Key missing or malfunction!

[PaperSniper]

I started getting that message on the car's screen occasionally about 3 weeks ago.So far I can still start my car by taking the key fob from my pants pocket and holding it near the steering column. I changed the key fob battery, and while that seemed to help for a week or so, the messages returned. I tried my spare key fob: same result.

Other things are weird and probably related....I have my car set up to automatically unlock the door as I approach, then re-lock as I walk away. That usually happens around 15 feet from the car. That feature also occasionally fails to work; started around the same time as the above paragraph describes. However, I can press the lock or unlock fob buttons and so far that works fine even if the "auto" feature has just failed to do so. I can also touch the door to make it unlock.

Any ideas? The dealer does not have a "loaner car" for me for about a month, and I can't do without a car should the repair take more than a day or two. Other than oil changes, it seems like anything else today, with any car, takes at least a couple of days.

Thanks for any help!

Doug

 

[ori]

Mine used to work flawlessly. Once or twice it wouldn’t u lock until I got to the door handle.
Certainly worth checking out. Might be a faulty receiver/sensor somewhere.

 

[PaperSniper]

Mine used to work flawlessly. Once or twice it wouldn’t u lock until I got to the door handle.
Certainly worth checking out. Might be a faulty receiver/sensor somewhere.

My guess is your guess above. The last week the weirdness continued, but I believe I will call the dealer and tell them to book an appointment when they have a loaner. I suspect once they get my car they will have it for a few days. Anything electronic always seems to be like that. I am already prepared for them to say "couldn't find anything wrong". They will have to keep trying to get it to act weird for them.

 

[PaperSniper]

I am the OP. Called BMW dealer about a week ago who suggested I bring the car in to change the battery in my fobs with a "genuine BMW battery". I had been using awful new Duracells! Anyway, after the BMW batteries were installed....guess what? Absolutely no change, although I have not had to take the fob out of my pocket to start the engine. However, that part was working better after putting in the Duracells. The bad news is the doors continue to not lock/unlock as I leave/approach the car about half the time, and the trunk often will not open without a push on the fob's button.

Looks like a trip to the dealer to drop off the Z is in my future. I am not going until they have a guaranteed loaner for me, as I anticipate having the car there for sometime. Dammit. :x

Doug

 

[ori]

I am the OP. Called BMW dealer about a week ago who suggested I bring the car in to change the battery in my fobs with a "genuine BMW battery". I had been using awful new Duracells! Anyway, after the BMW batteries were installed....guess what? Absolutely no change, although I have not had to take the fob out of my pocket to start the engine. However, that part was working better after putting in the Duracells. The bad news is the doors continue to not lock/unlock as I leave/approach the car about half the time, and the trunk often will not open without a push on the fob's button.

Looks like a trip to the dealer to drop off the Z is in my future. I am not going until they have a guaranteed loaner for me, as I anticipate having the car there for sometime. Dammit. :x

Doug

It is probably a long stay. I had an issue with a comfort entry sensor on my previous e89 and it took 2 weeks for the part to arrive. Then it was the wrong colour. Lol

With current chip shortage I wouldn’t be surprised if you have a long wait for parts like these.
Let us know.

 

[Ian J]

Anyway, after the BMW batteries were installed....guess what? Absolutely no change, although I have not had to take the fob out of my pocket to start the engine. However, that part was working better after putting in the Duracells. The bad news is the doors continue to not lock/unlock as I leave/approach the car about half the time,

I'm not sure whether I am luckier than you or not as my car unlocks every time I approach with the keys in my pocket but it no longer locks again when i walk off.

That can be quite annoying if I walk past the car aiming to walk somewhere and the door unlocks as I have to manually lock it again knowing that it won't lock on it's own

 

[PaperSniper]

I am the OP. Called BMW dealer about a week ago who suggested I bring the car in to change the battery in my fobs with a "genuine BMW battery". I had been using awful new Duracells! Anyway, after the BMW batteries were installed....guess what? Absolutely no change, although I have not had to take the fob out of my pocket to start the engine. However, that part was working better after putting in the Duracells. The bad news is the doors continue to not lock/unlock as I leave/approach the car about half the time, and the trunk often will not open without a push on the fob's button.

Looks like a trip to the dealer to drop off the Z is in my future. I am not going until they have a guaranteed loaner for me, as I anticipate having the car there for sometime. Dammit. :x

Doug

It is probably a long stay. I had an issue with a comfort entry sensor on my previous e89 and it took 2 weeks for the part to arrive. Then it was the wrong colour. Lol

With current chip shortage I wouldn’t be surprised if you have a long wait for parts like these.
Let us know.

Yeah, that's why I am not about to drop my car at the dealer until: 1. The issue with the fob gets to be very annoying, and 2. The dealer assures me they have a decent loaner I can use until my car is repaired. I strongly suspect I will be waiting quite a while unless 1 gets to be critical. Critical will mean that I have to take the fob from my pocket and place next to the steering column to start the car.....or worse. The other stuff I could live with...until the warranty end gets near. I have about 1.5 years go go on that.

Doug

 

[ori]

Can’t they order the parts for you and you bring the car in when the parts arrive?

 

[PaperSniper]

Can’t they order the parts for you and you bring the car in when the parts arrive?

Yes, but I expect it will take the dealer a few days at least to figure out what parts are needed. At least that has been my experience with anything electronic using sensors. I would never leave my car at the dealer if it were still drive-able, but it might not be after they "Easter-egg" to figure out what's wrong........at least that's been my experience in the past. :|

Doug

 

[ori]

Ok. So in my case the error showed up on the Carly diagnostics so was quick.
Worth a check?

 

[Zedified]

I just had the same problem. The key FOBs would not work for @ 2 minutes around once a week. This weekend the key FOBs stopped working all together and the car gave a TPMS System Malfunction warning. I brought it to the dealer today and will post again when I get news.

 

[Zedified]

Update to last post:

Just picked up my Z4 last night from the dealer. They found and fixed the problem. There was a pair of pinched wires that ran to the antenna module that got pinched. The pinched wire provided power to the antenna module. The dealer took just over two days to fix. The said the hardest part was finding it.

Hope this helps.