 » Site Navigation | | | | » Recent Threads | | | |  |  |  | |  07-13-2011, 06:03 PM | #1 | | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Auburn NY Posts: 8 |  lost key dealer won't order says its 10th key
I have a 1995 318ti and I lost my only key. I called the dealership they ordered a new one, and this morning it didn't arrive. they said its the 10th key and they have a policy that they are unable to cut another key because of this policy. I will now need to pay to have my locked car towed about 50 miles to the dealership, and about $ 500 for parts and labor for new keys with a new sensor. Is there any way around this????
please help this is so much money to me!!! |  |  | | 07-13-2011, 10:36 PM | #2 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: asdfasdf Posts: 10,002 |
I'm not sure why BMW has that policy, I believe it's something to do with car thieves
you can probably save some money by buying the lock cylinders and keys from someone on here parting their car out | | | | | 07-13-2011, 10:46 PM | #3 | | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Auburn NY Posts: 8 |
Same car. Im hoping to resolve this through a locksmith. I am currently trying to get the key code for them. | | | | | 07-13-2011, 10:50 PM | #4 | | Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: asdfasdf Posts: 10,002 |
I don't think regular locksmiths can cut those keys, plus you would need the anti-theft reprogrammed since there's a chip in the key that needs to send a certain signal to the computer | | | | | 07-13-2011, 10:52 PM | #5 | | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Auburn NY Posts: 8 |
I used to have a plastic key that was not supposed to start it , and it did., I cant imaging that little plastic key had a chip. | | | | | 07-13-2011, 10:54 PM | #6 | | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Auburn NY Posts: 8 |
The car is located near Syracuse NY. I am about to move to AUstralia and was selling the car anyway. If someone would like to buy this car and get the clear title and get new keys ....make an offer. I hardly have time to take care of this, and i dont have the $ the dealership is asking. What I know is there is always a way around the dealership. | | | | | 07-13-2011, 11:02 PM | #7 | | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 |
You'd still need to swap the transponder chip(inside the key) the EWS module and the ECU. My dad has a machine at his work that copies and re-codes transponder chips, but his key cutting machine isn't set up to cut BMW keys. I can probably cut BMW keys on my milling machine  Without a key and chip to copy, it's nearly impossible and would cost about the same to have one made from scratch. I've seen it done before though. My buddy lost his keys to his Honda. A locksmith took a blank, sanded the edges, stuck it in the cylinder and jiggled it until the tumblers left impressions on the sanded edges. He then took a jeweler's file and painstakingly filed away at it until eventually the key worked. This process took several tries and about an hour. Still, that was on an older car without EWS. You'd still need to get a chip and have it coded, which I'm guessing the dealer won't do for you because of BMW's policy. Unfortunately in your case, there's no cheap option. | | | | | 07-13-2011, 11:05 PM | #8 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Greenville, SC Posts: 9,356 |
Quote: Originally Posted by NoraAnne  I used to have a plastic key that was not supposed to start it , and it did., I cant imaging that little plastic key had a chip. | It is supposed to start it and it does have a chip. __________________ ...steven
BMW CCA #146825
1996 BMW 328ti • 2003 MINI Cooper S • 2016 M235i
www.bmwcca.org
| | | | | 07-13-2011, 11:30 PM | #9 | | Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: MD/PA/DC Posts: 1,629 |
yeah, my valet key started the car, but would not open the trunk. And the master key for some reason didn't have a transponder. __________________  No more ti. | | | | | 07-14-2011, 12:18 AM | #10 | | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 |
My M3 only came with a vallet key, so I wasn't able to open the trunk when I first got it. The only difference between a vallet key and a master key is that the master key has a groove cut down the center of it. After a little handy work with a dremel tool, my vallet key became a master key | | | | | 07-14-2011, 01:24 AM | #11 | | Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 32 |
Did you try another dealer? | | | | | 07-14-2011, 02:16 AM | #12 | | NOBODY F's with the Jesus Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ventura California Posts: 7,824 |
Or try looking under the couch cushions for your keys, lol. | | | | | 07-14-2011, 03:52 AM | #13 | | Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Wichita Falls, Texas Posts: 1,364 |
I would definitely try another dealer. Did they quote you BMW policy or was this dealer policy? If you have proof of ownership, I can't see why they wouldn't make you a key. If you've got the energy for the fight I would make a formal complaint to the BMW brass. Something doesn't sound right to me. | | | | | 07-20-2011, 05:28 AM | #14 | | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 13 |
its because the ews can only be coded 10 times before it has to be replaced, its not a dealership policy its a BMW design, its actually a failsafe built into the module. no way of getting around it save getting the dme and ews plus keys and lock cylinders from another car or getting a new ews and keys from BMW | | | | | 07-20-2011, 02:07 PM | #15 | | Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Auburn NY Posts: 8 |
I called BMW North America and they took my complaint, I have heard nothing. | | | | | |
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