Well, what do you know...looky what we have here...

[DimrBimmer]

I am working on small car related projects on my recently acquired 2001 M roadster. Trying to get the car ready for new season. Pulled out the glove compartment to repair the sag. And guess what I found? No, not a rolled up swad of $100 bills. I got this car with a single key and previous owner #4 claimed that he never had 2nd key or remotes for keyless entry, yet the car has alarm led and mic installed in the dash. Back to my find- BMW keyless entry receiver installed! So, this brings up a question. What keyfob will this work with and how do I program it? Can I use regular OBD2 connected computer, or do I need something special that I can only get done at the dealer? Thank you.



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[Randy Forbes]

Subaru alarm fobs should work with it, but you need the operator's manual to get the song and dance sequence right to align them.

[Wertles]

Randy is the expert in all things Z3. I however, could not get the Subaru key fob to link despite all the frequencies and ID numbers matching the BMW key fob. I bought a used one off of eBay and it linked the first time without issue. When I searched the forum, I found out I was not alone. Too bad. You can pick those up new for cheap. The used BMW are $$$. If you get the Subaru to work, let us know how. A lot of us would be very excited.

[mherington]

My under-caffeinated brain isn’t understanding... how is this different than remote lock/unlock system with a fob?

M.

[BimmerBreaker]

My under-caffeinated brain isn’t understanding... how is this different than remote lock/unlock system with a fob?

M.

Its not, he just didnt get the keyfob with the car so wanted to know which one to buy and how to sync it

[mherington]

Its not, he just didnt get the keyfob with the car so wanted to know which one to buy and how to sync it

Ahhh, got it. Is this the learning procedure?

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...rm-Install.htm

[zellamay]

Maybe I'm missing something, being new to BMWs. I've bought 3 of the Amazon keyless entry systems, (receiver and 2 fobs) for $17 each. Why would someone spend big bucks for the BMW fob when these work perfectly? Here is the address: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ..

[DimrBimmer]

Maybe I'm missing something, being new to BMWs. I've bought 3 of the Amazon keyless entry systems, (receiver and 2 fobs) for $17 each. Why would someone spend big bucks for the BMW fob when these work perfectly? Here is the address: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ..

BMW receiver is already there. I just need a key with transmitter on it. There are bunch of inexpensive options on Amazon or eBay. I just need to cut the key. I know some offer that with the sale of their key. I think it requires sending key in. I may as well walk over to my dealer and get the key precut to my vin for $60.

[z3forlife]

I don't think you can get a key with built in remote. The fobs are separate. Keys you get from the dealer precut and chipped for your car

[khammack]

I don't think you can get a key with built in remote. The fobs are separate. Keys you get from the dealer precut and chipped for your car

True. At least the 2001/2 M Roadsters have separate key and fob.

[zellamay]

I paid about $80 for a BMW key for my wife's 94 325i, with no remote in it. Having a separate remote fob is no problem. I just operate it when I reach in my pocket for my key.

[DimrBimmer]

I paid about $80 for a BMW key for my wife's 94 325i, with no remote in it. Having a separate remote fob is no problem. I just operate it when I reach in my pocket for my key.

I see bunch of BMW keys that seem to match the design of mine. Some with remote and others without. There is a thread with people successfully programming the keyfobs without much effort, just following some steps. See this.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/#/topics/436963

I will try few keys from Amazon and maybe one from the dealer if Amazon keys won't work and report back here.

[328 Power 04]

They keys from amazon will not work. Keep on looking through ebay, good ones come up here and there, for very decent prices. My last couple of them were under $40 and still had the BMW paint on them.


I prefer the factory alarm/keyless entry because it works so well together with the general body module, plugs right in to pre-wired harness, and it double locks the doors properly. It also disarms when a key is recognized by the ews system.
I pulled an amazon/ebay special out of my coupe because it was so ghetto. You could lock the doors, and simply unlock them by pulling the handle. If you lock the doors with the BMW alarm system (say in convertible top down), the doors will not open even from the inside.

[z3forlife]

The keys for our cars that have a roundel button are lighted keys only. The fob part # is 82 11 1 469 448

[zellamay]

I pulled an amazon/ebay special out of my coupe because it was so ghetto. You could lock the doors, and simply unlock them by pulling the handle. If you lock the doors with the BMW alarm system (say in convertible top down), the doors will not open even from the inside.

I just checked this out, with my $17 Amazon system, and it's true. I can unlock the doors using the door handle, so I could not leave the top down and depend on the locks to keep people from opening the doors. I never do that, but still it's a disadvantage.

[DimrBimmer]

So, you are telling me that this will not work? Supposedly comes with electronics and batteries.
https://www.remotesremotes.com/produ...tch-key-x2.htm

[s8ilver]

This probably works:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-A269ZUA...-/281813213767

I'm in the same boat: just bought the module and searching for reasonably priced remotes. I picked up the Amazon system too but didn't like the idea of splicing a bunch of wires and not even having OEM functionality.

[BimmerBreaker]

So, you are telling me that this will not work? Supposedly comes with electronics and batteries.
https://www.remotesremotes.com/produ...tch-key-x2.htm

Correct, those do NOT work on Z3's

You can have a light on your key though. But no Z3 keys had the fob built into the key and none of those keys will work on a Z3

[Randy Forbes]

Randy is the expert in all things Z3. I however, could not get the Subaru key fob to link despite all the frequencies and ID numbers matching the BMW key fob. I bought a used one off of eBay and it linked the first time without issue. When I searched the forum, I found out I was not alone. Too bad. You can pick those up new for cheap. The used BMW are $$$. If you get the Subaru to work, let us know how. A lot of us would be very excited.

I cannot say that I ever used one, but Yark BMW (Toledo) also had a Subaru dealership across the street, and I was told by them that they had substituted one before. It's unlike them to have given me wrong information (compared to the overall dealership experience by most reports on here...) but I suppose it can happen.

I will no longer recommend the Subaru fob, unless you need a battery, case or button replacement!

True. At least the 2001/2 M Roadsters have separate key and fob.

Same here! My '99 and '01 both came with the same four (4) key package; a lighted master key, a plain master (both black), a gray valet key (doesn't unlcock glovebox or trunk & presumably the coupe's hatch) and a plastic temporary use / emergency key.

Correct, those do NOT work on Z3's

You can have a light on your key though. But no Z3 keys had the fob built into the key and none of those keys will work on a Z3

Actually, it has been my experience that it is only the Ms that have fobless keys; all the Z3s that I can remember have the alarm/remote locking functions built into their keys.

So I guess that remote locking was standard on Z3s, at least the later__fitted with roll-hoops__cars that I've worked on, and all the M versions required a dealer-installed alarm package, as seen in the first post, to get a remote door locking/alarm arming feature.

[Wertles]

My convertible 2.5 has the factory lock/unlock buttons on the key. The M Coupe has the separate key/fob setup. I never thought about the differences until now. I just thought it was a 99 compared to an 02 difference.

[BimmerBreaker]

That is (exciting!) news to me... I've never seen a Z3 with a key/fob combo. If some non-M Z3's came like that, no reason it can't be adapted to an M, right?

Is it the diamond style E39 key they came with?

[John#]

bmwkey.jpg Mine looks like this. 2001 Z3 3.0.

[neopolymath]

I would like to add to this thread that if you buy a used oem Bmw keyless entry fob off of ebay you can replace the shell/case and buttons on the fob with a Bmw/Subaru new replacement case for like $15 on ebay as well. When I bought my fob, I purchased a cheaper scratched up one knowing that I would be able to do so and it worked perfectly fine.

[Mr Bingley]

I just don't lock my car--problem solved.