car keys successfully initialised but still wont operate door locking. NOW SORTED

[Magicarcher]

My only "working key" stopped working the central door locking (won't lock or unlock from buttons). So fully charged it up for 6 hours and then replaced the battery on my other key that has never operated to CDL and charged it up too.

I then initialised both keys using the method explained in BMW TIS https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e85- ... ey/X7QRmgq. I initialed one key first and the car responded by locking and unlocking the doors immediately after I released the two buttons on the fob. I then immediately did the same thing with the second key, again the car responded by locking and unlocking the doors. This suggests to me that both keys have now been initialised and should operate the CDL . I got out the car and tried to lock the car with the key fob button and nothing happened. So I locked it manually with the key and tried unlocking the car with the key fob button, again nothing happened.

So the car is telling me both keys are initialised OK but neither key works the CDL. I am getting really frustrated with this

Here is my logic:

1. key batteries must now be charged OK else they wouldn't have initialised
2. keys are able to communicate with the CDL antenna in the mirror else they would not have initialised
3. Key buttons must be OK else they would not have initialised
4. GM5 module relays and driver circuits must be OK else the doors would not have locked and unlocked when the keys were initialised

So why doesn't my remote locking work

 

[Ducklakeview]

After you have paired all of the keys you have, and you need all of them at the time as any that aren't paired, will no longer work - THEN you MUST turn the ignition on for less than 4 seconds and then off, to tell the car that the procedure is finished. This needs to be done within 60 seconds of pairing the last key and BEFORE opening the door.

Mike

 

[Magicarcher]

Thanks Mike, will give that a go, hopefully I haven't already messed things up.

 

[Magicarcher]

After you have paired all of the keys you have, and you need all of them at the time as any that aren't paired, will no longer work - THEN you MUST turn the ignition on for less than 4 seconds and then off, to tell the car that the procedure is finished. This needs to be done within 60 seconds of pairing the last key and BEFORE opening the door.

Mike

Just tried that, paired both keys, again received acknowledgement, immediately after receiving the acknowledgement for the second of the keys I turned the ignition on for two seconds and then off again. then I got out of the car. But again, keys won't lock or unlock. This car is driving me mad at the moment.

 

[Ducklakeview]

I take it you are using the original keys?

Mike

 

[Magicarcher]

yes the original keys, batteries are OK, I cut them open one was 3.34V the other was 2.8V so I replaced it with a new panasonic battery and charged it up for an hour in the car.

 

[Magicarcher]

Still driving me mad, I just managed to get one key paired and working from within the car by following the TIS but omitting step 1 (lock and unlock doors when entering the car) which nobody else mentions anywhere. But the second key would not pair (which is does when doing step 1 first) and then as soon as I got out of the car the key that worked inside stopped working. I live in hope my persistence will pay off!

 

[Scooba_Steve]

How is your car battery? Door locking was an issue for me though the car was happy to start.

 

[Magicarcher]

How is your car battery? Door locking was an issue for me though the car was happy to start.

Car battery is fine, I keep it permanently hooked up to a CTEK trickle charger which is showing fully charged and healthy!

I tried yesterday disconnecting the battery for half a day in the hope the GM might reset (if that is the issue) I noticed after resetting my anti-trap error codes there were two GM codes, one from memory was "000050 no battery" (this has not been there before and may be because I have disconnected the battery?) but after clearing codes, it hasn't been back and despite reconnecting the battery, still no joy.

I fear I am going to have to go to BMW dealer and get it diagnosed , I so hate admitting defeat! :x

 

[Scooba_Steve]

In that case, if you are having issue when on charge then probs not the battery.

 

[Magicarcher]

OK so finally this is sorted. After a lot of trial and error I noticed that very occasionally a key would work inside the car (not much use really) but as soon as I left the car they would not work, even at the side of the door. So I decided to try locking and unlocking the car with the key half a metre away from the front screen in front of the interior mirror. Both keys now work at this proximity to the mirror

There is every chance they were always working but the range is so small, it appeared they were not.

I just have to figure out why the range is so small, one key has the original battery (the key I used to use all the time) and I have charged it up in aux position for around 10 hours. The other key I soldered a new battery into and has been charged for approx 5 hours in the aux position.

 

[Magicarcher]

Now fully sorted, the issue had nothing to do with the keyfob initialisation in the end. The RF receiver range had dropped ridiculously low to 15cm in an exact spot in front of the screen, all other positions and distances were not working leading me to believe my keys were not working. I finally concluded it had to be the interior mirror and replaced it with a second hand one from ebay. Both keys now work fine from an acceptable range.

 

[Ducklakeview]

Now fully sorted, the issue had nothing to do with the keyfob initialisation in the end. The RF receiver range had dropped ridiculously low to 15cm in an exact spot in front of the screen, all other positions and distances were not working leading me to believe my keys were not working. I finally concluded it had to be the interior mirror and replaced it with a second hand one from ebay. Both keys now work fine from an acceptable range.

Bit of a strange one that!

Mike

 

[Magicarcher]

Bit of a strange one that!

Mike

Agree it had me puzzled for a long time, RF worked OK inside the car, but the only place it worked outside the car was 15cm from the front screen level with the mirror on the passengers side. I could increase this to about 45cm using the chin trick, again on the passengers side. Within this tiny sweet spot I had full functionality, door lock, unlock and boot unlock, suggesting the GM5 module was not at fault. So logic narrowed it down to either the key fob antenna/rf atransmitter or the mirror antenna/rf receiver. I disconnected the interior mirror and measured the voltage across pins 8 & 10 (batt+ and gnd) and it was measuring only 0.04V less than the battery voltage suggesting it wan't a poor earth or bad power supply connection. On reconnecting the mirror there was no change suggesting it was unlikely to be an intermittent connection on the mirror flylead. Since it was happening with both keys, it was unlikely that it would be a key problem.

I saw a 2007 mirror on ebay for £35 (apparently the manufacturer changed at 2007 and they are less prone to leakage) and decided to take a punt as this was less than a new key (or a flip one from yourself + journey). Fitted it earlier today, now all is well again, thank goodness because the lack of logic in what was happening until I made the range discovery was driving me insane. When I get some spare time I will disassemble the mirror and investigate. Not sure when that will be as my other half has said I better not be working on cars over xmas or else. To be fair between my Z4 and the three mini's, I maintain it has been a full on year. Bit disappointing though i had a major audio mod planned and its way too big to sneak it in

Thanks for all your help early on.

 

[Gazza51]

After you have paired all of the keys you have, and you need all of them at the time as any that aren't paired, will no longer work - THEN you MUST turn the ignition on for less than 4 seconds and then off, to tell the car that the procedure is finished. This needs to be done within 60 seconds of pairing the last key and BEFORE opening the door.

Mike

I couldn’t get my key to work after the pairing, then I found your post above and my key now works