[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

do you have the full digital cluster?

I don't think that dealerships know anything about software updates. If their diagnostic software says update, they do. If they can't fix it and BMW engineers say update, they do.

If you haven't coded your car, you have nothing to lose to complain to your dealership and ask them to update the software.

I can't understand why BMW makes updating software such a big deal when Tesla can do it remotely electronically.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by SteveinArizona

I don't think that dealerships know anything about software updates. If their diagnostic software says update, they do. If they can't fix it and BMW engineers say update, they do.

If you haven't coded your car, you have nothing to lose to complain to your dealership and ask them to update the software.

I can't understand why BMW makes updating software such a big deal when Tesla can do it remotely electronically.

Totally right. I have just been resisting because its such a small thing (its literally JUST the clock issue) that I don't want to have them update the software and all my settings get reset to factory I mean, I could just wait until it goes in for something bigger.

It just seems crappy that some cars just don't have this feature for no discernible reason. Finding out that newer cars have got it again makes it even more crappy for me. Before today, I thought that BMW had decided to stop putting the option in on purpose and so it was ONLY early cars that had it. Now I know its actually just an accident that cars made between a certain date just don't have that option.

Anyway, thats my rant over - back in perspective: its a 1st world problem Thanks for allowing me to vent

[en1gma]

After reading the manual (again), it doesn't say anything about the diamond button being programmable; only that it flashes/activates the lights (duration as per 'follow me home' setting/whatever it is called).

Re the clock: I'm with Mobilejo...

[SteveinArizona]

Originally Posted by en1gma

After reading the manual (again), it doesn't say anything about the diamond button being programmable; only that it flashes/activates the lights (duration as per 'follow me home' setting/whatever it is called).

Re the clock: I'm with Mobilejo...

Not the end of the world for me that the panic button is not programmable. There is one golf course I play at that is so far out that I don't get a signal on my iphone. So during the summer when I played that course I used the diamond button on my former 330e to turn on the AC as I drove my car past the parking lot on the way to the bag drop.

Otherwise, I can always use the phone app.

I can live with not being able to use the remote to turn on the AC. It would have been nice but not essential or even very important to me.

[is_niice]

Wait....am I the only one that thought it locks the car??

Lol so now I'm realizing that the diamond and silver surround are individual keys. Although I know for sure that it does lock the car when you press it and the vehicle is unlocked.

I'm also aware that in previous BMWs it would activate the panic function.

So what the heck does it do.

[CH79]

I can program the button on my G31 to either flash the lights, open the main boot (trunk) or open the hatch on the boot.

[DavidI]

Originally Posted by CH79

I can program the button on my G31 to either flash the lights, open the main boot (trunk) or open the hatch on the boot.

Can you confirm if this is through coding or somewhere in the iDrive menu please?

I don't have comfort access and the only thing my diamond button does is turn the headlights on - I've tried short, medium and long presses! Having a button to open the glass hatch would be very useful!

[AndrewUK]

Originally Posted by CH79

I can program the button on my G31 to either flash the lights, open the main boot (trunk) or open the hatch on the boot.

Same on my G31. If nobody posts the menu settings beforehand, I'll check which section it is in the next time I am in the car.

[DavidI]

Magic, found it - thanks both! My vehicle/Vehicle settings/Doors&Key/Key button settings. I had been in there once then completely forgot about it.

[Pequin]

Originally Posted by Bibbles

I know I should probably RTFM but does anyone know what this button does on the remote, I've pressed it but it doesn't appear to do anything.

I just tried mine, at first nothing but then I felt a great disturbance in the force!

[timmahh]

Curious.. do any of you have the factory alarm?

In the NA market my key has these buttons:

Unlock
Lock
Trunk
Panic


None of them are programmable; some have multiple functions, i.e. lock locks and arms.. but after 10 seconds, lock activates the interior lights.

The panic button, when pressed briefly activates the exterior lights. When held for three seconds or pressed three times in succession the alarm siren goes off.

[DBO]

Originally Posted by Bibbles

Excellent, just went and tried it out. Also it seems that a short press turns off comfort access which is nice and means I don't have to worry about those guys that have the range extenders nicking the car.

Oh MY GOD!!! You have no idea how much you've just made my day. Yes, this works! Amazing. The mind boggles as to why BMW decided not to mention this in ANY literature.

On our previous Mercedes you could temporarily disable comfort access by double-clicking the lock button on the fob. I had missed this stupid little feature incredibly. A simply thing, but so handy when you're washing the car for example.

Superb find - thanks.

[dlf750]

I do not have a diamond button...

[JOHNBMWM5]

This Button on my M5 Competition just turns the headlamps on for courtesy.

[DBO]

OK so here I was thinking I'm onto a winner - but not really. Quite to the contrary, I think I'm going nuts. That short press on the diamond key definitely worked yesterday to disable the comfort access - but then today I was able to open the doors anyway. So ... turns out, the logic is VERY strange. It does work, but once only.

The process is:
1) lock the car
2) One short press of the diamond key on the fob
- Car is now locked and Comfort access is disabled, meaning you can try and open the car with the handle but the car stays locked.

Remove your hand however and come back a second time (to any of the doors), then the Comfort Access is enabled again and you can unlock the car as usual. WTF.. it's crazy.

I've repeated this numerous times - even have a video. The disable logic only holds temporarily (i.e. for a single unlock attempt).

It therefore won't help you to guard against range extender attacks. I even doubt it will hold value when washing the car since that triggers the door handle unlock several times as well.

[hlothery]

Originally Posted by dlf750

I do not have a diamond button...

Me either, apparently. Could someone post a picture of this mysterious button?

[DBO]

Originally Posted by hlothery

Me either, apparently. Could someone post a picture of this mysterious button?

There you go. Lower button.

[dlf750]

Interesting, mine has a panic button, not a diamond. Do your keys have the BMW colored stripes on the side of the fob?

[clee1982]

I don't have diamond either

[DBO]

Originally Posted by dlf750

Interesting, mine has a panic button, not a diamond. Do your keys have the BMW colored stripes on the side of the fob?

Yes. There's market dependent variants of the fob. We don't have alarm on ours. I think the North American cars generally come with an alarm right?.. that could be why they chose the panic version as the norm perhaps.

[Pale0Blue0Eyes]

Originally Posted by JOHNBMWM5

This Button on my M5 Competition just turns the headlamps on for courtesy.

Same here. If it's dark enough, my diamond button switches on the courtesy headlights for whatever duration you have set in the iDrive.

[hlothery]

Thanks for posting the picture. I don't have that. I also have a red alarm/panic button.