Rolling windows down with key fob

[JimD]

I have a non comfort access 2009 128i convertible. I got a mailer recently stateing that all recent BMWs will roll their windows down if you hold the open the door button on the remote. I've tried it several times without success.

Is this something you have to enable with the turn signal stalk programming? Is there some other "trick" I do not know about? I realize I can't put the top down this way because I do not have CA but the little brochure says I should be able to roll the windows down. It's warm enough in SC now that this would be a nice thing to do as I walk up to the car.

Jim

[JOE2391]

unlock the car then press and hold the lock button....

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by JOE2391

unlock the car then press and hold the lock button....

Yep, works fine on mine. If yours isn't working, call the dealer and get them to fix it.

[Smokey]

Originally Posted by JOE2391

unlock the car then press and hold the lock button....

Yeah, what he says. Also, you can close the windows from outside by using the hidden L shaped key inside the key fob.

[escobar929]

Originally Posted by jeremyc74

Yep, works fine on mine. If yours isn't working, call the dealer and get them to fix it.

same here. pretty sure if you keep holding it, it will also open the sunroof

[JimD]

Mostly I have just held the button down. I thought I tried unlocking and then re-pressing the button but I will try that again. I tried it again with my normal fob and no luck. I will also try the other fob. Thanks.

If all else fails, I will come up on a year and get a free oil change in less than 2 months. I would like to have this but probably not enough to make a separate trip to the dealer.

I couldn't see anything definite in the manual, I looked, but the little thing that came in the mail seems to say it is all BMWs.

Jim

[perral1]

Originally Posted by JimD

Mostly I have just held the button down. I thought I tried unlocking and then re-pressing the button but I will try that again. Thanks.

If all else fails, I will come up on a year and get a free oil change in less than 2 months. I would like to have this but probably not enough to make a separate trip to the dealer.

Jim

The owner's manual seems to imply that if you don't have comfort access you can only do this with the Coupe. On the convertible you should be able to open/close the windows and top with the physical door lock, but not with the remote.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by perral1

The owner's manual seems to imply that if you don't have comfort access you can only do this with the Coupe. On the convertible you should be able to open/close the windows and top with the physical door lock, but not with the remote.

Ahhh....you may be onto something there. There's definatly a difference in the way the coupe and covertable deal with the CA key fob, so maybe it won't work on the 'verts.

[Angry3]

There was a big thread on this a while back, and there were some bizarre conclusions about how the coupes and 'verts behave completely differently.

I think it was something like:

Coupe (no CA): Windows can be rolled up and down with fob.

Coupe (with CA): Holding fob buttons does nothing, windows can be opened/closed with the door handle ridges.

'Vert (no CA): S.O.L.

'Vert (with CA): Holding ridges does nothing, fob can be used to raise windows when top is up and windows are down, raise top and windows when both are down, and lower top and/or windows together when either/both are up.

I expect that's not completely right, but the whole way that BMW chose to do this was pretty much nonsensical.

[perral1]

Originally Posted by Angry3

There was a big thread on this a while back, and there were some bizarre conclusions about how the coupes and 'verts behave completely differently.

I think it was something like:

Coupe (no CA): Windows can be rolled up and down with fob.

Coupe (with CA): Holding fob buttons does nothing, windows can be opened/closed with the door handle ridges.

'Vert (no CA): S.O.L.

'Vert (with CA): Holding ridges does nothing, fob can be used to raise windows when top is up and windows are down, raise top and windows when both are down, and lower top and/or windows together when either/both are up.

I expect that's not completely right, but the whole way that BMW chose to do this was pretty much nonsensical.

If I'm reading the owner's manual correctly, that's all correct.

I agree, it makes so little sense...why decrease the functionality on the coupe w/ CA? Why not give the vert and coupe the same features? I don't understand it at all.

[Xyloft]

Originally Posted by Smokey

Yeah, what he says. Also, you can close the windows from outside by using the hidden L shaped key inside the key fob.

so put it in the door and turn the key wiill roll them up or something else. i didnt think US Spec cars could roll up using the remote.

On my no comfort access coupe, i need to have both doors unlocked and be within a certain distance for this to work. it will also open the sunroof

[nordique14]

If you have a non-CA convertible, you need to get a SmartTop module. Very slick device for rolling up/down windows and raise/low the top with the remote. Search and you will find some threads.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by perral1

If I'm reading the owner's manual correctly, that's all correct.

I agree, it makes so little sense...why decrease the functionality on the coupe w/ CA? Why not give the vert and coupe the same features? I don't understand it at all.

I have a coupe with CA, and you can roll the windows down using the key fob, and you can roll them back up by holding the locking surfaces on the door handles with your fingers.

I'm not sure why the 'vert is different, but I don't think there's any difference between a coupe with CA and one without, except that the one without doesn't have the lock buttons on the door handles. On those cars, as mentioned above, you can use the emergency key and roll them up from outside by holding the door lock to the right.

BMWs in the US have had that feature since before remote entry was standard, so that's probably why it's there.

[ennislaw]

Originally Posted by JOE2391

unlock the car then press and hold the lock button....

Do you need to open the door beforehand?

pge

[Xyloft]

Originally Posted by ennislaw

Do you need to open the door beforehand?

pge

nope. but you do have to press unlock until all doors are unlocked i think.

there is a setting in the dash so that one press unlocks all doors, then it may work with only one press of the unlock, but i'm not sure.

[xbook]

Originally Posted by JOE2391

unlock the car then press and hold the lock button....

Nope, sorry ... hit the UNLOCK button once to unlock the doors. Then press the UNLOCK button a SECOND time, and hold it down until the windows have rolled down and sunroof have opened. As said before this is for a coupe. CA or non CA. I have had both, it works with either.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by Smokey

Yeah, what he says. Also, you can close the windows from outside by using the hidden L shaped key inside the key fob.

I had this feature on my E46 325i and on my 2006 A4, and now on my 135i. I don't have CA.
But, on the E46 I could use the fob to both open the windows AND close them. So, if you forgot to roll up a window, you don't have to use the key to close it. You simply hold the "lock" button, which locks the doors AND rolls up the windows and closes the sunroof.

The 1 only rolls the windows down and opens the roof. But, now you can't roll the windows and roof closed. You have to use the key, as the poster above states.

I asked a dealer tech, today, as we were doing a drive in my 135i, if he could program the system to allow closing the windows and roof with the fob, but he said they are no longer allowed to program this.
Something about it being dangerous.
I think I've read that this can be programmed in our cars, by a BMW dealer or someone with the OBD software and access.
Anyone know for sure?

I LOVED that feature in my 325i. With a sedan, it was really handy to be able to close the windows and roof and lock all the doors by holding 1 button.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by JimD

Mostly I have just held the button down. I thought I tried unlocking and then re-pressing the button but I will try that again. I tried it again with my normal fob and no luck. I will also try the other fob. Thanks.

If all else fails, I will come up on a year and get a free oil change in less than 2 months. I would like to have this but probably not enough to make a separate trip to the dealer.

I couldn't see anything definite in the manual, I looked, but the little thing that came in the mail seems to say it is all BMWs.

Jim

In my coupe, I just hold the unlock key and it unlocks the doors and then drops the windows and opens the roof.
I don't recall that you have to unlock the doors, release the button, then press it again. It should work by simply continually holding the unlock button. Hmmm...I'll have to check again to make sure, as I don't recall pressing, releasing, then pressing again.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by JOE2391

unlock the car then press and hold the lock button....

But that just relocks the doors.

I think you mean to say, "...press and hold the UNLOCK button....".

[Barry45RPM]

Top up & dn w key fob= yes
Top dn & Open all windows w key fob= yes

[perral1]

Originally Posted by RPM90

Something about it being dangerous.

And yet somehow they manage to let you open and close the windows AND the top from the key on the vert w/ CA?

I could understand the logic behind it being dangerous, although I do think it's a sad statement concerning the US legal system. But they aren't even consistent with it.

[contactgsw]

I'm glad I read this thread. Came out to the carport the other morning and the windows were down and the sun roof open about a forth of the way. No way did I leave my car like this the night before. Must have been butt keying it.