Mk6 Golf - Can I Replace the Key Fob Buttons?

[JAGS]

Hi all,

Have not really ventured into this VAG sub-forum, so please be gentle…

I put a deposit down on a 5 Door 2012 Mk6 VW Golf 1.6 TDI DSG yesterday.

No idea what the VW Emissions saga will do to the values of these cars, but that is another story.

I sold my ageing 2003 BMW E46 318i on Friday. Needed a replacement car pretty quickly so started looking. Managed to find the Golf not too far away from home and at 21k on the clock, the mileage was pretty low. The car all checked out and is in good condition for its age.

The only issue that is bugging me is the buttons on both of the key fobs. They are looking fairly tatty.

My question is that are there any replacement button pads available to buy for the one piece style flip blade key fob for the MK6 Golf? It is the 3 button key.

I don’t want to replace the whole shell/casing if I can help it. A quick google search suggests that you need to more or less destroy the existing casing to get the existing electronic gubbins out.

Was just wondering if the button pad itself can be prised off and a new one wedged/fitted in its place…

Any help/advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[va1o]

I attempted to replace the button pad on mine a few years ago but found all the ones for sale on eBay are cheap copies of the original. So it didn't seem to fit particularly well and looked a bit rubbish. VW won't sell you a button pad on its own as far as I know.

[the-photographer]

If you are good with fiddly DIY, then can buy genuine used keys on ebay for about £15 and swap over the blade, transponder and PCB.

Videos on youtube, but its tricky!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-VOLKSWAGEN-PASSAT-GOL...

[JAGS]

Thank you all for the replies so far.

I would rather not take apart the existing key fobs.

Just want to know if the button pads can be pulled out using some sort of thin trim removal tool and new a one fitted without having to open the complete key?