Hi, I have a first gen R50 cooper with no remote key, just the normal key to open doors and start. There are a few keys on Ebay available but which one suitable for aussies minis? They talk about FCC ID and freq of 315Mhz or 435Mhz so I dont know if I could use one of these to program up for my mini and get a locksmith to cut the blade, any ideas much appreciated

 

Dazzler,

I can't say for certain, but it looks like the R50s had a different key fob than then R52. I can say that the non-fob key that came with my R52 looked like the R50 keys, but that's probably because it was cheaper to get the R50 blank than the R52 blank, and they both can be cut for R50s and R52s.

Good luck!

 

I've had some people ask, and I don't think 2nd Gen Mini FOBs can be manually programmed. Here's a link for the service:

http://www.keylessentryremotefob.com.../miniflash.htm

If anyone has done this, let us know how it turns out. With service and blank 2nd gen fob, should end up about $100 or so for replacement key.

 

Attempted to reprogram a used fob to start this process. Found that when I got the new fob to lock/unlock the doors, the original fob got 'de-listed' and would not work. I reset ten original fob using the same process but then the new fob stopped working. So apparently only one fob could be mated usin this threads procedure.

Any suggestions? This is on. A 2006 MCS.

 

Are you re-programming both fobs at the same time? Ie when you're in programming mode you need to do the procedure for both fobs before leaving the programming mode

 

John, did you ever figure out for sure what the coil wrapped around the original immobilizer chip (the one that was on the eBay fob's circuit board) was used for? You mentioned that it may be used for charging. However, when you replace the original coil-wrappedimmobilizer chip with the non-coil-wrapped chip that came with the dealer-cut key, your key fob still works after years?

Also, when you mentioned "I even tried shoving the new immobilizer chip in the housing without clearing out the ebay key's chip, and even that didn't work.", does that mean you left the original coil-wrapped immobilizer chip on the circuit board and placed the new immobilizer chip into the housing (e.g. attached to the top case as in the dealer-cut key) and that didn't work?
I was wondering if having two immobilizer chips (one coded for your car and one not coded to your car) would result in the key not being able to start the engine.

Sam

 

Hi Sam,

I had to remove the eBay key's unmatched immobilizer chip in order to have room to fit the dealer cut key's immobilizer. Not sure if immobilizer needed any charge at all, because the key fob worked up until when we sold the car a couple of years back, so it was definitely charging and working without fail. Let me know how it turns out!

Jason

 

The immobilizer chip doesn't need charging, the charging would only relate to the battery for the remote key as the keys without the remote function do not have a coil around the chip.

My made up key also worked up until I sold the car a year later but it didn't have the coil and I don't think there would be that much power used from the battery as you only press the button for 1 second and those batteries can power an LED for probably 1hr so at the very worse you would get approx 3600 (number of seconds in 1hr) presses out of a battery.

 

So I confirmed that you can only have one immobilizer chip in the key fob. Placing the new chip into the key fob housing and leaving the original coil-wrapped chip results in no start of the car. Perhaps there's some sort of interference going on between the two chips. Removing the old chip and leaving in the new chip results in the car starting. Not sure what the coil is used for. Perhaps signal amplification.

Perhaps the chip works a bit like RFID, where a signal (either wirelessly or through the key ignition slot) is sent out to the immobilizer chip, which energizes the chip and an ID is transmitted back to the car.

Sam

 

Seems like you an a few other have good experience with these key so I have a question regarding fashioning a truly new key FOB -

will the immobilizer chip work even if not replaced back into the same place on the board inside the FOB?

I'd like to make my own "dumb" key, my R53 FOB has never worked. If I just take the immobilizer chip and place it in a slot in a new plastic handle, for instance, and glues it in, will it function?

 

I just bought a 2004 Mini Cooper last week. It came with ONE key. That key is missing the buttons to unlock the door and trunk. So I'm wondering, would my only option be to go to the BMW/Mini dealer to have a new key made ?? $$$$ 😢😨😢😨

 

I could probably fix your key- I've done this for a number of other NAM members and others. Sending me a picture or two would help me determine if your key is repairable. You might want to get a "general-non-remote" key from the dealer ($60 or so) and then send me your remote key to see if it is fixable.

Send me some pictures first. I may be able to save you some $$$.

facebook.com/minikeyhospital

Val

 

Hey, about to do this and im just wondering if i should follow through despite the spectulation about the immobil chip providing the wireless charging..

how has this worked out over time?

I have for this project:
-Cut key & Immobilizer chip from the Dealer
-Plastic Body & Guts from a remote R53 3-button key
-Plastic Body & Guts from an e46 3 button key

is there anyway i can transfer the cut shaft from the dealer key to the e46 diamond key body?

If you reply thank you so much in advance

-Cole

 

Not the perfect thread for this minor tangent, but not an unrelated one either.

So here is the deal.... 2005 Mini S R53.

We are down to one key now.

The first fell apart on the key ring and unfortunately ejected the transponder chip before I found out it was in pieces and could keep it from getting lost (it had previously been repaired to replace the rechargable battery, and the glue failed over time).

The emergency spare key was then taped to that key without transponder (don't judge me, it was completely reversible) to turn it back into a good key. That one is now AWOL. It will eventually probably show up in a purse or a couch somewhere, but for the moment, those that were stewards of it all just point at each other and say "wasntme".

So anyway, that means I am down to just one key now, and feeling nervous.

So are my questions.... Again, don't judge me.

1) Can a key blank be reasonably obtained and cut as a duplicate? I know there are people around here (Cincinnati / Dayton) that can cut fussy keys like this, but I don't know if there is something unobtanium about them.
2) If one were to recklessly and irresponsibly pull the transponder out of the remaining key, and epoxy it somewhere in close proximity to the key switch transciever, in a place that is pretty much inseperable from the car for the remaining 30k to 100k of its life (if we are lucky), where might people suggest that would be, have they tried it, and did it work? Purely hypothetically of course, because I would never do such an irresponsible and reckless thing.

OK, sure, the immobilizer would be effectively bypassed. But the number of mini's stolen from my small town where this thing lives in the last century is exactly 0, and the cost of doing this "right" is stupid for a key to a car with over 100k miles and worth $6000 on a good day.

(The door lock servo is broken, and I havent bothered to buy one of those either, so I honestly don't even care if the remote works. I don't mind using the key. Teenage drivers are beggers, not choosers... they can save up for parts if they want remote unlock that badly... and they won't... )

Anyway, anyone go this road and learn anything? If you want to private message me, I can post your experience anonymously so it's not easy to track back to a transponderless mini. That way only I am the only one taking the massive risk that somebody here will want to come and commit a felony to drive to my small town, and into my neighborhood (with more percapita firearm ownership than most standing armies) to steal my mostly clapped out $6000 mini that isn't far from a $3000 clutch job.

 

I would probably buy a non-remote key to dissect for the transponder than ruin a good remote key. The non-remote keys are a lot cheaper.

As for manually using the door lock, I've read on this forum that the keylock assembly is not the strongest and will break with daily use since the remote is normally used for the doors. Here's a thread somewhere that shows how to repair the door lock actuator with a new $5-10 motor: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...placement.html

There's also this Instructable for repair by cleaning the commutator and brushes on the motor: http://www.instructables.com/id/Repa...ck-Actuator-L/

 

Unless I misunderstand how these things are implemented, or maybe using terms wrong, the only transponders that will keep my immobilizer from immobilizing are in a vault in Germany, just waiting for me to send $150 or something.

Good info about the door lock. Last time I took it apart, it was a mechanism problem and I just had to hook it back up. It lasted about 6 months before something in there failed again. I haven't dung into it to see if its still a linkage problem, or if it has now progressed to a servo problem. That link could be really helpful, thank you. I have successfully reprogrammed the remote unlock capabilities. It's the RFID based immobolizer thingy that I am currently one lost key away from getting trapped by.

It is quite the finger puzzle of lousy access and too many fussy connections.

 

A new, non-remote key from the dealer costs $60-$75. I wouldn't bother trying to improvise with the other things you mentioned.

 

Good point RKW.

Unless I could get a couple of keys (to have 3) cut and in hand for $40 or so, it would be better to just get one new one for $75 and just have it be "stock".

 

I have been manually unlocking my door for about 4 years now and it is a daily. No issues at all. It does lock itself with the key but it won't lock itself when it hits 10mph.

 

Hi Jasohn, do you have clear picture up down left right or any detail of the charge coil that you point by the plier? Repair shop remove and throw away mine and now my key won't charge from the ignition. I've google and found no clue of the parts detail.

 

Bringing this back as I am having issues with my 06 MCS. It came with one remote key that did not work. I ordered one new key from Mini, and got that to work after replacing the mirror. The original key still did not work so I tore it apart and replaced the battery, still nothing. I checked the voltage of the battery, and have 2.57 volts. I am thinking the transmitter is toast. Can I buy a used eBay key and just swap the immobilizer chips? Anyone tried this?

 

Is your original key able to start the motor? If not then I doubt putting that chip in another fob will work as the imobilizer chip is a passive component and does not require the battery or transmitter to function with the engine management computer.

If your original key just doesnt remotely unlock the doors then your plan might work. In the end I got an ebay key fob and just use that to remotely lock and unlock the doors (programming that aspect is really easy), while using the original key to start the engine. So, yes, I carry two keys, but I didnt want to risk buggering up the only functioning immobilizer chip I have by hacking the key body open to transfer the chip to the new fob. One day I'll get around to hacking off the blank "key" part to just leave the working fob on my keyring for remote locking capabilities.