[langn08]

Hey guys,
My F30 recently started giving me an "unable to detect key" message when starting the vehicle. Also, when I exit the car and tap the handle to lock it is very slow to do so and I often have to tap multiple times (VERY annoying). Because this seemed unusual compared to what I have been used to over the past 8 months, I changed the battery in the fab. This did not help the issue at all.. I always keep my key in my front pocket so nothing changed there... any ideas?

(2013 320xi 7K)

[roxxor]

I'm curious about this as well, as I too have noticed an occasional delay and will sometimes receive the "remote control not detected" message, however mine will sometimes appear after I have started the car and have been driving, and occasionally when I have been driving, stop the car(but I don't get out) and someone else gets in the car. It has been very intermittent and not actually a problem, since it shows up once the car has been started, but I plan to ask about it during my first service. Mine is a 2013 328 with just over 10k on the odometer.

[alienranch]

If the key is in your front pocket and you've ensured the battery is not the problem, it sounds like the receiver could be the issue. I would have it checked out.

[carzaddict]

definitely have it checked out.

if for whatever reason the receiver completely fails before you take it to the dealer....get yourself familiar with the alternative method to getting into your car. I believe if you place the key fob directly on the side of the steering column thats marked with a symbol of a key...the car will start. Use the mechanical key located in the key fob to open your door

[gomichaelkgo]

Does it happen with the other FOB? Does it happen if you try to lock with the passenger handle?

I replaced my battery to no avail, and then took it to the dealer. When I told them of the symptoms and that I had replaced the battery, they .......replaced the battery (!?*&!).

Only after it continued to act up and I demonstrated it to the technician did they replace the actual faulty part -- the door handle. It was a six week delay to get the part.

Good luck!

[langn08]

Originally Posted by gomichaelkgo

Does it happen with the other FOB? Does it happen if you try to lock with the passenger handle?

I replaced my battery to no avail, and then took it to the dealer. When I told them of the symptoms and that I had replaced the battery, they .......replaced the battery (!?*&!).

Only after it continued to act up and I demonstrated it to the technician did they replace the actual faulty part -- the door handle. It was a six week delay to get the part.

Good luck!

I actually have not tried the passenger handle... but it happens with both key fOBs.. a faulty door handle wouldn't explaid why it was not registering the key in the cabin to start the vehicle though...

[E90Fleet]

Do you have a voltmeter to test the battery ?
Did you use a top brand battery ?

Lots of issues with low quality batteries or fakes.

[langn08]

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

Do you have a voltmeter to test the battery ?
Did you use a top brand battery ?

Lots of issues with low quality batteries or fakes.

The battery was just a stadnard duracel from walgreens which I would assume is sufficient.

[gomichaelkgo]

Originally Posted by langn08

I actually have not tried the passenger handle... but it happens with both key fOBs.. a faulty door handle wouldn't explaid why it was not registering the key in the cabin to start the vehicle though...

As I understand it, there is also a central module which communicates via RF in the interior of the car. This may be the problem.

[warmtoes]

Originally Posted by langn08

The battery was just a stadnard duracel from walgreens which I would assume is sufficient.

I'm not saying that this is the same issue you're having since you're saying both FOB's do the same thing but I had a somewhat similar incident but with my wife's RAV4. She has keyless entry as well and the batteries were running low so she experienced the same issues you noted. I bought new batteries and put them in and it worked but it started being intermittent again.

Eventually brought it in to the dealer and found out that the battery they use was thicker than the battery that I bought even though the model # was right and the circumference was the same. The lack of thickness made the battery intermittent and caused the car to think it didn't have the FOB near it or in the car.

[motex]

Originally Posted by langn08

Hey guys,
My F30 recently started giving me an "unable to detect key" message when starting the vehicle. Also, when I exit the car and tap the handle to lock it is very slow to do so and I often have to tap multiple times (VERY annoying). Because this seemed unusual compared to what I have been used to over the past 8 months, I changed the battery in the fab. This did not help the issue at all.. I always keep my key in my front pocket so nothing changed there... any ideas?

(2013 320xi 7K)

Maybe you will find something interesting on this:
I own a 2010 X6M and my problems were much bigger, BMW dealer found that the frequency used by BMW cars (before 2012) had a conflict with some cellular carriers frequency used down here.
They finally ended changing the whole system (under warranty) to work on a new frequency and problem solved. Now, even after the change, still kind of slow in response sometimes.....if I compare it to my wife's Audi Q5 that responds almost immediately.

Try to detect if the problem occurs everywhere you park, or is always in the same places (ie:home, or work)
I'm telling you this because I found that my car will not recognize the key at all always in the same place ( a parking lot of a Home Depot type business), and I found that just across the street there is a huge cellular antenna.

The problem there was so severe, that the only way to start my car was using the metal key that comes hidden into the key fob, and had to open my door manually, loosing all memories (radio, seats, etc) Then, after parking and stoping the car far away of that antenna, everything work normal again.

All parts were changed under warranty since it was kind of a "local recall" here in Costa Rica

Good luck!