E53 the impenetrable fortress

[jooty]

My central locking doesn't work. This i could live with. But after much use my manual key barrel also broke, the key just spun. I was in a car park, my bulldog was in the car, my better half was getting impatient and neither the breakdown vehicle or the locksmith could get into the car.

I borrowed a lump hammer from greenflag man. No joke it took 9 full swings from me (17 stone man) before the drivers side window gave way.

A smashed window, broken window electrics,  broken lock barrel and no central locking..... was a fun old day.  >:(

[jooty]

Got the window replaced by autoglass - £250

Got official BMW window electric mechanism from ebay for £35 and the lock barrel parts for £14, just waiting for them to arrive then my indy will fix them.

I have seen these key repair services on ebay, the ones where you send them a key and they send it back working. Any good? I am sure its the key and not the car as the lock middle button works but the boot or unlock button do not. Worth a shot?

<3

[X5Sport]

It is amazing just how much force it takes to break a window with a hammer.  If you use a centre punch, or a glass break hammer they have a pointed tip and just one hard tap and hey presto, broken window.

No idea about these key repair places...and not sure I'd trust them either.  If it was me then I'd go order spare keys from BMW.  Not cheap, but at least they're guaranteed to work and come with a two year warranty as well.  You can also clear any old keys off the system and then destroy those broken one.  I take it you only have one key?

Richard

[jooty]

yep only got the one key. I have the spare valet key ( with no buttons ) but i cant even find that  -.-

You would go bmw then.. maybe thats my best bet..

[Sanj]

Or get a new unused (but working key) off eBay and split it. You only need the internal board with the 3 buttons. Split both keys and swap the innards to your key. Important you do it that way as the transponder part is 'geled' into your key.

Did mine like that after not using one of the two keys for long time and it had killed the rechargeable battery inside.

[jooty]

wouldn't it need reprogramming?

[X5LeMans]

If the only problem with the central locking is the key (have you tried re-initialising the key?) then, I would probably just buy a new key from BMW, and then keep your old one as a manual/spare if its broken.

If cutting the key in half, you can access, change, and reseal the original key, as long as the battery hasn't leaked and damaged the PCB.

I believe that in some (most?) diamond keys, the transponder is inside one of the chips on the PCB itself. The Chinese copies of the key don't have a transponder at all. Some suggest trying to extract the transponder from the valet key.. but if you've lost that, it wont help much

Even at main dealer prices, the Diamond keys are a fair bit cheaper than the newer bmw keyless opening keys. Last time I bought one for my E39, the dealers charged me £95.. Im sure they have gone up a bit since then, but it shouldn't be the end of the world, and BMW will cut the key to match your cars original locks, and all you need to do is initialise the remote control part.

Good luck whichever option you got for!

[jooty]

for the simplicity i think I will just go straight to bmw....

[PeterL]

How the hell do low life scroats break into cars so easily!!!!!!!!!

[X5Sport]

[quote="PeterL"]
How the hell do low life scroats break into cars so easily!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
Through the windows these days......unless they know the way around the deadlocks.  It took our BMW Dealer more than two hours to get into a locked 5 series (key locked inside the boot by accident!) on their forecourt.  It was entertaining to watch though.....

Richard

[PhilT]

[quote="X5Sport"]
[quote="PeterL"]
How the hell do low life scroats break into cars so easily!!!!!!!!!
[/quote]
Through the windows these days......unless they know the way around the deadlocks.  It took our BMW Dealer more than two hours to get into a locked 5 series (key locked inside the boot by accident!) on their forecourt.  It was entertaining to watch though.....

Richard
[/quote]

It took BMW Emergency Services bloke 5 minutes to get into my X5 when I locked the keys in the car  (without even leaving a mark!)

[jooty]

oh.

Must be because you have one of those 30 litre diesels. Engine so big they cant even fit proper locks on the car.

[ITBarbie]

Same here PhitT.  Both keys locked in car and bmw assist got me in within a matter of minutes and not a scratch.

Sorry to hear about your difficulties Jooty

[jooty]

You guys probably had one of the mechanisms working though. I would imagine they gained access that way.

I had no working central locking and no working barrel manual lock.

I think this is why it was such an ordeal. I talked to BMW and even the guy there said that in that situation the only way was through the window.

[PhilT]

[quote="jooty"]
You guys probably had one of the mechanisms working though. I would imagine they gained access that way.

I had no working central locking and no working barrel manual lock.

I think this is why it was such an ordeal. I talked to BMW and even the guy there said that in that situation the only way was through the window.
[/quote]

Dont know about Pennys but he got into mine through through the window - just didn't use a hammer.  Presumably once you'd got the window out of the way you opened the doors with the inside handle?