Stock Problems/Issues Discussions related to warranty related issues and repairs, or other problems with the OEM parts and software for MINI Cooper (R50), Cabrio (R52), and Cooper S (R53) MINIs.

remote works but key won't start '04 Cooper S

Old Feb 28, 2011 | 06:19 PM
  #1  
waltph's Avatar
waltph
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remote works but key won't start '04 Cooper S

I've searched the forums, but have not found a situation like this.

The buttons on my wife's remote key broke (the buttons broke out of the cover, but the buttons inside on the circuit board still worked). I bought a new cover on ebay and switched the circuit board and blade to the new cover. One just like this: item 130452886391 on ebay.

Now, the remote works, but the key won't start the car. Except - if I start the car with one key, turn the car off, then insert the repaired key, the car will start.

Do I have to take this to a dealer to get it to work?

Thanks
 
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Old Feb 28, 2011 | 07:17 PM
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I bet you almost anything when you swapped key guts you didn't swap the transponder chip from the old key........

Most cars that use transponders in their keys will start if you first start with the transponder key, then put in the key without transponder...you have a window of time when the computer won't "search" for the transponder again after starting with a valid key.

Originally Posted by waltph
I've searched the forums, but have not found a situation like this.

The buttons on my wife's remote key broke (the buttons broke out of the cover, but the buttons inside on the circuit board still worked). I bought a new cover on ebay and switched the circuit board and blade to the new cover. One just like this: item 130452886391 on ebay.

Now, the remote works, but the key won't start the car. Except - if I start the car with one key, turn the car off, then insert the repaired key, the car will start.

Do I have to take this to a dealer to get it to work?

Thanks
 
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Old Mar 1, 2011 | 07:29 PM
  #3  
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waltph
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firehawk618:

Would the transponder chip be separate from the circuit board?
 
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Old Mar 1, 2011 | 07:53 PM
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firehawk618
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I have never seen a key that had the transponder built into the circuit board.

You can see the transponder i'm talking about here.....

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rbishment.html
 
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Old Mar 2, 2011 | 04:27 PM
  #5  
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waltph
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thanks. I missed that part. the instructions that came with the key neglected to mention that and I was in a hurry. Now I can't find the old key cover. doh! So now I guess I a couple choices:

Get a used key, pull the transponder out of the used key and move to my key, and then have the dealer reprogram the transponder (not sure if the transponder can be reprogrammed?)

Get a new, non remote, key from the dealer and move the transponder to my key. (not sure if the transponder is accessible in the non-remote key? but this would save $)

Suck it up and pay the $200 for a new key and programing.
 

Last edited by waltph; Mar 3, 2011 at 04:02 AM.
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