A strange thing happened today. As I was leaving a local drugstore,the theft detector went off as I passed thru the door.(No I didn't steal anything). I then approached my MINI & pressed the wings to unlock the doors. As I got closer, I realized they had not opened,so I pressed again & again & again......at least 10 times. Finally the door opened! Just wondering if the electronic device in the door of the store could have caused this? It's fine now. Or should I take my key to be interrogated?
Thanks
Lois

 

I have noticed that if I click the lock or unlock button two or three times on my way away from the car, that when I come back, it tends to be stubborn, did you do that? Just an idea.

 

I constantly have problems with my key. I believe that there is no infared in the key but like an idiot when i have problems I look like the person trying to angle the remote-just right to get the channel to switch. I also hate the holding the wings down the whole time to get the sunroof to open.

 

>>I have noticed that if I click the lock or unlock button two or three times on my way away from the car, that when I come back, it tends to be stubborn, did you do that? Just an idea.

I sometimes reclick if I think I forgot to lock it but have never had it be as stubborn as it was today. Perhaps Louie was being HAL again

Thanks
Lois

 

my key is very bad!
i think i'm going to try and change the battery.
maybe that will help??
the range on the key is terrible!

 

>>I constantly have problems with my key. I believe that there is no infared in the key but like an idiot when i have problems I look like the person trying to angle the remote-just right to get the channel to switch. I also hate the holding the wings down the whole time to get the sunroof to open.

I think our cars were built about the same time. Maybe we got screwy keys!!!
Also a little tidbit about the key I learned from MINI club buddies. If you put the metal part of the key to your chin, it increases the distance from where you can open the doors. Honest to God,about 20 of us tried it & it worked. Should have got a picture though,we all looked pretty wierd

Lois

 

We did get them at the same time, how has Louie been treating you? other than the key thing i mean

 

my key's have excellent range, about 40 feet! Works better from the front or driver's side, not so good from rear or pass. side.

This is my experience, and I'm happy with it

 

ryan.
you're the electronics expert.
do you think i should try and replace my battery to improve the range?

 

>>We did get them at the same time, how has Louie been treating you? other than the key thing i mean

Louie's been just fine.

No major problems, just some funny little quirky things,like the key today! I truly believe he has a mind of his own How has yours been?
Lois

 

am i the only one on this website that has a trouble free good key mini?

(bangs on wood)

 

I have noticed that if you start mashing on the button the system gets "confused" and has to "reset." It is best to wait a few seconds and try again rather than push it rapid fire style. That just prolongs the "confusion."

 

So far so good on the keys!

 

>>
>> It is best to wait a few seconds and try again rather than push it rapid fire style. That just prolongs the "confusion."
>>


us americans are impatient, mate

 

>>
>>I have noticed that if you start mashing on the button the system gets "confused" and has to "reset." It is best to wait a few seconds and try again rather than push it rapid fire style. That just prolongs the "confusion."
>>

Maybe that's what happened. I was firing it like a video game

Thanks
Lois

 

>>Maybe that's what happened. I was firing it like a video game
>>
>>Thanks
>>Lois


treat louie with care, its my cars relative

 

I haven't had any problems with my keys, the range with mine are pretty good too. I gotta try that chin thing

 

I tried the "chin thing" experimentally and it worked like a champ. My driveway is cut into a hill with a wall holding the earth back. I park the MINI behind the wall and I've found that the door won't unlock when the hill is between us. Yesterday I 'chinned' it and voila! when I arrived, she was unlocked!

 

Hmm does it have to be your chin, or can you use some other body part?

 

Just got my MINI last Thursday, but one thing my advisor told me is that the battery in the key is recharged every time it's in the ignition (in use). I already notice that when I approach my car after it's been sitting in the garage overnight and use the windows/sunroof down function, the sun roof seems to sputter open. It doesn't open smoothly, but rather repeatedly stops and lurches back until it is finally all the way open. I'm wondering if it can be that just overnight the key is lacking in battery power? I notice when I engage the key in the lock to close everything up the windows/sunroof close smoothly and quickly. I'm wondering for those of you who have no troubles with your keys, do you spend longer times behind the wheel? I work at home and normally take my car for errands and am not in it for long periods at a time. Is it maybe that my key is not charging fully? May be way off base, but just my thoughts... NUMMYTIME

 

>>ryan.
>>you're the electronics expert.
>>do you think i should try and replace my battery to improve the range?

If that supposed "recharge during driving" is accurate, then you need to get behind the wheel more! Another possibility, that is if MINI used Ni-Cd batteries, you may have a "bad cell", meaning your battery needs to be replaced.

Other possibilties: flaky Tx or Rx (meaning replacement of key or in-car module)
Does you 2nd key work fine, or do both suck? If the 2nd key works fine, then it's probley the 1st key. But if they both suck, it may be the Receiving module.

I would hope your dealership's service tech should have enough deductive logic to find the root cause.

Good luck!

 

problem ..key...yes...
one day is just decided not to work....took it in for reg service and told the service guy...he didn;t even let me finish what the problem was before he babbled in about the recharge the key thing..that still seems stange to me ..but what ever...anyways..it was the key.it lost its memory..premature altzimers or something..anyway.it would not recode for them after many attempts..so they just ordered me a new key..works now...

 

I have the same exact problem..sometimes multiple button presses to unlock and also when I hold the wings down sometimes the sunroof lurches open. hmph.

 

I have all sorts of key problems. Sadie parks outside--we have no covered parking but assigned spaces. My entire house is within the 40-foot range to her. I have carried my keys in my pocket all my life. The bulbous shape of the key (why???? BMW keys are a decent shape and size, besides having 3 buttons!) makes it unlock Sadie when the key is in my pocket and I don't know it's happening. Drives me nuts.

So why are the wings often so stubborn when I actually try to open her? I don't drive every day, but it seems to make no difference.

And why do our bodies block the transmission from key to car when my house's walls and furniture don't? Most of the time, I have to use the key like a recalcitrant remote, pointed directly at the car.

 

I know this is an old thread.....but I remembered someone talking about the putting the key near your chin trick to have your head act as an antenna....I thought this idea was, well, just kooky......but I tried it tonite 4 times and....it works!....I locked and unlocked my car from about 75 yards...usually the range is only about 20 feet