Replacement Key fob

[80stech]

If you can solder you might try fixing the old fob. You already had it apart to change the battery (which IIRC needs to be soldered) so should be easy enough to take it apart again and check the solder at the switch contacts(and the battery). Your original battery might even still be good. If you still need a key a new one from BMW is the way to go.

[andrewwynn]

I reflowed most of the solder joints on both of my keys. It helped for a couple years then they started acting flaky again.

The actual bmw key waa one of my most worthwhile purchases regarding my e53.


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[Effduration]

OP - The following is a very good, lowest cost site for Genuine BMW keys coded to your vehicle.

https://www.thebmwminipartstore.com/

[Bdc101]

So if you order a brand new diamond key for your car, you get it cut correctly and with the proper code for your vehicle -- but you still have to activate it or whatever using a Foxwell or PA Soft or something like that, right?

[andrewwynn]

No it comes ready to start but you will have to do the pairing sequence to activate remote functions. No tools needed just any keys you still have and the new one.

Pair all the keys at once. In the same order of you can recall since the car knows which key is which for things like seat memory.

[Henn28]

My two cents is to go OE from bmwmini parts, if able. Getting locked out, either physically or via the EWS due to a crappy overseas key was high on my list of old car worries. I agree, the OE BMW key is worth the peace of mind.

As Andrewwyn said, no scanner or other tool needed to pair it. Follow the directions that come with the key, and watch a YouTube video or two before doing it. Nothing cosmic to it, but a definite order to follow. The new key goes first and becomes the master, then I did my two original old keys as backups.

[workingonit]

from another thread: My key fob faded-out after three days in my possession, after I got the X5 in May 2021. The diamond key was the 20-year-old original, which had never been cut open (therefore having a 20-year-old battery inside), and I tried the Philips Sonicare charger to charge it up.

24 hours of charging only enabled one or two openings, and after four full 24-hour charging cycles, it no longer worked at all. I bought a new VL2020 rechargeable battery, installed it, then charged it on the Sonicare overnight, and it's worked fine ever since.

However, since the original diamond key has got a damaged wire inside (I did it while cutting it open), I fear that it will fail at any time if I drop it. So, I bought a generic diamond key (actually a pair, one of which the wife promptly lost) off of Ebay (without a chip inside), that came with a battery inside, which I use as a spare remote, just to open the door or trunk.

If the damaged wire fails on the original, I can still get inside using the generic remote, and then insert the original into the ignition, where the chip inside will let me start the X5. I carry the generic key in a zippered belt pouch, along with a short battery jumper cord (to hook up to a hidden lead to the underhood jumper posts), in case the battery fails away from home.

...It's been two years since then, and so far, no problems. The Sonicare charger keeps the original diamond key charged, a good thing since I sometimes go a month without driving it (owner's manual says driving will keep the key charged for a month, but my drives may not be long enough to do so). And I still have to be careful with the key, in order to not break any internal connections again.

The remaining Ebay generic diamond key, used for remote opening/locking (no chip), came with an already-installed battery. I've no way to tell when it was installed, what quality it is, remaining voltage (remaining life), and whether or not I could cut it open and replace that battery. I'll order a new pair from the same vendor when it dies, because it's cheap and easy to get quick.

But, when the original, cut key (with chip ) fails, I'll try to repair it again, and I'll also order a second key (new BMW part), as I don't like having only one ignition/door key.

[Bdc101]

Originally Posted by Henn28

My two cents is to go OE from bmwmini parts, if able. Getting locked out, either physically or via the EWS due to a crappy overseas key was high on my list of old car worries. I agree, the OE BMW key is worth the peace of mind.

As Andrewwyn said, no scanner or other tool needed to pair it. Follow the directions that come with the key, and watch a YouTube video or two before doing it. Nothing cosmic to it, but a definite order to follow. The new key goes first and becomes the master, then I did my two original old keys as backups.

Man, I am so tired of having no keyless entry and DLA problems, I would give $190 in a heartbeat to having it working again.



I need to troubleshoot my FZV first because all of my keys stopped working - but that will be on my list. I had no idea they were that reasonably priced. I was thinking it would be $250+ and then paying a dealer to program it next.

[oldskewel]

Faults in the system outside of the key can cause the remote entry to not work. So it would be an expensive test to buy a new dealer diamond key and have that not work.

Here are a couple of threads, with relevant info on keyless entry problems and solutions I've used on my 2001.

First one is how I got used diamond keys off eBay for $15 each and use them as key fobs, paired with genuine valet keys bought from thebmwminipartstore.com
https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...ml#post1079644

This one is how I replaced the rechargeable batteries in two of my fobs once they became weak. Extensive testing on charging solutions.
https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...r-options.html

@Qsilver7 has great posts on here somewhere with exact instructions on the programming of the fobs. Unfortunately, the entire system can be perfect and a simple mistake in the programming procedure will simply fail without letting you know why.

[Bdc101]

Originally Posted by oldskewel

Faults in the system outside of the key can cause the remote entry to not work. So it would be an expensive test to buy a new dealer diamond key and have that not work.

Here are a couple of threads, with relevant info on keyless entry problems and solutions I've used on my 2001.

First one is how I got used diamond keys off eBay for $15 each and use them as key fobs, paired with genuine valet keys bought from thebmwminipartstore.com
https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...ml#post1079644

This one is how I replaced the rechargeable batteries in two of my fobs once they became weak. Extensive testing on charging solutions.
https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/...r-options.html

@Qsilver7 has great posts on here somewhere with exact instructions on the programming of the fobs. Unfortunately, the entire system can be perfect and a simple mistake in the programming procedure will simply fail without letting you know why.

My system has become completely unresponsive -- none of the re-pairing works on either of my fobs. I had to repair a broken wire going to the third brake light, so I am going to get out the multimeter and test all the wires going to the FZV next. The FZV can't be read by my Foxwell or my PA Soft so I don't think there's any way to tell if it's working unfortunately. I called the guy at BMWGM5 (Scott) and he said to verify all those wires first. I just need to find a pinout first.


I have an inkling that my 20-year-old fob batteries are dead (one never worked and one worked sporadically for the first 5 years of ownership) and that my FZV is also not working.