Key in a 4.4 2004 won't charge?
 

I just bought a 2004 4.4i X5 and the key never worked to unlock with the button or to lock the car. I have called the dealer and they want me to bring it in to check the electrical. The car starts fine with the key but it appears the battery in the key is dead or not getting charged. BMW is telling me that the key should never need a new battery? is this true? Has anyone had this happen to them and if so what was the solution? thanks :dunno:

Hi...here the link to my thread,I had the same problem...the trick helped me :)
http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...ne-swap-2.html

thanks I will try the key reprogram and post results. I'll try anything before the dealer :cool:

I had the same problem as you a few weeks ago. One of my keys just died but I was able to open the doors and start the X5 with the key. I even tried reprogramming the key and still did not work. Then I took it to a BMW dealer and the same thing (You should bring all your keys when going to the dealer). I had 2 techs try to reprogram the key and both came to the conclusion that the key wasn't charging. Had to buy a new key for $200 dollars. :cool:

Good luck!

Reprogram worked like a charm!! thanks

You MUST use each key occassionally or the battery will die!
 

If you have the ability, you can replace the internal battery. Worth a shot before buying a new key from the dealer. The battery is like $10. You NEED to use each key every so often so it continues to charge. My second key was absolutely mint and was likely not used for long periods, if ever. Here's the thread I used to repair mine. Once it was glued back together, I reprogrammed it and all is good. Way cheaper than buying a new key from the stealer.

replacing battery in key fob.... - E46Fanatics

By the way, these small Irwin clamps worked great to hold it while gluing it back together.

This is a great tip, however you should keep a couple of important things in mind. Soldering the battery back on is a bit tricky because you don't want to overheat the battery during the process because it could explode. At the very least wear eye protection. Also, you are correct in that you need to use the keys every so often, BMW recommends each master key be used at least twice per year. I believe BMW specs that a fully charged key will last 15 open/close cycles (I have to look that up and will correct it as needed-at which time I'll remove this note).