BMW car

[notax]

I'm afraid main dealer is probably the only option. I had a copy key made cheaply for me a while back on a Volvo and every so often the car would just cut out. Eventually found that the cheap key had no chip but as the car only communicated with it occasionally it worked on some journeys and not on others. Good luck!

[M3 Compact]

Deffo main dealer only £150 - £200.

They won't start without the correctly coded (chip) key.

[mef]

Sometimes you can buy the blank with the chip in it but get it programmed by the main dealer, look on ebay?

Martin

[M3 Compact]

Sometimes you can buy the blank with the chip in it but get it programmed by the main dealer, look on ebay?

Martin

I don't think you can for a 1999 car?

AFAIK there's a big cupboard full of keys hidden in Germany and once all the spares for your car have gone, you're screwed.

[martine30rally]

The blanks can be bought on ebay and most decent locksmiths should be able to cut it for you. EWS coding chip is main dealer only and the most important part, costs around £12 from the dealer and if your handy you can fit it yourself using a small screwdriver an super glue

As M3 compact says though, once Germany runs out your screwed

[M3 Compact]

I've swapped chips in keys to operate different ECUs, but I didn't know the dealer could supply a new chip and code it?

I thought the dealer had to order a complete key, which comes from the big German spares cupboard, that's filled with keys which were manufactured at the same time as the cars?

[martine30rally]

Nope, just the chip can be ordered itself, however it will only be issued with proof of ownership of the car which the bits came from - often hard to prove when it came from a donor car as you can imagine.

Im pretty sure the chips are pre-programmed for safety reasons. I think I read somewhere that not even bmw have the ability to reprogram these/just wont do it out of principle, but I may be dreaming

[M3 Compact]

AFAIK the key chips and ECU are hard coded and can't be re-programmed, only the EWS can be realigned.

I'd no idea that the chips were available separately, it's the first time I've ever heard this (it makes more sense to have a drawer full of chips than a cupboard full of keys, tho ).

Have you actually bought one yourself?

[martine30rally]

Have you actually bought one yourself?

Errrr.....No

I know its defianetly possible though as loads of the guys who do 24v swaps on e30 zone have done it. The chips themselves are actually known for becoming faulty and and need replacing occasionaly. Over on e30zone a BMW tech explained the whole key setup, there isnt actually a cupboard of keys, but a master key which they take the pattern from when supplying you a new one, the chips are what there is more than one of.

[gartrac]

This is very possible, just not worth the expense for one key

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