740 il radio replaced now wants code or won't start. Auto immobiluzer

[Shelley73]

Please help. I have a 97 740il that is in driveway because I have no idea as to the code the car wants to start and get out of immobilizer mode from Anti theft . Changed radio back to orig and tried codes 0000, 1234,0014, 1400 . The last two codes are last 4 of vin added together. I am 3rd iwner and guy I bought it from had no code. So I tried to reinitialized both keys and still code shows on dash and radio. Please help. The car has been sitting almost a year. Love the car. I rebuilt the engine down to the heads because of broken timing rails. Sorry I am at wits end because I do not know what to do about it now. I have a 08 750 I'll and had a 99 740 I'll and never had this trouble

- - - Updated - - -

Also, car will turn over but stopped and wants code

[Platinum4Life]

First, this is the wrong forum for your car. Second, disconnect the battery, touch the cables together, let the car sit for at least 30 minutes. This is supposed to reset the code to all zeros. I've never had to do it, but I remember reading it in the manual when I had an E38. GL

[Qsilver7]

I'm lost...because the e38 never had an anti-theft radio that required a code. The only "code" the e38 had was the immobilizing code entered into the OBC. This is not a static code (one specific/unique number)...but could be any number between 0000-9999...and it is only used once and the number is at the whim of whoever enters it. And the same number needs to be re-entered to start the car.

If the latter is what happened...then again, this is NOT an anti-theft radio code...but the OBC immobilizing code...and if you have the owners manual...there should be a section that explains how to get around this if you screw up and forget the number you entered. I think it is called "emergency deactivation of OBC code"...and it MUST BE followed exactly as written (do to its importance to prevent theft).

Unfortunately...Platinum4life's procedure won't get you there..its partially right...but is missing some key elements. BTW, I'm not trying to be a prick by not telling you how to do it...but I fall into the camp that it should NOT be easy to find info on how to go around a feature that is meant to protect others from starting your car when it has been set to protect it from theft. So again, if you have the owners manual...take a look (or google for a PDF version).

Good luck.

Just an FYI...the e38 is uniquely different than its generational cousins (e39/e46/e53) in that the DIN for its radio is the same size as the previous generation BMWs that DID have anti-theft radios. So if you have a radio from an e36 or e34 installed in your e38...you could actually have an anti-theft radio (they have a blinking red LED on the faceplate). But even still...it will only shut down the radio if you don't have the 4 digit CODE...it won't immobilize the car. So if the car won't start...someone probably entered an OBC immobilizing code and didn't tell you...or you forgot that you did...or something went drastically wrong and the car did it on its own (very rare).

[Shelley73]

I have the manual and page 88 and 31 on my old set and on PDF versions not let me reset code for car immobilizer. I have had battery out replaced ECT. I cannot get the car to start for love or money. I will again research more and see if there is anyway to reset so I can occasionally drive it. It has been totally reworked right before this happened. I am so agitated by something as stupid as a forgotten code from previous owners. Ugh. I have everything for my 750 il thank God.

[Qsilver7]

First, can you verify that your car's battery has at least 12 volts to supply enough power to start the car?

And secondly, you're saying that you followed the basically 5 very specific steps required to activate the emergency deactivation of the OBC code? Let's just check/verify that you followed them specifically as written out (again, some of the steps have to be followed exactly to the letter...or starting will fail):

1. The instructions of what needs to be done regarding the battery was carried out and the time interval was followed to the lettter...meaning you didn't go UNDER the allotted time limit...or waited too long and went way over the allotted time?
2. The instruction for the 2nd thing you must do to the battery was followed...and was within a short interval of time that was asked to be performed in step 1?
3. The next instructions about the ignition was carried out and the absolute correct ignition position was used? (You can't use any of the other ignition positions.)
4. Did the OBC info appear on the MID or Nav screen (I don't know which one you have)...and did you wait for that info to finish?
5. If you did what step 4 required...did you then move on to attempt the last step?

Again, I'm asking the above "cryptically" because I don't want to put the instructions to bypass an anti-theft feature out there "willy-nilly". If you have the directions...the 5 steps above should make sense.