although I don't recall ever having seen it tested! I think adapting a more modern electronic one would be quite a challenge. Mechanical locks often require some tension releasing from the column before you can turn the key, whereas electronic ones can't do this so they must be designed differently from the start to ensure there is never any mechanical force which can prevent them disabling.

Given that the usual method of stealing cars like this is to break in to the corresponding house and take the keys, I'd be less concerned about adapting the factory security stuff for some added convenience I like Ainars' solution with a remotely positioned transponder. You'd still have to defeat the aftermarket security in that case, and if its a decent system which is well installed (ie carefully wired in out of sight rather than a cluster**** of scotchlocks and sticky tape under the steering column like most aftermarket fitters used to do) then that's no more or less easy than defeating the factory stuff.

The brake pedal logic would work well.

The keyless go in the D3 relies on the security modules giving the ECU authority to start the engine - its quite a complex digital sequence to make it do this so unless you transpose most of a D3 in to a D2 I don't think adapting something from another model is feasible in this case. Its likely to only be possible using mostly aftermarket stuff.

[CaifanSC]

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

I found this last night on motor-talk.de:



The struts appear to be from a Mini R59:



Vauxhall Tigra struts look very similar but a bit too long.

Control logic should be fairly straighforward. A microcontroller like an Arduino might work quite nicely, or just do it with relays and diodes It should work fine with the standard remote too, rather than needing that whole keyless go setup. It is quite slick, but I don't like not being able to turn the ignition on separately. I'm sure thats fairly straightforward to sort (short press ignition on, long press start) but not as high on my priorities as a glorious power bootlid!

Great info! Some gaps due to the google translation but I'm sure it's a much better start than starting from zero. I just picked up an 03 S8 and that factory-looking push button set up (with new key) and auto trunk are pretty high on my wishlist.

Is that "beep beep" sound from the video the OEM beeping? Mine barely makes a noise (maybe siren on its way out?) but its not at all comparable to this more modern double beep.

[MikkiJayne]

Those particular Mini struts are too short btw ^ I'll investigate the Tigra ones next.

[RS6]

that boot is soo sexy love mine to open and close like that