Electric nightmare

Dave willow · Post by **Dave willow** » Sat Oct 26, 2024 5:14 pm

Hi guys
Hope some of you can help .
All of a sudden the car won't , open the doors with the key fob. Changed the battery in the fob still won't open the doors. Open the car with the key manually , tried starting the car with out putting fob in the ignition car started drove the car for a while, got out tried locking with fob no go . Over the last 3 days been manually locking the car. Now today when you open the door to get all the windows open and the sun roof. Got back in started the car closed every thing, did this twice, third opened the door all OK closed the door everything opened. At the end of my tether

Wayfarer · Post by **Wayfarer** » Sat Oct 26, 2024 6:35 pm

That sounds like it could be a faulty or sticking button on the key fob, just a thought, maybe worth taking the battery out of the potentially faulty fob and trying the other fob?

Dave willow · Post by **Dave willow** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 12:19 am

Thanks for the reply, if only I could when bought the car the guy showed us two keys. I asked to try the second key. He gave us the second key car started same as the first one . It wasn't until a couple months the wife was out and I needed to move the car so got the spare key out the car wouldn't unlock opened the car manually. Key in ignition no start, opened the key up just the battery no circuit terminal. Stuck with one key can't get another, because the car is a jap import, gave BMW £380 pound for new one, four months on they would not respond to the order . Like I said end of my tether.
I would stick a gallon of paraffin in it but, they have stopped the winter fuel payments I might need it for the heating.

Alan Gunn · Post by **Alan Gunn** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 3:58 am

Might sound daft but you could try the magic reset.
Disconnect the car battery for 20 minutes then put it back it can sometimes sort things out.
If the battery is in the boot DON'T shut it or bonnet as you won't be able to open it with no battery connected.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 9:49 am

Being a Japanese import should make no difference. That market uses the same keys and operating frequencies as Europe. Only the US uses different radio channels. As long as you have a V5, BMW should supply.

It does sound like a key fault.

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 9:53 am

I thought the only keys with a replaceable battery are cars with comfort access ? ,most keys have a sealed in rechargeable battery , If it has comfort access the door handles can start giving bother , there is a raised bit on the door handle you touch to unlock the car . The windows going down and sunroof opening is a feature if you double click the fob on certain models .

Dave willow · Post by **Dave willow** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 5:02 pm

You are correct in what you are saying Leslie. My car does have comfort access. Putting your thumb on handle gives you access only if you have the key on your person. We have laid the key on top of the handle and pulled the handle and it does not respond.
Like I said earlier the car won't start with fob inside the the which has done before. If I put the fob in the ignition the car will start .switch engine off go to get out ,windows and door all open by them self.

Dave willow · Post by **Dave willow** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 5:18 pm

X5sport
The jap cars are on a different frequency to EU and the US . Had key guy try to code another key for us , the frequency is 315 as eu is 433.92 and 826mz . The local BMW dealer tried for 4 months to get a key fro Germany and they would help out. The dealer even wrote BMW head man in UK and he got the same response from Germany.

X5Sport · Post by **X5Sport** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 5:44 pm

That’s interesting as the international standards band plan only covers the US on 315MHz according to the reference manuals. Everyone else (apart from the US) should be on 433.92MHz (EU, Asia, Japan) with 826MHz and/or 868MHz as an option due to interference on the 432-434MHz short range devices frequency block. Use of 315MHz in Europe is not permitted as the frequency is allocated for other services meaning it’s illegal to supply.

The band plan may have changed after your car was built.

You’re only option in that case is to replace the key module and keys completely and that won’t be cheap.

Leslie · Post by **Leslie** » Sun Oct 27, 2024 9:23 pm

Have you tried the other door handle for access just to rule out the drivers handle being bad , don't open the drivers door at all ,just get in passenger side and hop over and see if you can then start the car ? its just a thought

I'm assuming both doors have it . As these cars get older things like this are imo a liability

The good news is your car still starts I've heard of ones before won't at all and nobody could sort it .

Dave willow · Post by **Dave willow** » Sun Apr 06, 2025 2:31 pm

An update as to my key problem . I contacted they local key guy who tried too get a key for us but failed, just to see if the old key was give a signal he said it was very weak. After a few month of unlocking the car with key and the alarm going off, which was annoying in public. I got a text from him asking I he could come round. He hooked his mobile workshop up to the car .After an hour , he produced a working key . He told me I have problem with drivers door you have to hold the key on the handle, and the rear drivers side door won't open. Every were else works fine . If you live in the south east of England I know a good key guy .

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