What Functions Does a BMW Key Fob Have? Your BMW key fob probably has numerous functions. It can be used for many things, including opening your doors, controlling your windows as well as starting the engine. There are a few secret techniques that you may not know about. Let's look at some of the most useful ones. Functions The BMW key fob is a tiny, rectangular piece of plastic with many buttons built into its side. Most of the buttons are used to lock and unlock the vehicle, and a few have more unique functions. For example, BMW owners can activate an invisible function on their key fob to lower all their windows simultaneously by pressing the unlock button two times. This is ideal for those who want to cool their vehicle on the scorching summer days. Another major function of the BMW key fob is that it can be used to start the vehicle. This is a fantastic security measure and blocks unauthorized entry into the vehicle. To start the engine, the driver has to press the lock button on the key fob and then the circular arrow. https://www.openlearning.com/u/gilesmercado-sjt4dn/blog/BmwReplacementKeyExplainedInLessThan140Characters is also available on newer BMW models to start the vehicle remotely. This is particularly useful in situations where the driver is in a hurry for work and doesn't have the time to get out of the car to open the door. Lastly it is worth noting that the BMW key fob can be used to control the car's interior climate system. This is particularly useful for those who travel with several people, since it is possible to set each person's preferred temperatures with their individual key fob. The key fob on a hybrid BMW can be used to monitor the battery's charging status. While the standard BMW key fobs are able to withstand normal levels of humidity, dropping them into water can cause significant damage. It's best to store the key fob in its case of protection when it is not in use. If you lose your key fob we can provide a service which will deactivate the device, making it useless to thieves. Contacting the dealer or our technicians will be able to do this. A replacement for the lost BMW key fob can then be purchased to restore full functionality to your car. Design BMW key fobs were large, clunky rectangles of black that, from a distance, appeared like a bottle-opener. They were basic, but useful. BMW then made them smaller and added a plastic casing around the base to make it look more attractive and less like an opener for keys. The new design also trimmed the rough edges of the keys that could pierce pockets or bags and made the keys easier to hold. BMW introduced the Display Key which puts all the functions of your car in your hand. The BMW key fob comes with a small LCD screen that lets you lock and unlock your vehicle, operate the air conditioning and display the information about your vehicle. It even allows remote parking on hybrid models! If you're in need of a replacement key fob, you can have the same functionality and features by using the BMW Digital Key. Just use your compatible smartphone to replace the BMW key fob, and then unlock your car! This feature is only available to BMW vehicles built after 2021 that use the iDrive 8 system. Another exciting new key from BMW is the Connected Remote Key, which lets you start your car and control certain functions using your smartphone. The app lets you remotely manage your car's climate control, check battery levels, and more! You can even see how much gas you have left in your tank should your car be equipped with that feature. Whether you're using a BMW Digital Key or a traditional key fob the process of obtaining the replacement is the same. Our technicians will help you with the process if you bring both your old key and new one to Patrick BMW. You can also purchase a BMW Key Protection Plan, which will cover replacement costs when keys are lost or stolen. If you do lose your BMW key, don't panic! The first step is to reset the key, which will erase any programming on it and render it inoperable. This is done by turning the key from position one and back quickly, five times in a row. Then, turn the key to position zero and then remove it from the ignition. Security The BMW Digital Key makes it easy to start your car. The fob pairs with your smartphone or Apple Watch and works with BMW Connected Drive to unlock the vehicle, start the engine, and much more. It also lets you share the key with up to five others. The key fob communicates encrypted signals with the vehicle. This makes it difficult for hackers to intercept and clone the signal. Additionally the UWB technology used in the BMW Digital Key prevents relay attacks even when the fob is moving when it is being transported. The system uses an alarm to prevent unauthorized starting and disables ignition switch. BMW offers a variety of security options that can be added. Passive Start is one of them. It disables the starter motor when the key fob does not remain within close proximity to your car. This feature is available in several models from the brand and provides additional security. BMW's most advanced models come with keyless entry, which lets users to start their vehicle without having manually inserting a key or pressing any buttons. This feature can be activated by pressing three times on the lock button of the fob in a single second. In certain situations, you might need to press the lock on the fob 3 times in order to activate the remote start feature on the steering wheel or dashboard. Some people carry their BMW keyfob in a bag that blocks signals. This minimizes the risk of a third-party broadcasting identifying code from the fob to gain access to the vehicle. Some prefer using a standard case that does not have the feature, but it still protects the fob against scratches. Some BMW owners have reported that their cars were stolen by criminals using a signal amplifier to increase the signal strength of the identifying signals. This type of attack is known as "Relay Attack" and can be prevented by keeping your key fob in a signal-blocking pocket or by using an app that blocks signals on your smartphone. Replacement Everyone has experienced this - the battery in your BMW key fob fails or you need to buy another one for your family. Luckily, purchasing the replacement BMW key fob and programming it into your car is easy and inexpensive. You can buy an alternative from any dealer or locksmith authorized by BMW. A new key fob will cost between $400 and $650 based on the model of BMW you drive. To program the new key fob into your BMW, first make sure that there is no other key in the ignition. Also, close the doors of your vehicle. Insert your new key fob in the ignition, and quickly change it from position 1 to 0, and back to position 1. Next, press the unlock button on your BMW key fob and press the BMW logo three times in rapid succession. After you have finished this, take off your key and turn the vehicle on. The doors will unlock and lock, indicating that your new key fob has been successfully programmed. Depending on the model of your car, you could have a key blade inside your key fob or without. The process for syncing new fobs to your car differs for each, but the steps are almost identical. The only difference is that the fob with a metal key inside will need to be put into the ignition when you wish to start the car. If you have a BMW with Comfort Access the process is even simpler. After you've programmed a new key fob, simply insert it into the ignition of your BMW and press the start button. While your BMW is a fantastic way to travel around Decatur however, it is vital that you keep your key fob in good condition. Patrick BMW's parts department will help you find a replacement BMW fob or a replacement. We can help you locate the right key fob to your car and can upgrade your BMW with a Comfort Access upgrade to enable keyless entry as well as engine starting.