can't start car with key fob

i got the warning that my battery was low in one of my key fobs. figured this was a good time to replace both batteries. all was well with one of them. with the other, i mistakingly put in a dead battery for a few days. now i have replaced it with a good battery. i can lock and unlock my car with the buttons on the key fob, however, it no longer is able to start the car. it tells me that a key is not in range.

the other key fob still works. i assume there is some way to reset the key fob?

if i hold the fob up to the place on the steering column, the car will start. but the locking the car by pressing the handle or unlocking it by putting your hand in the handle no longer work either.

any help would be appreciated.

thanks.

there is a cover on the handle that you 'flip upward' that will reveal a keyhole to lock the car.

Watch out for this cover as if it gets lost you will spend $100 trying to find another (they are rare and color matched)

Getting in the car is not the issue. It is the proximity part of the key no longer works. The buttons on the remote works. I can start the car if I hold it against the steering column.

Go buy 2 brand new batteries at the store and install them in both key fobs, and get back to us, if it works or doesn't.

Then most likely the batteries you used are too weak.

Did you ever solve this problem? The same exact thing you describe here is happening to me. One key works, the other only unlocks and will start only when held against the steering column. These are brand new batteries, same kind that was in the remote.

You might try resynchronizing the key. I have accidentally "killed" my wife's key by locking her purse (with her key inside) in the car using my key on the exterior. After that her key no longer started the car until I did the resynchronize procedure (steps are in the owner's manual and/or many google hits).

I apologize for bringing up this old post. I recently bought a 2015 VW Golf; the key fob LED works fine, which means the batteries are good. But the receiver doesn’t respond. I just manually unlock the vehicle and remove the receiver to check. On my way removing the receiver, I saw that the connector was removed. I re-connected it, then tested, and it worked fine! I learned this here: search for "Volkswagen Key Not Detected Fix on YOUCANIC” and you will see an article that goes over common causes and possible fixes; you can read about it yourself. I hope this information can assist someone else with a similar issue.