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How to obtain (cut or trace) a spare Audi key

To start, there is just one remote Audi key. No spare. If you lose it or lock it inside YOU ARE SCREWED. Initial dealer quote for a second key was $250. You will need to do a lot of work yourself if you are not rich enough to pay that.

Several pieces of advice:

The remote battery should be bought online, and not from a retail store like RadioShack. Try Amazon.

Models using immobilizer are year 01 and up (late 00 model possibly as well). I therefore did not need an immobilizer chip for my 99 car.

If you want just a spare key without the remote, a blank can be obtained from online (like e-bay). If your car has an immobilizer, then you need to be very careful that the blank you buy will actually have a working immobilizer chip. The chip will have to be programmed to your car. Whether this can be done yourself is something you will need to research carefully.

If you want a complete second key including the remote fob, it can also be bought online. But the number on the outside (like 4D0.837.231D) will have to match exactly. There is no need to match the inside number (on the chip). On the fob, the top half with the key contains an immobilizer chip. The bottom contains the remote. Both will have to be programmed.

Besides the dealer, few places can cut the key because it uses specialized cutting equipment. For Audi keys, it is called tracing. Search locally for "trace Audi key" or "cut Audi key" to find locksmiths in the area with the equipment. Also, try calling ALL locksmiths who do car keys. I hit luck -- called someone and they said they would trace the key. Cost me $30 with my own blank purchased online (another $20).

Dealer later changed the insane $250 cost to $70 for the fob and $70 for tracing/programming (not sure of what exactly he meant).

Again, how exactly the fob is programmed needs to be researched by you. There is no clear answer online. It seems that if you only have one key, you require VAG. If you have a fob and a second key (even if it is not a remote fob), you can do the programming yourself.

Finally, one issue remained: the original remote for some reason was no longer recognized by the car. I went to Autozone, they have a remote tester (an LED blinks if there is a signal from the remote). So the remote itself was working. Once you have two keys, the following  procedure can be used to have the car recognize the remote:

The following procedure is for programming a remote for an Audi A4 99 or similar:

Insert the key you do not want to program in the ignition. Turn two clicks so that ignition is on, but engine is not running.

Insert the remote you want programmed into the driver side door lock.

Close all doors, including the driver door. Lock the driver's door manually with the remote (by turning the key).

Press unlock button on the remote key to be programmed while it is in the driver's door lock. The car will flash lights. Press the unlock button again, then lock.

Remove both keys from the door and ignition. Test the programmed remote.

(Other online procedures did not work, especially when they looked like they meant that I needed to turn the remote to be programmed to lock/unlock the driver's door)

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