I Just went to my bmw to start it up and get lunch but when i put my key in the ignition it will turn freely and wont show any dash lights, WHAT SHOULD I DO,i even tried with my spare key!!!
If you have no dash lights it sounds like the battery is dead
Do you mean the key, or the engine, will turn freely? Measure the battery voltage with the cluster app.
Ed in San Jose '97 540i 6 speed aspensilber over aubergine leather. Build date 3/97. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA Nr 62319.
Ignition lock cylinder, pull it out, open it up, inspect it, replace if you have to.
Set the controls for the heart of the sun
Did you make sure the key was fully inserted?
Ed in San Jose '97 540i 6 speed aspensilber over aubergine leather. Build date 3/97. Golden Gate Chapter BMW CCA Nr 62319.
I get that sometimes, spin the key around and try again. My guess the lock cylinder is going bye bye....
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
e30 325i, the mighty 4 door granma mobile....Gone
e39 528i, 4 door sports tank
So i just went ahead and removed the lock cylinder out of the way but after that i tried to start the car with a screwdriver but i still got no dash lights or anything, does it only start if the car detects a lock cylinder?
there was also a 2 wire connector hooked up to the cylinder, anyone know what that is there for
Last edited by zohaibrose; 04-21-2018 at 03:43 PM.
The black thing around the end of the cylinder is the key-transponder ring-antenna. There's zero way the EWS is gonna spin the starter if it doesn't see the key. If you pull the steering column covers you can probably get enough wire space to leave the ring antenna plugged in and leave the key in the loose ignition cylinder, then try the screwdriver. But I think you're going to find the steering column won't unlock without the cylinder mechanism. The car really needs the cylinder in to work.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Correct, you do NOT have to worry about the key programming if you change the cylinder.
Keys are actually paired/programmed with the EWS module, not the 'ECU'.
The EWS is then what is paired w/ the DME (aka ECU) in an independent and separate mechanism.
So you need to worry about EWS / key pairing only if:
- you get a new key
- you replace the EWS module
If either the DME or EWS are replaced, then the new one needs to be paired with the existing. If you are trying to use a junkyard part, that is not an easy job, and a dealer can't even do it for you - they can only program brand new units to a car once. But ECU / car-computer specialty guys and some hobbyists can do that stuff, if they have the right gear.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
I am confused, the photo i uploaded says that the replacement cylinder needs to be reprogrammed but here some guys are saying they dont need to be? in the process of removing the antenna ring i accidently broke it and the connecter so should i get a replacement ignition cylinder or not? i see that they sell the tumblr with the antenna ring but i dont know if the antenna ring and the cylinder need reprogramming, some places are even saying they dont sell the tumblr for cars 1998 and up and must be at a dealer, just bought this car and already having a hard time.
Last edited by zohaibrose; 04-23-2018 at 10:43 PM.
e30 325i, the mighty 4 door granma mobile....Gone
e39 528i, 4 door sports tank
so what does this mean then "You do NOT have to worry about the key programming if you change the cylinder. "
i thought the tumblr was all mechanical how does it need reprogramming? i can belive if the antenna ring needs to be reprogrammed since i broke it but the lock too? not sure what to do
Half truths there.
Yes. Need to bring title or reg etc to dealer to order the cylinder that matches the car.
No neither the the cylinder nor the "ring antenna" as we tend to call it, require any programming. Zero.
The disclaimer is about keys, and, honestly still, don't trust all what you read on specific part numbers. Sumtimes they just copypaste crap.
You can source a junkyard ring antenna NO PROBLEM. I guarantee it. Do it.
If you somehow stumbled on a lock cylinder from a junkyard that matches you could use that too. But it's statistically nearly impossible, so, practically you have to order that from the dealer.
But as long as you have same original keys and EWS installed in car, ZERO PROGRAMMING REQUIRED. PROGRAMMING WOULD DO NOTHING.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
oh ok so the antenna ring doesent contain any codes or something to check if your key is programmed to your ews system,it just tells the ecu their is a key in the cylinder. My dealer wants 170 for the ignition cylinder and i find that very high, can i order the cylinder online from like fcp euro or are they selling bs, they include keys with it, but since my keys are all original with the ews do you think it would work with that unit, i dont know who to talk to or what to get, all i want to believe is i dont want to pay the dealer almost 200$ just to get my car started.
Exactly the antenna only passively reads the key as an extension of the EWS. It's literally just an antenna so - nothing to code.
Ok , now, if you bring your Vin to the dealer, you theoretical get a perfect matching cylinder and your keys all work with it. Assuming they still have one - I've heard they are starting to NLA lock cylinders but it might be cylinder code specific. Because your keys already Are coded to the EWS, the car has no idea anything has changed.
If you get new cylinder and keys, different story. New keys the EWS doesn't recognize. Then those need to be paired to the EWS via programming. And then the door and glove box and trunk locks don't match so your new key won't open them, so for physical lock emergency backup, you'd have to use the old keys (which will no longer work in ignition).
Claro?
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
but i dont get it, if i get the exact same part number as the ignition cylinder and order it online wouldnt it work with my original keys and ews? why is it that the dealers tumblr doesent need new keys and one off of a site like ecs tuning does need one, is the dealer programming the tumblr or something
SMH. Gah no we've been over this, there's NOTHING TO EFFING PROGRAM IN THE TUMBLR OR THE ANTENNA...
- The basic cylinder "part number" does not represent a specific keyed-lock-cylinder to match your keys.
- Without a VIN the part number just represents a 'base' part number. If you were to be able to order one without providing a VIN, you'd get "a cylinder with just any random set of tumblers inside"
- Basically to get one with matched tumblers to your keys, you need to submit VIN + reg-or-title etc. to the dealer.
- No dealer even has those, period. They get ordered from BMW USA from the Central Scrutinizer in the sky. Hopefully they have them somewhere. Sometimes they have to come from Germany apparently.
- Supposedly, as I said, they are even running out of some of those for older cars and sometimes you can't get them anymore (aka "the 10 spares that match your tumbler have all been sold and we aren't making more")
- SAME EXACT THING for new matching keys by the way - dealer doesn't cut it, they order it and BMW Borg makes (or has on the shelf) the matching key.
- FCP either doesn't want to, or BMW won't allow them to, (or very possibly both), submit the VIN on your behalf... (too easy for fraud I guess?) So, if they can order anything at all, it's gonna be part numbers that that are cylinder + matching keys (I'm not even sure if E39 has one of those available, but that's what I am assuming FCP is saying that they can order...). I just looked closer at the FCP screenshot you posted and actually the FCP comment is spot on. They indicate "NO FOR 1998+ THIS WON'T WORK" all for reasons I assplained.
Now BITD for many cars, you could ORDER a cylinder like that, open up yours, swap the tumblers over, then put it back together, and the new cylinder would be internally keyed for your keys. But these cylinders are not designed to be disassembled and re-keyed like that. I mean maybe some master locksmith has some way to drill them out in such a way to reassemble maybe in which case you could re-key a junkyard cylinder, but its not supposed to be done, they are designed to never be opened.
Good Lord I feel like I'm giving a 2 day workshop here in BMW locking systems. Be sure to do the pre-work in your booklets before tomorrows session where we'll have breakout groups work on exercises. Lunch will be provided buffet style in the foyer at 12:30.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
DEFINTELY. Electric Kool Aid Acid BMW Lock Test.
- - - Updated - - -
(this is like a bad trip man...) ;P
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Bookmarks