BMW has bigger problems than just the lousy deadlock design: FIRE!

Google bmw fire south korea and you'll get many hits...

...and they've actually banned BMW cars from public use until the owner gets a safety inspection:


Meanwhile in the USA, with 90 complaints of BMW spontaneous combustion on file,
NHTSA said it's "in close contact with BMW in its oversight of the automaker's recalls that involve a potential fire risk, and will take appropriate action if warranted."

ABC news did a recent update on their story from a year ago, and it also mentions MINI Coopers:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/mysterious...ry?id=60843215

The story from a year ago:

 

An R52 can easily be escaped with a pocket knife, although breaking a window might be cheaper.

I keep a window breaking/seatbelt cutting tool in mine, and my family know where it is. I'd imagine the frameless windows would also be pretty easy to just kick out for anyone much over 100 lb.

 

A couple more things about deadlocking.

There's an older thread here - note the comments about alarm systems & the variations among different models & options:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...eep-there.html

& about the fires - there's no indication in any of the reports or from BMW of a possible cause. I'm guessing that keeping the fuel pump primed could be one reason.
Thank heavens nobody was deadlocked inside.

& Andy said "I keep a window breaking/seatbelt cutting tool in mine....."; I think that's a Really Good Idea.

 

This post puts it in my mind how important it is to have a safety-net spare key, for me it'd be in case of accidentally leaving my keys in the car and getting locked out, but for others with frequent passengers it'd be a good idea for them to have a spare as well which would enable them to insert into ignition and unlock the car as was the topic in the original post.

A valet key would be ideal and slim enough to fit into a wallet, but apparently they're NLA from the dealer:

https://parts.miniofkennesaw.com/pro...317072782.html

I bought my car used and it didn't come with the valet key, but the previous owner recently had a brand new key made after the original bit the dust and couldn't be used remotely,
which he also gave to me.

In light of this thread I dug it out and disassembled it down to the bare bone which allows it to fit easily in my wallet and provides a safeguard for me.

 

Metal key blanks are readily available on eBay - where you get them cut/engraved/routed is a different matter.
I assume the key will operate the door lock,& the ignition switch & re-enable the doors etc, but it won't start the car because there's no immobilization 'slug' - correct?

 

This looks to be useful information.

http://www.lockmasters.com/site/pdfs...%20article.pdf

 

Correct, it will not start the car.

Yep on eBay,
for as low as $2.50 you can get a blank...

...but I've read that the cutting is quite pricey,
dealer only I assume?

 

Supposedly a 'good' locksmith can cut these keys.
I'm sure it won't be $1.50 like the hardware store!

Andy's .pdf is interesting.

 

When I got my '04 R53 a few years ago......I had a valet key and the regular key with the push button fob, but the electronics in the remote fob were all gone......I must have tried every locksmith in the NW Washington area to cut me another key....nobody could do it....they all said I need to go to the dealer.....

Went to the dealer and asked for a new key with the remote entry-exit in the fob.....dealer said I needed proof of car ownership and drivers license.....then he said the remote entry key was $300.....and would take a week to arrive.....so I opted for the "non-remote" fob and paid just over $200 for that single key

Bryan

 

Just an update to this thread.....the wife and I had an errand to run today.....decided to take the '04 R53 and test out the "deadlock" system on our car.....we got to our destination and I told her about the door lock issue...I said to wait in the car until I got out and locked it.....now I do not have the comfort button remote fob on my key, I can only lock and unlock the car with the key in the drivers door. So I got out, locked the car with the key, and told her to try and get out....she pulled on the door pulls and nothing happened, she tried the drivers door and nothing happened there either........I then told her to try the "door lock" toggle on the panel under the heater controls, she flipped the toggle up and everything on the car unlocked, both doors, boot, and gas cap .........

So, I guess I'm interested in knowing if someone has the key fob that works to try the same thing as I did above but to lock the car with the push button instead of the key in the door

I have not tested this "deadlock" scenario on my '06 R52 yet, it's still up on jackstands in the garage waiting for parts.

I do like the fact that I cannot lock the keys in the car.....doors cannot be locked by pushing the button down and shutting the door.....

Bryan

 

You can for the passenger door. To manually lock the car without key, close the drivers door and push down its button from the inside, then push down the button on the passenger side and close the door. There are also several scenarios where you can lock a key in the car from closing the hatch/tailgate.

 

Bryan
Please keep testing!
I believe there are differences between earlier & later years & models.
I think it also makes a difference whether you use the key fob or the key-in-the-door to lock the car. I've tested my '02 but the results don't seem very consistent.
The hatch responds to either two unlock signals from the fob or one 5-second signal, on some cars.

 

The other one is very easy committed. Go shopping then unlock the boot to lay the bags of grocery down together with the key. Slam the boot and proceed to the driver door only to realize you didn't unlock the door. Good, you think. You just unlock the boot moments ago.

 

I tried the scenario again after we got home...she could still get out of the '04 R53 by operating the toggle switch on the panel. Again, I don't have a key fob for the car, I was not going to pay $300 for a key.....all I can do is lock the car with key in the door......

I have not tried this operation on my "06 R52 yet.....but I will soon once the car is back up and running

Seems like an awful lot of trouble to lock the keys in the car....LOL...I'm not laughing at you or your reply, seeing as I am the one who mainly drives the R53, I'm picturing the steps taken to actually lock my key in the car as you posted....again, I'm not making fun of your post.......

So I get to where I'm going with the car, and I'm by myself.....so I shut the car off, set the e-brake, make sure all the windows are up and the sunroof is closed, I remove the key from the ignition, keys in one hand, cell phone in the other, I proceed to get my fat a$$ out of the drivers seat and into the passenger seat, trying to get over to the other seat is a task in itself....if I slip, I will now have an emergency brake handle up my butt, now I have dropped my key and it's out of reach....I also dropped my cell phone and it went under the gas pedal....again out of reach.....once I get free from the e-brake handle taking liberties with me, I finally get over to the passenger seat and open the door, exit the car and then push the door button down and lock the car with the key inside.....I can guarantee that little operation will never take place......

My comment above about not being able to lock the keys in the car were mainly from my point of view exiting the car from the drivers side.....

Bryan (my butt still hurts processing the operation of getting over to the passenger seat)

 

 

A simple but effective emergency window breaker is a spring-loaded center punch available at hardware stores or places like Harbor Freight.

 

Bryan-

I'm going to strongly suggest that you get a remote key for the one car and get the remote receiver on the other car fixed. The OEM door locks were not meant to be used every day and are not built to do so- I speak from personal experience. The one in my '02 failed after having to use it to lock the car after the actuator failed. The one in my wife's '03 just failed even without us using it much. Mine broke apart from the back- the shaft that comes out of the back broke off and it would just spin. My wife's doesn't unlock the car but it will lock. When going to unlock it just spins (a new one is on my desk). When this fails hopefully it will be when your car is unlocked, otherwise it's tough getting back in. I was using my wife's car for a few days when I thought I had lost the button key- I had to pry the back of the window open and pull the handle with a long piece of welding rod with a hook bent on the end, then I was able to drive away with the non-button key. Luckily I found the button key later. I run MINI Key Hospital where I fix MINI keys but it sounds like you need at least one new two button key- for that I recommend MINI of Peabody in Massachusetts. A new remote key will run you around $135 when ordered on the web (plus shipping). You will have to have the car coded to accept commands from the new remote- there is no series of button pushes that will get your new key working with your car, sorry. That only works with the refresh models with the three button keys. Figure about another $100 of dealer time for that unless you an get an independent programmer to do it for cheaper. Your part number for this key is 61316919271, order on line to get the discount (minipartsmass.com). Until then I hope your door locks keep working!

Val

 

Just a quick follow up on this. The dead lock does not apply to the 2005 MCS, or at least not the 2 I have in the same extend as some other BMW/MINI cars. Their might be a procedure to get it to work. I will test it again tonight to verify. I locked myself in the Chili red one using the remote and waited about 5 minutes. I tried the door handles, didn't do anything. Tried the toggle switches, didn't do anything either but I did hear something in the doors. I then tried the handles again. The first pull unlocked the door and the second opened the door. So I got out from the inside with out the keyfob. This was not in a stressful situation so I did not care or panic.

Then today in the Dark silver one, my wife locked the key and dog in the car. My guess she placed the key on the truck floor and the dog stepped on it or she actual used the boot button to open only the boot. Being in Tucson she was freaked out and wanted to smash a window. It took me 45 min to get there with the spare but by that time AAA got the car unlocked. They first tried the toggle and the car did not unlock and then they tried pulling the handle. Once again it unlocked on the first pull and opened on the second.

So in both situation, the car got unlock from the inside after a set amount of time being locked. Like I said, this is on both my 2005's. Your MINI might be different. I will lock myself in the silver one tonight and try again and verify the procedure.

 

Verified.

If you are locked in the car, you can get out, 2005 MCS that is. I locked myself in the car waited. Pulled the door handles and nothing. Used the toggle to unlock, visually nothing happens but it sounds like the door locks activates. Pull the door(I only tried the drivers door) handle once to unlock and a second to open the door.

 

Just to update this thread on my two cars that I tested today...I have an '04 MCS and an '06 R52 MCS......

I locked both cars today with the key via the drivers door, (neither of my cars have a working remote at this time, trying to rectify that issue soon), anyway, I left the windows down & locked the car, waited a good 15 minutes or so, went and tried to open each car via the inside door handle, nothing happened with either car. I reached through the window and operated the "toggle switch" to unlock the doors.....the door buttons did not pop up, but there was a noise from the doors like they tried to work. I then tried the inside door pulls on each car and the first pull unlocked the door, the second pull opened the door........

These are my results, yours may vary......

Bryan

 

You definitely can’t get out without the key fob being present in the 2006. I haven’t tested the time frame, I just know my wife was left in the vehicle without the key and she could not open the doors or unlock the vehicle. I am the OP of this thread.

 

I can get out of my '06 just fine.... I tested both my cars today, the '04 and the '06......doors would not open until I hit the toggle switch in the car for the doors, then 2 pulls on the inside door handle and the doors opened.......

Bryan

 

I’ll test again but I’m going to have a helper. Did you have the fob in your possession or near the vehicle?

 

No, my cars are outside or in the garage, and both keys for each car were inside the house

Bryan

 

I don't think the location of the key has anything to do with it. in the R50/52/53 models. The key gets energized only when really close or in the ignition. Hold the key to, not in, the ignition while the door is open and the chime will go off, move it a couple of inches and it stops.

So, out of a sample size of 4, the deadlocked feature is not present on the facelifted gen I's. So a potential issue if you don't understand the system or are panicked


Did you try this last night?