Turning a non remote master key into a remote key?

[phathom]

Ya, the dealer has no coding or cutting ability. It all has to come from the factory. You bring in your registration and Id. They send off the request. They pull your vin and the codes that are in your EWS andwhich ones/how many have been used. They then assign an unused code to the new transponder. It's one thing that makes our cars hard to steal without a towtruck or someone having the tools and access to the inside of the vehicle for a period of time. It's like those Mercedes from Gonr in 60 seconds.
Btw: You can only make 6 extra/replacement keys after the original set, EVER. Once that limit is reached and all keys are lost, you need to replace the EWS.

[oldskewel]

When I got my x5, it only had one diamond key. Planning to keep the car for a while and wanting spares, multiple drivers, etc. I did the following, which may be a new solution you can consider:

1. I bought 3x valet keys (minor screw-up on that - I believed I was to be getting fully functional master keys [but no remote]; the only limitation in a valet key is locking the glove box) - ordered online for about $35 each from thebmwminipartstore.com. As with all genuine BMW keys, they came direct from BMW-USA, then went via thebmwminipartstore.com to me. They needed me to email a scan of my title and registration for obvious theft prevention reasons. This arrives pre-cut, and with the EWS pre-programmed, so they work, right out of the box, to manually unlock the driver's door lock and then start the car.

2. I bought 3x used genuine BMW diamond keys on eBay for about $15 each. I then cut the metal key part off, ground it smooth, and re-programmed the remaining diamond part to do the keyless entry, etc.

So now the cut-off diamond part is like a more traditional remote key fob. Full functionality that a diamond key would have, but in two parts. Net cost was around $50 each, for 3 sets = less than the cost of one diamond key at my local dealer, but this was all delivered to my door.

[80stech]

Bite the bullet and go for the factory key. A lot less trouble in the end, guaranteed to work, and you have a key with a new battery if/when your original dies. I just ordered a second key yesterday myself. I'm pretty cheap but in this case not worth the headache.

[oldskewel]

Originally Posted by phathom

Ya, the dealer has no coding or cutting ability. It all has to come from the factory. You bring in your registration and Id. They send off the request. They pull your vin and the codes that are in your EWS andwhich ones/how many have been used. They then assign an unused code to the new transponder. It's one thing that makes our cars hard to steal without a towtruck or someone having the tools and access to the inside of the vehicle for a period of time. It's like those Mercedes from Gonr in 60 seconds.
Btw: You can only make 6 extra/replacement keys after the original set, EVER. Once that limit is reached and all keys are lost, you need to replace the EWS.

Yes, this all sounds right to me. A couple of clarifications ...

More specifically, I think the EWS is limited to 10 valid codes total. So if the car originally came with 4 keys (sounds right), then yes, you get 6 more before you are out of luck.

Yes, the keys are cut and EWS programmed from "the factory" only. But don't worry, this factory is not in the fatherland, it is somewhere in the Eastern US, so it can get to you in a day or two if you need it fast. And they are cut and programmed only as needed - they do not have all 10 keys sitting in a warehouse (because if they did, you would not be able to choose among the various key types).

[phathom]

Originally Posted by oldskewel

When I got my x5, it only had one diamond key. Planning to keep the car for a while and wanting spares, multiple drivers, etc. I did the following, which may be a new solution you can consider:

1. I bought 3x valet keys (minor screw-up on that - I believed I was to be getting fully functional master keys [but no remote]; the only limitation in a valet key is locking the glove box) - ordered online for about $35 each from thebmwminipartstore.com. As with all genuine BMW keys, they came direct from BMW-USA, then went via thebmwminipartstore.com to me. They needed me to email a scan of my title and registration for obvious theft prevention reasons. This arrives pre-cut, and with the EWS pre-programmed, so they work, right out of the box, to manually unlock the driver's door lock and then start the car.

2. I bought 3x used genuine BMW diamond keys on eBay for about $15 each. I then cut the metal key part off, ground it smooth, and re-programmed the remaining diamond part to do the keyless entry, etc.

So now the cut-off diamond part is like a more traditional remote key fob. Full functionality that a diamond key would have, but in two parts. Net cost was around $50 each, for 3 sets = less than the cost of one diamond key at my local dealer, but this was all delivered to my door.

This is exactly my plan C. All except with a non remote master instead of valet key. Glad to hear that worked. Going to go this route.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by phathom

I mentioned him in my original post.
https://www.bmwgm5.com/New_Key.htm
...

Scott of BMW GM5 is not who I was referring to. A forum member on Bimmerforums (RocketSurgeon aka Dillon) offers key services. Here's a link to a thread from Dec 2015 that has his contact info if you don't want to pay full price for a key from BMW or do the eBay thing...this is another option: http://www.xoutpost.com/1060749-post10.html

One positive from RocketSurgeon's work is...by retrieving the lost or unused key codes that have already been programmed into your EWS control module...you don't run through the EWS control module's "10" keys. He can keep burning the ISN & key codes into a new key that was burned into the EWS-CM (if you're a serial key "loser" )

[phathom]

So I got my lighted master from the dealership the other day. I also got my aftermarket fob/blank. I noticed in the fob blank there is a spot for the EWS chip, it actually had an EWS chip in it, that won't work, obviously.
I tried to disassemble the factory key to swap the blade/chip into the new housing. Let me tell you, bad idea. Those keys are pretty much impossible to get ooen without hacking the whole thing apart. I stopped once the casing started to crack. I had gone around with an exscto nice, tried to pry it open after, put it in a vice to try to pop it open, no dice. The furthest I got was the back half where the light module is, that's when/where the edge of the casing started to crack. I called it quits then and snapped it back together. If you knew exactly where the chip was to avoid cutting it, you could probably cut it open of you knew for a fact you could put it in a donor case. I just cut the blade off the aftermarket fob and will just use them as two pieces.

[Qsilver7]

If I was going to do this...I would have saved a few bucks and purchased the usually less expensive valet key (door/ignition only)...instead of the most expensive non-remote key...the illumnanted one.

And the valet key is probably easier to get into. All the non remote keys have a separate chip in them...similar to the type used in the old style remotes...they are not soldered onto anything like the new style remote keys.

Here's an example of the valet key with its cover removed exposing the chip:

[phathom]

Well I wanted a non lighted master that would be easier and I wanted an actual metal key, non the cheap plastic valet if it didn't work out. The lighted one was the only option for a metal key besides a remote master.

[oldskewel]

The keys I have, referred to above in post #14, are definitely metal (steel alloy), with a light gray plastic head, no buttons, unlighted, genuine BMW. They definitely start the car and open driver's door. They definitely do not lock/unlock the glove box. I believe they are called "valet" keys or "spare" keys.

On the receipt, the part number is 51 21 8 236 594, and the description is "DOOR AND IGNITION K".

The special little envelope the keys came in, with the last-7-digit VIN, dealer order no, my name, etc. (so it seems this came from "the factory" source of the keys), says "/Door and ignition key" and also has part number 51 21 8 236 594.

The almost-all-plastic keys in the photo above are definitely not what I have. I believe those are officially called "service" keys or un-officially plastic wallet keys.

There is a lot of confusion in the names and even part numbers, so I'm trying to be careful here about what I know (since I have them) and what I believe to be true.

When I ordered these 3 valet keys from thebmwminipartsstore.com, I thought they would be unlighted, no remote, but otherwise fully functional (i.e., what I ended up getting except they would also work on the glove box). They sold them as "EWS III key," with no other naming clarification. They (erroneously) confirmed that they would be what I hoped for, but when I got them I realized the error but was happy to live without a locking glove box. Still happy with the solution.