I’m logging my experiences with the above-referenced open source project and our 2001 New Beetle. Why? We bought brand new keys for the Beetle, had them cut by a Highland Park Locksmith, I coded the remote buttons at home, and now for the last step I’m trying to code the immobilizer chips on the new keys so that they can start our New Beetle and not kill it after 4 minutes.

Before KW1281Test can help, it needs a computer and a compatible cable. I’m planning to use my macbookpro11,5 and this cable. When I have them connected, I plan to follow the steps Kermit123 laid out. Expect continuous updates, here. I bought our New Beetle from my parents, who bought it secondhand from a dealer. The scratch off is no longer around that displays a security key code (SKC); however, it appears the dealer passed the following string to my mom who wrote this down on manual 3.1 and the key section on page 21: 1729 / 01699. I assume the SKC is 1699, but I’ll verify it with KW1281Test after I have it running with the USB cable and a Mac. Greg writes that this cable is compatible with KW1281Test, but before ordering it I perused KW1281Test’s wiki that says to consider this cable for a Mac and load these drivers. I plan to follow syntax similar to what this Mac user posts or another or just stick to what the wiki says.

** UPDATE 12-5-2024 **

I can confirm that the above-referenced USB cable works. I’m posting a screenshare video, below, that I used to execute the command:

Screen Recording 2024-09-07 at 5.08.48 PM

Also, here are additional commands I needed (in reverse order) to get the USB driver working with the cable:

./kw1281test 12345678 9600 17 Adaptation Save 21 2 01729
./kw1281test 12345678 9600 17 Adaptation Save 21 3 01729
./kw1281test 12345678 9600 17 Adaptation Save 21 0 01729
./kw1281test 12345678 9600 17 Adaptation Save 21 4 01729
./kw1281test 12345678 9600 17 GetSKC
brew install libdvdcss
sudo cp WinTypes.h /usr/local/include/WinTypes.h
sudo cp ftd2xx.h /usr/local/include/ftpd2xx.h
cp ftpd2xx.h /usr/local/include/ftpd2xx.h
cd release
sudo cp release/WinTypes.h /usr/local/include/WinTypes.h
sudo cp release/ftpd2xx.h /usr/local/include/ftpd2xx.h
cd ..
cd release
sudo cp release/ftpd2xx.h /usr/local/include/ftpd2xx.h
sudo ln -sf /usr/local/lib/libftd2xx.1.4.30.dylib /usr/local/lib/libftd2xx.dylib
sudo co release/build/libftd2xx.1.4.30.dylib /usr/local/lib/libftd2xx.1.4.30.dylib
sudo cp release/build/libftd2xx.1.4.30.dylib /usr/local/
cd dmg ** UPDATE 1-13-2025 **

I used KW1281Test back in December using a 2009 white MacBook, but this evening I need to try talking to the Beetle again and this time I left the white MacBook at work. For today’s update, I am loading KW1281Test on to my 2015 MacBook Pro (macbookpro11,5):

• Install FTDI’s USB cable drivers (for my Mac running Sonoma, 14.7.2) using this driver and following the instructions contained in the download’s ReadMe.rtfd file.
• Tap this link to view the latest release and click “Assets” to find the build for macOS.