What is it, whats it for, and can I rip it off and throw it away?

 

Let's hope it wasn't important because I got rid of mine months ago. It got all raggedy and stuff and stuff was getting stuck to it. It was nasty.

 

You'll br laughing out of the other side of your mouth when the MATTRESS POLICE pull you over.

 

Does it have code info for the keys? :???: :???: :???:

 

^ ^ That's a good question, but you would think that if they were giving you an important code that they wouldn't put it on a flimsy sticker. Mine practically fell half off 2 weeks after I got my car.

 

Mine came loose 5 days after I got the car, bue I save it on a Clear Label piece.

Those numbers are suppose to be needed to get a second key from valeo, but I gues with the Vin # you can get a copy at the Dealer.

Remember those keys are "Intelligent" or better they have a microchip that comunicates with the ECU, that is why it is "UNIQUE".

QUOTING THE DEALER

 

There are usually codes on keys so dealers can order a new set. I have heard of valet guys finding your address in the car somewhere and writing down codes and going to the dealer to have a "spare set" made.

Now I'm really curious. Anyone with 2 MINIs want to see if the numbers are the same or unique???

 

To tell you the truth my is coming off on its own. Maybe I will help it a bit and stick it in my owers booklet or something.

 

the little oval sticker is just the FCC ID that any transmitting device needs to have (by law) but
the Important tag was the actual bar code (about 1" x 3&quot that was attached to the key; that has all the logical info that they need to program the functions (and better not be lost ... )

 

I wrote the info from mine inside the cover of my manual, and then got rid of it. It was starting to look too scabby!

 

No worries and no need to keep. It is just the legal FCC mumbo jumbo that must go on any rf device.

 

>>Remember those keys are "Intelligent" or better they have a microchip that comunicates with the ECU, that is why it is "UNIQUE".
>>
>>QUOTING THE DEALER

Is that why they are so expensive?! $125 or something?! Does anyone know the lifespan of the remote battery? I've only had mine 4-5 months and it's a little sluggish already to unlock.

 

>>Does it have code info for the keys?

 

It is indeed simply FCC regulation info for transmitting devices. Shortly after I got Peanut, I met with MINIclo and we compared the numbers on our keys. They were identical. We then compared numbers with others at a MINI meet. They were all identical. You can safely get rid of these stickers. If you are worried about having the info, write it down somewhere, or just look at the back of your spare (if you have one that is). I got rid of my sticker within a week of picking up my MCS.

 

>>>>QUOTING THE DEALER
>>
>>Is that why they are so expensive?! $125 or something?! Does anyone know the lifespan of the remote battery? I've only had mine 4-5 months and it's a little sluggish already to unlock.


Ok, my MA told me that the battery was recharged when the key was in the ignition, and for that reason, I ought to rotate the use of my keys to keep them charged up. I had no reason to doubt him, he is the MA after all. But is this fact or fiction??

_________________
IB/W MC Pkg 1, 2, & 3
He who dies with the most toys wins!<br

 

>>Is that why they are so expensive?! $125 or something?! Does anyone know the lifespan of the remote battery? I've only had mine 4-5 months and it's a little sluggish already to unlock.

My replacement was $147.
:evil:

 

>>Ok, my MA told me that the battery was recharged when the key was in the ignition, and for that reason, I ought to rotate the use of my keys to keep them charged up. I had no reason to doubt him, he is the MA after all. But is this fact or fiction??<<

Wow, that sounds like a whole big wheelbarrowful of horsepuckey. If it's charged while it's in the ignition, then why is mine less than half as powerful as it was when I started using it? I've never used the second one, but I'd bet that it would open my car from two blocks away.

 

>>
>>
>>Ok, my MA told me that the battery was recharged when the key was in the ignition, and for that reason, I ought to rotate the use of my keys to keep them charged up. I had no reason to doubt him, he is the MA after all. But is this fact or fiction?



yes, that's fiction; the battery is for the remote functions, like door locks, but the part that matches up with the ignition - the anti-theft device - is a totally separate 'transponder chip' that doesn't rely on the battery at all .....

 

What's a "MA"? Lemme guess: Major A... ah, nevermind. Next time you see him, ask him how many terminals are needed to complete a circuit.

 

>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Ok, my MA told me that the battery was recharged when the key was in the ignition, and for that reason, I ought to rotate the use of my keys to keep them charged up. I had no reason to doubt him, he is the MA after all. But is this fact or fiction?
>>
>>
>>
>>yes, that's fiction; the battery is for the remote functions, like door locks, but the part that matches up with the ignition - the anti-theft device - is a totally separate 'transponder chip' that doesn't rely on the battery at all .....
>>


Aslo there is no possible way to get that to work. The key is one piece of metal, to charge something you need a + and a - terminal. I like the idea if it was possible

 

The cost to design and manufacture a rechargeable system would far out way the cost of replacing the current cell the few times that it will require during the life of the vehicle.

 

>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Ok, my MA told me that the battery was recharged when the key was in the ignition, and for that reason, I ought to rotate the use of my keys to keep them charged up. I had no reason to doubt him, he is the MA after all. But is this fact or fiction?
>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>yes, that's fiction; the battery is for the remote functions, like door locks, but the part that matches up with the ignition - the anti-theft device - is a totally separate 'transponder chip' that doesn't rely on the battery at all .....
>>>>
>>
>>
>>Aslo there is no possible way to get that to work. The key is one piece of metal, to charge something you need a + and a - terminal. I like the idea if it was possible

It is possible. The RF transponder fro the anti-theft device is actually a decoupled transformer. The transponder chip is powered by a coil in the car. By having a large coil in the key, and a few other things, you could charge the battery. But if you think the key is large now...

 

I asked my MA if the sticker was important when I started noticing that it was taking pocket wear badly. He wrote:

Having not lost a car key (even the duplicable for $1.00 variety) in many years (since it cost me $110 to get a new ignition for my Chevette when I lost the key), I am far from panic. But it's good to know that something can be done just in case.

As for charging the battery while the key is in the ignition: this does, indeed, sound like high-order horse puckey. For one thing, there is only one metallic part to the key and, as far as I am aware, it takes two poles to create a circuit. That said, how the heck do you change the battery when it goes dead?

 

>>It is possible. The RF transponder fro the anti-theft device is actually a decoupled transformer. The transponder chip is powered by a coil in the car. By having a large coil in the key, and a few other things, you could charge the battery. But if you think the key is large now...

Geeks are people to