A. No not at the moment - though I have successfully picked a few of these open using the VA6 tool. The 6 positions all line up perfectly, but in this vehicle there are actually 7 cuts. The VA6 only picks up 6 of the 7 cuts in positions 2 to 7 in this DAF lock. I got success picking by setting the 6 positions I could feel; I then maintained the opening tension, gently extracting the pick a few millimetres until you feel the 7th cut in position 1. Pick and set this cut. If it doesn’t open, whilst maintaining the opening tension, gently push the pick back in fully then check the other positions as one or more will need picking - once picked it will open.

A. This happens with most equipment on Insignia and Astra J models at times. It’s easily resolved; if you experience this again simply remove the key from the ignition and unplug your programmer - open the bonnet and disconnect the negative battery cable for 5 seconds -then reconnect it - now put the key in the ignition and switch on and the light will go out as it should.

A. This is a mistake made by many in the past; yes, it’s the same profile but a totally different lock, which is why it has its own tool - the HY22/KIA7 pick and decoder. The difference is easily seen; the TOY48 lock has just 5 positions to pick and 3 key heights. The Kia 7 lock has 6 positions and 4 key heights. What has happened is the 6th position in the lock needs picking to reset; you can’t pick this with your TOY48 tool, as its not there to pick. The solution is simple; use a KIA7/HY22 tool to reset the lock or remove the lock and strip it down to reset, using the correct tool will be far easier.

A. Both locks have the same spacing, so it’s not possible to tell the difference with the tool itself as both will feel the same. However, a visual identification often proves to be a very reliable way of identifying which series is fitted – although it is not 100%.
Visually inspect the keyway, if the lock has a vertical keyway it will most likely be the 6 height ABCDEF series lock. If the lock has a horizontal keyway it will most likely be the newer 1234Q5678H series 4 height lock that has been fitted.


Vertical keyway


Horizontal keyway

A. This is not unusual as VAG use a large number of clocks and PCB so they just list the most common ones they have access to. Some that are seen less often are not listed but you can work around this normally by following this procedure:
Ensure you turn the cluster around so that the writing on the processor chip is the right way up as you look at it, then count the legs from the top right hand side of the processor chip. From the top right hand corner you will need to count down 6 legs. Follow the track from the 6th leg to the pad and use the pogo stick on this pad.
If there is more than 1 pad, try each in turn. This process will normally find the correct pad every time so you can enter service mode.



Although in the example the pad itself isn’t in line with leg 6, it is in line with the track coming from leg 6.
Therefore my suggestion is, when it is hard to tell, just try each pad in this area, one will put it into service mode. You won’t damage clocks by selecting the wrong pad it just won’t enter service mode.

A. You must have the T4 splitter cable connected to the car and Truecode for the PSA software to work. This error will always happen if the T4 cable isn’t connected to both.

A. This could be 1 of 2 things - in normal circumstances:
Number 1 – check whether you have plugged in the USB stick/dongle that comes with your Truecode. This must be plugged in so that the correct incode can be calculated, without it you will get an error message.
Number 2 – if the dongle is plugged in, then the other common mistake people make is to use the wrong chip. All KA models up until 2008 use a 4C chip – so you must ensure you are using a 4C chip and not a 4D chip.

A. This has a complex arrangement due to the use of inverted wafers in the lock.
Many to try and figure out, when looking at a key whether they need a 5, 6, 7, 8 cut entered or a 1, 2, 3 or 4 cut entered. Many find it hard to understand the numbering and the introduction of the values H&Q in the series.
Accurate key reading of both the Clio 3 double sided key and the Renault phase 3 single sided key have now been added to the Ninja range of machines. Here is how to read and copy them using other machines.
Take a typical double sided Clio 3 key using this system below.

THE USE OF THE VALUES H & Q
These values have little significance, H is exactly the same cut as an 8 cut and Q is exactly the same as a 4 cut. The values H & Q are only used if you have consecutive 4 cuts or 8 cuts sat next to each other, i.e., 44, 48, 84 or 88. For example if the OEM manufacturer code is QH7376 and we have to enter the direct cuts, we must reverse the code. We would enter 6737HQ and cut the correct key from bow to tip.
The Q&H readings can be changed to cuts - Q will be a 4 and H will be an 8. So if you are inputted the following code instead of 673784, you would cut the exact same key - which should simplify the Q and H readings for you.
Below is a picture of a key with its true value in each position:



The key is with bow to left and tip to right; this image shows the measurements as well as the values in each position of this key. From this you can see that our code of 673784 means the key is reading positions 124 and 5 on top row, and positions 3 and 6 on bottom track.
The cuts on the top track have the same heights as those on the bottom. It is just the number values that differ in the series; the top track uses values 6 to 8 and the bottom track uses values 1 to 4. Basically the following:
A number 1 cut on bottom track is same height as a 5 cut on top track
A number 2 cut on bottom track is same height as a 6 cut on the top track
A number 3 cut on bottom track is same height as a 7 cut on the top track
A number 4 cut on bottom track is same height as an 8 cut on top track

The values are just different depending which track they sit on. Every cut will have its opposite cut sitting opposite; to show this in simple terms I’ve changed top track values to 1234 to show this in below photo.



So the following in real life will always be true:
A number 1 cut on bottom track will always have a number 8 cut opposite it on top track
A number 2 cut on bottom track will always have a number 7 cut opposite it on top track
A number 3 cut on bottom track will always have a number 6 cut opposite it on top track
A number 4 cut on bottom track will always have a number 5 cut opposite it on top track


The cut to code machines that list this series know that any values entered as a direct cut refer to. They also know that the opposite track has the correct value opposite it. So, we can simplify the reading we take and let the machine do the work for us.
To do this we only need to read the bottom track of the key, with the key tip to right and bow to left. We just use the values 1 to 4 found on this track.



Converted to cuts:



Reading the bottom track we get a reading of 323214.
If we enter 323214 into our cut to code machine; because they are all values of 1 to 4 the machine knows that it must cut the opposite cuts of 676785 to the top track and will do so automatically.
The correct key is read and cut every time following a much simpler process of reading the key.

A. No it’s not a new lock , the lock is still the same VA2 lock with the same depth and spacing, although the manufacturers have made a significant change to this later lock that prevents the older VA2 2in1 from fully locating. They haven’t changed the lock, but they have changed the face-caps keyway opening, making it smaller and narrower, which causes the old 2in1 tool to stop on the shoulder part way in which it snags on the face cap and wont fully locate in the lock. This means you can’t pick up all of the wafers. The solution is to buy the 3in1 VA2 tool which has a much lower shoulder and will fully insert in this lock. Although this doesn’t help you when at a job, there is a modification you can make to the existing 2in1 so you can complete the job if stuck. Simply file the 1st shoulder down until it is the same size as the blade, so in effect removing this first shoulder area and extending the blade length. This will then enter this lock and pick it spot on for you. When filing only use a hand file as a grinder heats up to much and can damage the tools laser welds causing the tool to fall apart.

A.

Your attempted job was on a 2003 Audi A3, which was the first to use the Can Chip with the precoded CS. Currently the 884 cannot tell the difference between a T6 ID48 chip and a Can chip, it will read both as MG10 and go through the cloning process. But if it is a Can chip system the procedure will give a fail message at the end. This is currently being addressed by Keyline.

Here’s how to check if you have a Can system or a Non-Can system. A good indicator is looking at the lights on the dashboard when you turn the ignition on. Vehicles with the Non-Can T6 ID48 system that can be cloned will have an immobiliser light.

If it does, it is likely that it will clone fine with the Keyline TKM head.The Can systems don’t use this immobiliser light generally, they use the term ‘SAFE’ instead on the dashboard if a programmed key is inserted.

This indicates a Can system and the majority of cars will not have an immobiliser light symbol at all. The VIN number will also confirm whether a vehicle is using a Can or Non-Can system. Look at digits 7 and 8 in the VIN number, as per example VW Golf VIN here: WVWZZZ1KZ7W193867. This tells you that the car has a 1K chassis, which is a new Can chip model that cannot be cloned yet. The 10th digit of the VIN confirms the tear of manufacture, which in this case is a 7 which means it’s a 2007 model. The following VIN number: WVWZZZ1JZ3B062197 is for a Non-Can model of VW golf that has a standard T6 ID48 chip that can be cloned. In this case the digits in positions 7 and 8 are 1J confirming that this is a MK4 1J chassis vehicle which can be cloned, digit 10 is a 3 which confirms it was built in 2003.

FOR AN AUDI A3, A T6 ID48 WILL HAVE 8L IN DIGITS 7 AND 8 OF VIN AND IS CLONEABLE. FOR AN AUDI A3 USING A CANBUS T25 CHIP, IT WILL HAVE 8P IN DIGITS 7 AND 8 OF VIN WHICH CONFIRMS IT’S A CAN SYSTEM AND SO CANNOT CURRENTLY BE CLONED.

The issue of the vehicle immobilising and failing to start after cloning has failed. In this case you have switched the ignition on and off 16 times with an unprogrammed key, the car thought this to be a theft attempt and immobilised itself. You must simply perform a soft reset procedure. Turn on the ignition to position 2 where the dash lights up and leave the ignition switched on with the original key for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes switch off and the key will now work fine.