E70 Key Fob Programming Issue?

[Sapphirexae]

Hi everyone! I'm an E53 X5 owner but my sister just bought a beautiful, loaded E70 from our local BMW Dealership. They provided one key and ordered another. They overnighted it to us and we received it today. Upon trying the new key, the buttons on the fob worked and when I manually inserted the fob into the slot, it worked and the car started when I pushed the start/stop button. However, her E70 has Comfort Access, and NONE of those features worked with this remote. Any ideas?!?

[Doug Huffman]

Did you again try the remote function after this brief introduction of the key and car?

In VW the two functions are quite separate, the start function immobilizer is passive and the remote is an active transmitter.

[lanbrown]

Does the replacement remote have a replaceable battery? The CA system can also only support two remotes, so was the missing remote removed?

[Sapphirexae]

Yes, I did check and the new key is definitely an original CA key with the battery compartment. They other key was missing when the vehicle was traded in, so they ordered a new key. So, if the CA system can only support two keys what is the next step for getting this key to work with the CA system? I've heard rumor that the entire system can be reset, basically removing the original missing key from the system. I've also read that disconnecting the vehicle's battery for ten minutes or so resets the system. I have an idea that is just too simple and won't work.

[lanbrown]

I would not disconnect the battery, people have replaced a battery before and caused the IBS to fail. That is $200 or $300 I believe and BMW could refuse to warranty it.

Try putting the remote in the slot located in the glove box and start the vehicle unless your E70 has it where it is on the steering column. Anyway, there is a place where you hold or put the remote for when the battery in it is dead. Try using the remote that way for the first time and see if that gets it programmed.

[Sapphirexae]

Agreed. The battery disconnect just seemed like a bad idea to me. Her slot is on the dash, next to the steering column (like below), would there be a slot in the glovebox with this configuration? Oh, it my be helpful to share her year with you all, its a 2012.

[Skyline]

You may need to activate the key. Since you bought the car from a dealer, bring it back and tell them your problem. I just went through the same thing, and each key has a numerical value 1-10 in the internal software of the car. On mine, the new key was No. 4, and that was deactivated. It worked, but no comfort access. I activated the key with an Autologic, but certainly any dealer could do this. Works fine now.

[lanbrown]

Originally Posted by Sapphirexae

Agreed. The battery disconnect just seemed like a bad idea to me. Her slot is on the dash, next to the steering column (like below), would there be a slot in the glovebox with this configuration? Oh, it my be helpful to share her year with you all, its a 2012.

Wrong, that slot has nothing, nada, zilch, zero, zip, nought, nil, squat to do with comfort access. Look in the glove box as I already stated or wherever the slot is. If you don't understand this, go to the dealer.

The slot is like this:

[bawareca]

E70(and the others Exx models) can have only 2 CA keys active at a time. Probably first 2 original keys were CA and the spare key you received is 3rd, therefore it cannot be accepted as CA by the car. You have to talk to the dealer and see if they can rectify the situation or nothing can be changed at this time.
P.S. Sorry, I didnt see Ianbrown already wrote that.

[dalecan]

Originally Posted by lanbrown

Wrong, that slot has nothing, nada, zilch, zero, zip, nought, nil, squat to do with comfort access. Look in the glove box as I already stated or wherever the slot is. If you don't understand this, go to the dealer.

The slot is like this:

i didn't know what that was for. Thanks!