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Master KEY failure/FIX saves $300 (BMW doesn't want u 2 know)

Hey guys.

All the 2000 528i battery powered Master Ignition Keys are going to poop right now along with mine.

For the 2001 owners, you have about 9 Months more operation service from your Master Key to fog the doors locked and turn on the Security System.

At Hansel BMW they are very hush hush about how things work, as it makes them money for an emergency tow haul into the shop.

At 185,000 miles for me at 9 years post production for my 528i, the car just stopped running, and fortunately I was at a stop light when that happened. No Restart .. no Codes.

Maybe the computer sorts that out that way, if any of you lose your ignition fob battery at highway speeds where your engine shuts down do post here please.

What has happened I propose is when the Master Key battery runs out, the Security System feaks out as the ignition is in the key slot improperly placed there.

SO THE FIX is this when EVER your BMW shuts down this way.

Pull the vehicle to a safe place if you can.

Dismount the vehicle.

Check the fob for locking the system as it might be working, and then relock and unlock through the door lock several times.

Once the Master Key gets into the door lock mechanism, showing the computer security sytem that it is the proper key however with the dead battery inside and that then is in the ignition ... so far it is working fine.

I have ordered up the new Master Key from BMW, about $200 and several days ... maybe ever one day.

Have to see.

So folks, keep it in mind, and maybe it will save you a car tow to the shop just to find everything is all right and no codes a poppin.

sumbuddie hopes this helps

:?

PS ... did change out the fuel pump ... and the car is a lot more of the sprinter with a light peddle .. new car feel to it.

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane
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Maybe the 528i is different from the 328i. One of my 1999 328i keys has had a bad battery for 4 years but would still operate the ignition and door locks with no trouble. The dealer recently replaced the battery and now the remote functions work as well.

Tom

Reply to
tom_k

Maybe it is the year ... the 2000 version has all the new technology including the new security system ... it is a tuff one I must say.

Suppose to be the best on the market ... for the past decade .. and not been beat yet.

Maybe that is it ... dunno for sure ... no BMW certified mechanic here.

Oh ... with the new key fob ... there is a break in set up ... for turning the key on .. locking the doors while inside .. and then starting the engine ...

with the brake pedal down ... and wait about 5 seconds with the key turned far over into the start position.

Then it starts ... after that it is quick starts ... with that key fob.

Now I have three keys ... oh goodie

sure expensive ...

:>

tom_k wrote:

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane

tom_k wrote

and tom ... dead battery on the fob ... only the door key lock worked and the ignition turned over and the trunk opened as usual with key service.

no remote functions at all ... like yours.

I hope we are saying the same thing ...

:?

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane

Alan,

I'm not sure if this applies or not, but I found the following link while looking for one of those new style key / remote fobs for a different make vehicle. Just thought that others here might benefit from it. No affiliation, etc., and so on.

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Peter.

Reply to
Peter Bogiatzidis

Yeah ... I looked at those as well ... and seeing my key there in my hand, working okey doaky .. and then get ... maybe ... a special aftermarket fob ... just to work the remotes ... and supposedly it will bypass the BMW system.

Maybe so ... maybe have another sealed battery ... have another thing to lug around on the key chain that is harder to use.

So pay the 200 bucks .. which includes Service to sinc up the security system with the new key and have the ease of use that I am accustomed to.

Good idea to swap out the fuel pump at 185K miles ... a lot more of the sprinter comes out .. needs a light peddle and more cruise control when it is safe to do so.

thanks for the new web site info Peter ...

all my best ...

Alan

Peter Bogiatzidis wrote:

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane

My early 528 has a replaceable battery in the fob. Later ones have a rechargeable one and IIRC have to be replaced when it fails.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Same with my 328i. Apparently the battery which was installed during my last Inspection 2 went south very quickly. IIRC, the change to rechargeable batteries was around 2000 or 2001, at least in the U.S.

Tom

Reply to
tom_k

As I remember things you only have a short window between removing the old and replacing it - perhaps a capacitor takes over for a couple of minutes. If you exceed this you're into having it re-coded. So if you have a not much used spare where the cell goes totally flat that might happen to it which you only find out when you need it.

Yup. Dunno if the later one uses more power - but I've only replaced the button cell in my early one once in over 10 years. So I'm happy enough with a cost for that of a few pence rather than hundreds for a new key.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

On the 2000 models and up ... the battery in the fob ... gets re-charged every time it is in the ignition with the car running as well as holding various forms of data information from the computer.

When you take the car in for service, they put the key you give them that drove the car in ... into a device beside the office computer, and it puts up a splash screen of the current stored information.

Or so they say ...

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane

Didn't know the keys stored info - I thought that began with the fobs currently in use. Incidentally with BMW Assist, when the car's computer calls for service, the dealer is automatically notified.

Tom

Reply to
tom_k

yeah ... even the second key stores info.

it is a GOOD IDEA .. to use one key for you ...

and use the spare key for the service shop time ...

as it gets electricity and time in service to keep it up to snuff instead of eventually going to poop in your hooose somewhere.

any how ... both the master key and spare key store last time used data in them ... and it is important to give the key you drive in with.

:?

Reply to
Alan B. Mac Farlane

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