Bmw key not starting

[effduration]

if you have a roadside assistance plan ( and you should with a 20 yr old BMW) check and see if it has a locksmith benefit.
my insurance co ( one of the most common - advertises all the time) has an RA plan as an add-on to my policy for like $10 /yr - no brainer. It includes $100 of locksmith services per event ( no start, lockout, etc). You can pay the dealer charge for a key or cylinder and submit your bill for reimbursement of up to $100.

Also I believe you can order a matched key or cylinder from a dealer online (ECS is not a dealer). You will need to send a registration etc., but I often find online dealer prices better than the walk-in price. Ask about CCA discounts as well if you are a CCA member.

[zohaibrose]

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.

Oh ok srry I learn very slow, guess I gotta go to dealer

[zohaibrose]

oh ok so i just took out the ignition switch and got dash lights when i turn it with a screwdriver, the rod that goes to the ignition switch seems to not spin when my tumblr is in place, does this mean i need another rod or can i fix it, car wouldnt start, would get dash lights when on position but wouldnt crank because im assuming the antenna ring broke

[djb2]

Part of the confusion is what 'programmed' and 'coded' mean for each part.

Lock cylinders need to be ordered with a specific Key Code, which specifies the wafers installed to match the physical cut on the keys.

Keys are ordered Coded, which means they both are cut to the Key Code and are written with secret info known only to BMW (and users with an AK90 EWS reader).

EWS reading coils are uncoded parts -- they are generic, not personalized to the vehicle.


It is possible to re-code a used lock cylinder, but it's not easy to open and it might get ugly. The assembly is held together by a hidden spring retainer (wire snap ring) under the black plastic trim ring. You need to grind or drill a hole in the plastic to depress the ring. If you get it right, the tiny hole will be hidden when installed. But your first attempt will pretty much destroy the ring trying to find the right spot to reach the ring, and then mangle the remainder trying to pry it off. Once it's open, it's just a matter of swapping wafers (assuming that you have spares).