I'm absolutely blown away with what I just saw. Upon coming out of a building and into the parking lot where mini was parked. I saw my rear lights give a quick flash. I stopped in disbelief, then saw them flash again. I just stopped walking and started looking around to see exactly what was going on. Was someone trying to steal mini, electrical malfunction or what? But then, I realized that someone else's key or key chain was locking and unlocking my mini .

My first thought was this can't be happening. I must have accidentally hit my key chain by mistake. So I took the key out of my pocket and just set it down. Then it happened again. Mini getting locked and then unlocked and not by me. It was definitely someone else doing the locking and unlocking. From a distance I could see people looking at mini. I tried to figure out who it was exactly but couldn't pin point anyone exactly. By the time I finally walked up to mini... it was completely unlocked. Who ever was doing it stopped when they saw me approach. OK...but now what ..... Anyone else have their mini open by someone else’s key? Is this possible?

 

The only thing remotely close to that that I can think of was when my friends Pinto key started up my 1978 Mustang II. I was not around till the clutch was gone, but he did learn how to drive a manual.

 

Yikes, maybe head to the dealership asap to have your code/etc re-configured.

 

I agree with Bri....you'd better get your key recoded and ASAP. Please keep us posted!


Clover

 

Definitely time to take a trip to the dealer!!!

BTW, isn't pretty darn close to impossible to have a key coded the same as another MINI by pure chance? And even if it was, isn't there some type of 'rolling code' that would still prevent another key from working?

-Paul?

 

I wonder if someone has one of those code snatchers that can capture the remote frequency, kinda like how you reprogram a remote for your garage door opener, but much more sophisticated. Scary thing about something like that is there is no reason to have one unless you are breaking into cars

I used to have a Toyota Tacoma truck and I swear they gave me a master key. I could start about 1/2 of all other Tacomas I came across. When I traded it in, I told the dealer and they guys eyes bugged out . They changed the key when they sold it

 

Definitely get your key recoded...ASAP.

Many years ago had a VW Golf that a valet parked in a local parking garage for a special event and then he gave me back my keys. Anyway, when the event was over, I gave my keys back to the valet and he brought me a blue Golf instead of the white one I owned. Needless to say, we were both quite surprised.

 

I dont know...almost doesnt sound like someone else is doing it. Why would the continually push the button causing the lights to continually flash. It almost seems like something in your car is disfunctioning

you could park in in your garage at home(or driveway) and lock it....see if it still does it there.

or maybe they do have a code snatcher, or universal remote like those TV changers

 

The key start code is not the same as the remote trans code. Hardly any OEM tras codes are rolling, i.e. they are a fixed code/frequency. Many higher end aftermarket systems will recode after every use to prevent air theft and reduce the chances of this ever happening. There aren't that many OEM combinations to choose from in the first place...but the odds are pretty remote.


Just an example...right after I got my last Pontiac, and still had the factory keyless, my buddy and I went around to about 6 different dealers looking at a car for him. We went at night, and each lot probably had about 60-70 cars on it.

The first lot we were on, we were getting back into my car and I hit unlock. To our surprise, a Grand Am (I had a Grand Prix) nearby unlocked! For kicks, we tried this around the rest of the lot and at the other lots that night. We found 1 more car on another lot that had the same code as me!

 

that's scary - is it possible your remote could be malfunctioning?

 

Interesting.

Let us know what your dealership says was going on.

Won't happen to me, I have an aftermarket alarm that overrides my MINI key buttons.

If I don't have my alarm remote I cannot drive with my key alone.

I have heard that in the past Honda had about four different key patterns for doors so with a Honda key you could go around parking lots and unlock Honda trunks and doors pretty easily. You might not be able to start the cars but it was an easy way into cars- but so is a screwdriver so why bother with keys? I actually tried this because my folks had a couple of accords at one time. It worked.

 

I think someone with your spare key was playing a trick on you .

 

I think that whatever is going on,probably the remote,get to your dealer.

 

Very interesting. The prudent thing, as said already, make a quick trip to the dealer...

If however you can't, I'd suggest parking in the same location/spot, and go back out at the exact same time of day to see if this is replicated. I was thinking that this is your place of employment, but maybe not, so this might not be feasible...

Keep us informed, and good luck with this!

 

SURPRISE!!! YOU'RE ON CANDID CAMERA!!!

 

I wouldn't assume that was the case unless you saw the other person and could test the theory.

I accidently washed my Mustang key fob years ago in the wash machine and dryer both. After it came out, it was from another planet. Looked normal, but if you got close to the car, it started "shorting" out and locking/unlocking doors. I realized it when I was in the house, and my car horn kept randomly honking in the garage! 2 presses of the lock button honks the horn for confirmation. It was shorting out and locking the doors. Hitting the unlock button would perform the function of another button and vice versa. Real weird. I quickly put that sucker in a drawer far away from the garage!

Check your own remote before you look for another person doing it. It's likely in your own fob.

 

This happened a couple of years ago in a parking lot in Richmond BC (Near Vancouver). There were two same colored and same year Mazda Proteges parked within 50 feet of each other. Apparently, somebody put his packages (Christmas shopping) in the wrong car and went back to shopping only to find his car parked around the corner and the car with his packages gone.

After it was broadcasted on the news, the other person returned the packages and both went to their local Mazda dealers to get their remotes changed.

Major coincidence that not only were the lock frequencies the same, but the car model, year and color were the same also and in the same region.

Hope that doesn't happen to our MINIs.

 

The MINI has rolling codes,does it not.

 

No.

 

So it does?

 

How do you know this with such certainty?

 

As stated above, the rolling codes are for the ignition, not for the remote entry. I've seen this stated enough times on NAM that I now believe it to be true.

 

Your right,I read that too.And now that I think of it my tech. told me this also.Sorry

 

Wait..the Key has a chip in it also? Because I noticed...with the Plastic Valet key.. the car starts. How is there a chip if a plastic key starts the car??

 

Dealer just told me that v39 software is to blame. Seems some cars (about 20%) will flip out the door lock routine, flashing the lights, unlocking the locks, that sort of thing. Mine has never done it.