The ULTIMATE US OEM Keyless/Alarm Thread

[flyfishvt]

Have you tried posting this in the e39 forum? I mean after all it is an e39 not an e36. I know some of us have multiple cars but you should start in the e39 forum so you have a better audience

[Theonebird]

I have the 2 button setup and if you open the alarm module I believe you can configure the sensitivity of the alarm with some dip switches.

I've opened my seemingly non functional two button module and noticed these same two switches. Anyone have any more information on what they are for?

[New2M3]

Subscribed

[MJFX328]

I've opened my seemingly non functional two button module and noticed these same two switches. Anyone have any more information on what they are for?

Mine had them but no one could ever get specs on it

[flyfishvt]

I have just updated the original post with new info. The 2 button fob programming instructions I linked to were incorrect. The link has been updated so it leads to programming instructions that work.

I also updated the section "How it all works" with new info. You can use a single fob on more than one control module at the same time. If you have one of the 2 button fob units installed in more than one car you can use the same fob on both/all cars. The down side to this is if they are both sitting next to each other you will lock/unlock both at the same time.

[New2M3]

Does anyone have a remote for sale I need one I am piecing a alarm together I have everything but the remote

[bmw2nv]

I need some help here!!!

ON the wiring harness, I plug it into the 12 prong male connector

BUT off that harness, there are TWO connections that I cannot find a home for?! please help me out here

[flyfishvt]

The white 4 prong is not used. The small blue one is for the hood switch. If your csr has never had an OEM alarm installed the connector for the hood switch will be buried deep in one of the wire harnesses around/behind the globe box. Forget the hood switch it's not worth connecting

[bmw2nv]

So all I have to do is disconnect the hood switch under the hood??

SUCCESS!!!!

The siren wasnt working - reset the fob

Honestly, this thread is amazing and thank you to OP!

BF.com ROCKS

[flyfishvt]

So all I have to do is disconnect the hood switch under the hood??t

No

If you leave the blue connector undone it does the same thing as disconnecting the hood switch

[bmw2nv]

hood switch out

pulled it before i read this

Alarm works great and wow the siren is LOUD

[shuttlegoose]

i have the two button system on a recently acquired e36 sedan. It seems very touchy and certainly doesn't lock or unlock all of the doors all of the time. Sounds dumb, but could this simply be a battery issue?

[flyfishvt]

The touchy part is probably just that its old. The failure to lock unlock some of the doors or even one when the rest lock or unlock is an issue with the doors themselves.

If you meant to say that you press the button and nothing happens then its just an old fob that has lost the sensitivity on the buttons. Mine does that sometimes. You have to realize the newest fob will still be at least 13 years old. My work van has power locks and its 2 years old...fob stopped working 6 months ago.

[bmw2nv]

Is it possible to use a fob OTHER then the 2 button oem one??

Also, Flyfishvt - do you have a good DIY for wiring up the lights to flash on arm / disarm?

[mobiletarget]

Is it possible to use a fob OTHER then the 2 button oem one??

Also, Flyfishvt - do you have a good DIY for wiring up the lights to flash on arm / disarm?

No. There is a Subaru fob that's identical, but will not work.

Also: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=904492

[bmw2nv]

Thanks

Wow so then the FOBs are pretty much like gold now im guessing?

[flyfishvt]

Not really. You can find them on eBay for around $40-50. There's always at least a half dozen of both the three button and two button for sale.

[MechEng7]

Not really. You can find them on eBay for around $40-50. There's always at least a half dozen of both the three button and two button for sale.

I can never seem to find any good two button fobs.

[bmw2nv]

SO FRUSTRATED

I had the alarm working perfect BUT my entire dash was taken apart. So in the process of rewiring the brain, I unplugged it and tucked it away so I could put back together the glove box.

Not that i have unplugged it - I CANNOT get it to reprogram

when I turn the iginition 5x nothing happens. no chirp. When i press the fob, I get 3 short chirps. thats it. If I press the arm or disarm button All im getting is 3 quick chirps. so frustrating!

I can be outside the car, hit a button and just 3 chirps is all it does. What in the hell happened!!!!! Also, my lights are NOT coming on when I get into the car / unlock the doors and yes the main switch is on. Did i blow a fuse?

Given that I am getting the 3 chirps, does this not mean the brain and fob are connecting fine. it was JUSt working, so why wont it reprogram to work again. wow.

Please helpppppp

[flyfishvt]

FLYMAN to the rescue. Fear not grasshopper you have a simple issue. Your alarm is working correctly. Once it is programmed you can completely remove it from the car and it will not lose its program. The only time you need to reprogram is if you change the battery in the fob.

The 3 chirps means a door or trunk is not closed correctly. If your interior lights aren't comming on when you open your door then the micro switch in your door striker isn't working correctly. The alarm sees it as the door being open. When you leave the door open long enough the car turns off the interior lights and they don't come back on until you close the door.

Try pushing the button on the striker with you finger then press the lock/unlock button on the fob. If it works you just need a dab of JB weld on the worn down part of that button. If it doesn't work then you probably need a new striker.

I bet your interior lights come on when you open the passenger door.

[bmw2nv]

I did pull the battery. However I am still getting those 3 chirps. Maybe because I went half way through the program procedure

Either way before the battery pull, still the three chirps.

Dumb question. Where is the striker? And the micro switch?

I just tried opening the passanger door and the lights did not come on.

I really appreciate the help. But I lose sleep over this! Arghhhhh

[flyfishvt]

Ok first....if it chirps 3 times its telling you a door or the hood or the trunk or maybe even the gas door is open. So open the door and look on the door frame. You'll see the door striker. The striker will have a round black cylinder that the door latch grabs onto. Look in the door striker for a little square button. Press the button and see if the alarm fob locks the doors. If you still get 3 beeps try looking at all the door strikers. If you still get 3 chirps try disconnecting the hood switch. From there you move to the trunk lock and the gas filler door. One of those is not working correctly. Your car will not go into "learning mode" if one of those items is not working correctly. If it doesnt go into learning mode you can't reprogram the fob or program any new fobs.

[bmw2nv]

Awesome

Thank you for all this information. I'm just out but I am trying this the second I get home tonight.

The hood switch is already taken out. So I guess I'm going to have to try all the locks then on the doors and see where that takes me.

So when I press the square button, I try and lock the doors and arm it?

Will update asap.

[pment]

I have an alarm with a 2 button fob. It has an led with a glass break microphone just like the one you show labeled as 3 button fob. I don't remember what the connector on the harness looks like that I plugged it into, but I tested the microphone and it works. I think I saw that convertibles had the microphone separate from the control module.

[flyfishvt]

I have an alarm with a 2 button fob. It has an led with a glass break microphone just like the one you show labeled as 3 button fob. I don't remember what the connector on the harness looks like that I plugged it into, but I tested the microphone and it works. I think I saw that convertibles had the microphone separate from the control module.

Back up the bus for a second. You're confused. The LED panel insert with the microphone was originally used on the 3 button fob units. It has 2 wires comming off it. One wire bundle is for the LED and plugs into the harness. The other wire is for the microphone and it plugs into the control module. If you have a 2 button system it will not have anywhere to plug the microphone into the control module. It doesn't matter if its a vert or sedean or coupe. They all got the same systems. You can use the panel insert that has a microphone with the 2 button system. The LED connector on the harness is the same as the one on the 3 button system.

The connector for the microphone looks like a earphone/headphone plug that you would plug into a MP3 or IPod. There isn't anyplace to plug that into a 2 button control module.

I don't know how you tested the microphone if you really have a OEM system and if you really have a 2 button system

Awesome

Thank you for all this information. I'm just out but I am trying this the second I get home tonight.

The hood switch is already taken out. So I guess I'm going to have to try all the locks then on the doors and see where that takes me.

So when I press the square button, I try and lock the doors and arm it?

Will update asap.

Correct. If you have a 95 or newer e36 the door striker will have a button/microswitch built into it that tells the cars electronics that the door is open or closed. You can fool the car into thinking the door is closed by pressing that button. If you have a coupe or vert then pressing/releasing that button will make the window on that particular door do the inch up/down thing it does even if the door is wide open. This is the same button that turns the interior lights on and off when you open/close the door. Of course for the interior lights to work you need the rocker switch in the overhead light panel to be in the correct position. If its in the OFF position the lights will never come on.