04 X5 won't start. Code light comes on

[2555 john]

Got stuck so many times...Battery was changed one month ago....Key was reprogrammed after I got stuck two weeks after changing battery..

Worked for ten days..Now stuck again...Turn key and alarm comes on..Car does not start...When it first happened last Feb. yeah last Feb my mechanic had his BMW guy rewire some stuff near my radio..Radio is aftermarket..

Worked up until a few months ago ..Got stuck four times in last few months..

WTF ? Anybody ?

Used all my AAA tows for the year...I read somewhere if I pull fuse 43 it will start ?

[andrewwynn]

Code light? Oh on the radio? I think the default is 0000 but if you changed the radio no idea how you’d do that


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[2555 john]

The word code comes on the dash, between the Speedo and the tach..It reads CODE......Radio is an aftermarket and came with car when I bought it....

[andrewwynn]

Yeah I think that is telling you to enter the anti theft code. I only know of it’s existence not how it works but I think you normally enter via the MiD unit so you may have a bit of a pickle to get out of.

[andrewwynn]

https://youtu.be/rbfTG6nHCoQ

I think the BMW software can reprogram the code. You also may be able to reset it by pulling the battery cable else you may actually have to borrow a mid head unit. Did the PO happen to give you the head unit? Look in the trunk spaces in case he didn’t mention but realized it would be a good idea to have.

[2555 john]

I bought the car from a dealer lot back in 2015....I don't have the original radio....I'm pretty sure my mechanic did reprogram this a few weeks ago....

Like I said it worked for like ten days and its back to the same Bullshit again....Needless to say I'm going to a different mechanic...

[andrewwynn]

There is some way to temporarily defeat the code which I’m gathering is what your ex mechanic did.

[CapeX5]

Call "that" mechanic who got it going in the past and ask him what he did! For it to work and than stop is very odd. These things can be electrical nightmares if you mess with the factory configuration

[2555 john]

Originally Posted by CapeX5

Call "that" mechanic who got it going in the past and ask him what he did! For it to work and than stop is very odd. These things can be electrical nightmares if you mess with the factory configuration

The sad thing is , he has done that many times....Works for a few weeks than its back to the same crap....I even got a new key back in April....

I can't tell you how frustrating this is....I read somewhere if you pull fuse 43 it will start ? How about if I disconnect the battery wait a bit than reconnect it, would that help ?

Well, I'm going to try....

[Qsilver7]

I'm inclined to think that there may be an issue with your aftermarket radio installation. As mentioned already...the MID or Nav display (not sure how your e53 was originally optioned)...but the MID or Nav is the control display for the OBC...and the OBC has an additional anti-theft feature that allows you to enter up to a 4 digit CODE between 0000-9999 that can prevent starting of the car by anyone that has access to a working key.

Since that component has been removed...you have no way to counteract the implementation of this starter/ignition lockout. Since you can't see steps #4 and #5 because it requires the Nav screen or the MID...perhpas if you use the timer on your cell phone or watch etc...you might be able to start the car following the procedures below. Make sure step #1 is followed and you at least keep power disconnected for 5 minutes...ignition position 1 is a MUST DO (ign position 2 will cause failure)...then you'll need to wait at least 10 minutes for the countdown to complete...then attempt a restart: