Hi Folks,

Is the Cooper S central locking/alarm supposed to rearm itself if one doesn't open any door in a specified amount of time ? I ask this because recently I locked my 2002 MCS using the remote key (and automatically arming the alarm in the process, of course) but after 15 mins I inadvertently hit the unlock button on the remote, unlocking the doors and disarming the alarm. Since I didn't open any doors, I expected the central locking to relock the doors and the alarm to rearm after about 30 secs or so but neither happened. Is this correct or are both the central locking and alarm supposed to rearm if one doesn't open any door in a specified amount of time ?

 

Folks,

I'd really appreciate having your replies. They would do wonders in helping me establishing if this feature is supposed to be available to my car or not.

I have already spoken to the stealership and they are none the wiser but they told me to bring the car over so they do an OBD check and if they find that the feature is available on my car but just deactivated they will reactivate it...and rip me off in the process !! It's an important feature that I really want to have but I want to be 100% certain that my model should have it because the stealership will still charge me just to hook it up for an OBD check regardless of whether they would be succesful or not in activating the feature.

I don't want to take the car the stealership and be taken for a ride, so as I have said, I'd really appreciate hearing from you.

 

did you get an owner's manual?

I don't see any mention of an automatic re-arm in the manual and don't remember such a thing (but my 02 did not have the alarm)

There were MANY programmable options on the GEN1 but they could only be changed by the dealer (at a charge). If you di back to the early days around here on NAM I believe you'll locate a list of the programmable options which was used by folks waiting on delivery so they could thell the dealer what options they wanted at delivery . . . you're probably finding fewer and fewer folks in the service departments actually familiar with the details of the GEN1 programmable options and the software used. Kinda like looking for a Windows 98 expert.

http://www.minimania.com/pdfile/2002...perCooperS.pdf

 

I'm not sure if your 2002 is capable of doing what you're asking, but in the Owners Manual for my '06, it says: "If none of the vehicle doors are opened within 2 minutes, the central locking system locks the vehicle automatically. The anti-theft system is not activated.". It says this feature can be activated/deactivated. You should find something similar in the Owner's Manual for your '02 if it was an available feature.

Keep in mind that your '02 and my '06 have a lot of differences, which includes electronic systems differences. Best bet is to check your owners manual.

 

In the 2005 MCS, if you do not do anything the locks automatically re-lock. I don't know about arming the alarm.

 

Thank you for your replies Capt BJ, Hound Va and Times. I have the car's '02 manual but there is no mention of the feature but I have had a couple of replies from other sites whose Gen 1 owners have said their car has this feature (including alarm re-arm)...so I guess and hoping it is indeed a programmable option ?

To all: keep those replies coming please. Tx

 

If your model/trim doesn't mention a feature, unless you have an aftermarket alarm system...I think it is most likely not an option.

If its a programmable option, you may want to try and see if you can get an original PO for the car when it was purchased, so you can verify on the trim and options when it came in factory. I'm not sure if you can just call up Mini, but you might be able to and they might be able to help you.

 

Yep,times, thanks v much, that's a valid option about seeing how to get an original PO for the car and the thought had crossed my mind

 

there were MANY options that came into the GEN1 as time went on ... the 02 missed many things like:

the emergency pull for the boot under the rear seat
a jack! (S)
several on board computer options added over time like instant speed and mpg
rear fogs
compat' with aux input

.... just a few off the top of my head.

 

Hi Folks,

Went to the stealership today to get this function activated (btw they have confirmed that this is a programmable function available to Gen 1 Mini's) and this is what they said:
1) To do so they need to hook the car up to their computer which loads a 2hr-long program which basically over-writes and reloads all stored info in the car's electronic brain (ECU and all !) and also activates this feature. They said, they cannot just specifically load this feature on its own. They said it can only be done in this way.
2) The charge would be US $ 266 !

Of course, I gave them a piece of my mind and I told them that if they thought that I was buying what they told me in point (1) they had another thing coming because I have an electronic version of the BMW MINI service manual as used by the BMW MINI technicians themselves which states that it’s just a question of enabling this function. I also told them that there was no way I would be paying that amount indicated in point (2) as it’s a shameful rip-off.

Can any of you please advise me what this job really entails (especially the duration of the task) and what a realistic cost should be.

 

I don't know about your year of car but on the '06 each item could be programmed individually. Actually, when I purchased my car, while waiting for it to get to port, they had me go through a list of different programming options so they could setup the car when it arrived.

As it's been said, there is a big difference between the earlier ones and the later ones.

 

Tx Hunter99, I'm convinced that even my '02 MCS should have the item that I require to be programmed individually...it's ridiculous for them to have to "refomat" the whole car's parameters just to enable this feature that I require...the local BMW stealership just want to rip me off...any idea how much this individual item programming costs in the US ?

 

Hello Folks,

9 months down the line and 4 trips to the stealership and I am still without this function !!

The service manager at the stealership, although being a helpful chap, has not managed to enable the function. Every time he links my Mini up via chunky-looking cables to a weird-looking BMW computer of theirs and the function is never there to be found in the program they have on this computer. In each of the four attempts he has claimed that BMW provided him with four different programs and still no joy. BMW have told him that since it's a 10 year-old car they don't not feel obliged to offer support on software...how's that for customer service !!

Can anyone please tell me to what type of garage / technician can I take my car to try and get this function enabled privately ? What sort of equipment should this garage /technician have to do this job ?

Please help !

 

Folks,

Any chance of a reply please as I'm getting pretty desperate with this issue...

 

Is it really that big of a deal? How often do you unlock your car but not open a door?

My 2003 with alarm did not automatically re-lock itself for what it's worth.

I once asked the dealer (South Bay MINI) about reprogramming the car so the doors didn't unlock after turning the car off and got the same story about having to reprogram everything, not just that specific feature. I told them no thanks.

If this is absolutely a feature you need, I'd look at aftermarket alarm systems.

 

Yes it is. The whole point of this feature is that if one INADVERTENTLY unlocks the door it will relock it and rearm the alarm. That way your car is secured once again once you move away from it even though you would have inadvertently unlocked the door/disarmed the alarm...

 

+1
It's an interesting feature, but are you really hanging out next to your locked car playing with the key? Kid playing with it? On my key you have to give it a pretty good push to activate it.
Sounds like you have the OEM alarm, which on my car chirps upon lock and unlock. Does yours do this? Makes it pretty obvious if it gets unlocked.

Unfortunately with the '02 models, they were in discovery mode and as Capt said, some just didn't support some features. If the dealer has tried four times, this is probably the case. There are people out there who can supposedly change the settings with some special software, but I don't recall a name at the moment, and even they may not be able to help.

 

I just tested my car. It's an '06 with a factory installed alarm. I first locked and then unlocked the car using the remote.
After waiting a few minutes, I wasn't paying attention to how long, the car relocked itself but the alarm was not re-activated.

Hope this helps...

 

I noticed it when it unlocked because I was still close to the car. The key was in my jeans pocket and my wallet pressed against the key triggering it when I leaned down to pick up a jerrycan of water. No chriping or any other sort of audible warnings are given on my car when unlocking.

 

Thank you !

 

Thanks...

 

Then you either don't have the alarm, or the BCM isn't programmed to chirp. That was my favorite part of the alarm - I like the audible confirmation.
Do you have the black alarm siren/bracket in the engine bay/firewall gap on the passenger side?

 

I do have the alarm but not the audible warning when the central locking/alarm is activated/deactivated...tx for telling me about it...just imagine what a fat chance I have of getting the dealership to get this too enabled (sorry, I but won't bother to tell them about it)...they can't even enable the relock function !

 

Did you know your car can do all.kinda werid stuff by putting key in the door? Lock unlock roll up windows roll down windows. Take your battery out and use the key then no chance of you unlocking it. The biggest selling point on my 04 that i purchased in 06 was that it ran like a scalled *** dog. Id climb in and out the sunroof just to drive it.

 

Our cars seem to have a mind of their own...still, I want to be in control and I would like to get to the bottom of this relock problem...