Hey all,

Just wanted to get a little bit of insight from others after spending entirely too long trying to program/activate/whatever a new key fob.

I just purchased my M235i xDrive a month ago. The dealer that I purchased it from went ahead and ordered a spare key as they only had one when they took the car in for trade.

I just picked up the key today. I watched a bunch of videos on how to activate the key but it doesn't seem to be working.

I tried holding it to the key symbol on the steering column while the good key was in the car, I tried removing the good key and just using the new one. I made sure there was a battery in it (I don't have another one to pop in right now to try). I tried combinations of unlocking the car with the good key, holding the new key to the steering column (with the good key outside/out of range) and then introducing the good key back in the car... and any other combination I could think of.

The new key did come with the key cut and I was able to use it to manually unlock/lock the car from outside the car. Does this say anything about the situation?

Anyone have any other ideas? Do the videos I saw for F30's/etc. not work with our car? I tried searching here and it SEEMS like it should be the same procedure.

Thanks for any advice! I was really hoping to avoid bringing the car to a BMW dealer and having to pay them to activate/troubleshoot the key.

[M235ForNow]

I went through this a couple of months ago. The tech sat in the drivers seat, placed the new key against the steering column (right side) and pushed the start button. That was it.

[morphomeman]

I don't understand why you should have to pay to sync the key. The 'dealer' you bought it from is responsible for the work. He or she sold you a car and provided you (in the end) with two keys.
You have now spent a day on something that another person should have taken care of.

Fair enough. I just assumed that since they're not a BMW dealer that I would have to bring it to one. You make sense. I can just bring it back to them and have them do the legwork. The car dealer I bought it from is about twice as far as the closest BMW dealership, but I really don't want to have to put in any cash if I don't have to.

Originally Posted by morphomeman

I don't understand why you should have to pay to sync the key. The 'dealer' you bought it from is responsible for the work. He or she sold you a car and provided you (in the end) with two keys.
You have now spent a day on something that another person should have taken care of.

[hwntime]

This may be a stupid question but when you held the key to the column, did you press down the brake pedal and push the ignition? I think that's what you're supposed to do if you haven't.

Originally Posted by hwntime

This may be a stupid question but when you held the key to the column, did you press down the brake pedal and push the ignition? I think that's what you're supposed to do if you haven't.

Yessir. I tried that. I watched every youtube video I could find on the subject. I tried it with the good key in the car, the good key out of the car, all while the foot was on the brake (and new key held up against the symbol) and trying to start it.

[3rdcoast228i]

Where did they get this key? My understanding is it has to come from the factory with the VIN programmed into it already. Then you activate it when you get it.

Originally Posted by 3rdcoast228i

Where did they get this key? My understanding is it has to come from the factory with the VIN programmed into it already. Then you activate it when you get it.

There is a BMW dealership next door to the dealer I bought it from (Wagner BMW in Shrewsbury, MA). They told me they ordered the key from there.

[3rdcoast228i]

Darn sorry for the trouble. Sounds like you need to take it back to the people you bought it from. But you may be able to just swing by the BMW dealer and maybe they will check it out for you.

I would also make sure the key is cut correctly, you don't want to find out it's bad when you need it.

If anyone ever comes across this and cares...

I called the place I bought the car from and they are going to take it over to BMW and pay for it to get it taken care of. They think it has something to do with comfort control/access/whatever it's called.

There wasn't anything I was doing wrong in particular to activate the key, sounds like it just needs a little bit more programming from BMW's side.

Thanks all for any suggestions and comments!

[Ron Jeffries]

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