Info needed - BMW Remote with Comfort Access

[spdy330]

I have a question for the pros here. So from what I understood is a non comfort access remote has a rechargeable battery that charges when plugged into the key slot on the dash. I also know that the comfort access remote has a replaceable non rechargeable battery.

So here is goes.... for the past three years my vehicle on a few occasions has popped up a message on my navigation screen stating to insert the key before damage occurs to the vehicle as it is no longer detected.

Each time I have taken it to the dealer it is the same thing... the battery in the remote was low and needed to be replaced.

This time it was a little different. The dealer asked me if I ever put the key in the ignition and I told them no. When I picked up my vehicle from the service department they inform me that the internal battery that is soldered on the key was low and needs to be charged from time to time by inserting the key in the ignition.

I told them that I thought the remote only has one battery and they said it has two. One replaceable for the comfort access features and a rechargeable battery for the controller.

Can anyone comment if they are accurate with this or were they blowing smoke my way. If I need to plug it in from time to time I will do so. If that is also the case my other key is probably dead as I have not used it since the car was new.

[ChrisF]

7 months of ownership with a comfort access car. I never put the key in the dash; never seen the error message. I call BS.

[spdy330]

I too never have put the key in the ignition slot and I have owned it for a little over 3 years now. Makes no sense to me that there would be a secondary battery soldered on the circuit board for what they are calling the controller.

Originally Posted by ChrisF

7 months of ownership with a comfort access car. I never put the key in the dash; never seen the error message. I call BS.

[7500rich]

Seems odd to me, like you, I'm under the impression that my CA key has a non rechargeable battery. I have replaced the battery once, but it has only ever been in the key slot a couple of times since car was new.

[spdy330]

So they claim that the replaceable battery is for trunk and door entry as well as starting the car. The "So called" rechargeable battery is so the controller in the key will be able to stay in constant communication with the vehicle. Sounds fishy to me but at least it is documented in the event this is not correct information.

Originally Posted by 7499rich

Seems odd to me, like you, I'm under the impression that my CA key has a non rechargeable battery. I have replaced the battery once, but it has only ever been in the key slot a couple of times since car was new.

[tjsabec]

i've owned my CA car for 3.5 years without ever inserting the key in the slot without issue.....

[EPOS]

Dealer is full of shit. CA fobs have only one battery and that's the CR2032, there is no other battery in the fob. I have taken apart one before and there is no other "rechargeable" battery. It is true that non-CA fobs are rechargeable.

[spdy330]

I believe what you say is true. I think they just could not reproduce as it has only happened a handful of times and wanted the car out the door.

Originally Posted by EPOS

Dealer is full of shit. CA fobs have only one battery and that's the CR2032, there is no other battery in the fob. I have taken apart one before and there is no other "rechargeable" battery. It is true that non-CA fobs are rechargeable.

[EPOS]

Originally Posted by spdy330

I believe what you say is true. I think they just could not reproduce as it has only happened a handful of times and wanted the car out the door.

Do you have another dealer nearby? Seems like this one is just brushing you off.

[gimmethemuumuu]

CA remote has a non-rechargeable battery which needs replacing periodically. Non-CA remote has a rechargeable battery and, therefore, needs to be inserted into the key port to charge on occasion. I wanna say even the owner's manual states this. SA is full of sh**.

[besiktas]

I got confort access. just replace the remote key battery when the low battery message shows up. it is 2$ in CVS or buy from amazon. lasts about 1.5 yrs

[spdy330]

Originally Posted by EPOS

Do you have another dealer nearby? Seems like this one is just brushing you off.

This is my second dealer. I too highly doubt there are two batteries in the remote with comfort access.

[EPOS]

Here, kindly show this to the SA and tell them to take a hike. These are pics of a CA fob.





This is one of my fobs that my wife washed by accident and no longer works due to the corrosion on the board lol

[spdy330]

EPOS - That was super cool of you to post those pictures. I am going to email my advisor and provide him this link to look at. I would like to see what their explanation is at that point.

[Prince_of_Persia]

I have seen this error. When my key battery is low or I have my cell in my pocket too, sometimes this error shows up (that the key was not detected, nothing about damage though lol). CA keys have only one battery, and it is not rechargeable.

[EPOS]

No prob, hope it helps.

[spdy330]

Well I just emailed my SA to have him look at this thread and hopefully he will get back to me via email. I would like to see if they have any supporting documents that support their claim that I need to plug my comfort access remote in to charge some battery that is supposed to be soldered on the circuit board in addition to the replaceable battery.

[spdy330]

Just minutes after emailing my SA he replied and said he will forward my email to his shop foreman as this is where he received the information from. I am sure there will be more to come on this.

I appreciate my SA promptly looking into this and getting the correct answer to this.

[spdy330]

Okay so I received a response from the SA. I am going to keep the dealer and my SA names anonymous. I just want to share what they said and see if anyone's opinions have changed.

One of these is on page 43 and the other is on page 27. To me it looks like one is for comfort access and the other is for non comfort access.



Hi Eric,



Here is the information from BMW on the key. The bottom picture tells you about the internal battery and the top picture talks about the replaceable battery (for comfort access features)



Thanks,

XXXX

[spdy330]

Me:


XXXX,

Thanks for getting back to me with this information. I will review it once I get home from work but I still am trying to see where this so called internal rechargeable battery is on the inside. On my link I provided it does not appear to have a battery soldered on the circuit board hence the reason for my questioning this.

Once I review I will see what other FORUM members have to say.

Thank you,

Eric

Sent from my iPhone



SA:


Eric,

I think I would rely on what BMW has on printed rather than the forum. Let me know if you have any other concerns. I’m glad to hear the noise in gone.

Have a good day,

XXXX

[EPOS]

Page 27 is talking about the non-CA fob. Tell your SA I will bet them $1000 that there is no integrated rechargeable battery in a CA fob.

Look how different a non-CA fob is compared to the pics of the CA fob I provided.

[spdy330]

EPOS - I hope you did not break your remote opening it up. I too believe they are referring to two different remotes.

It just makes no sense why you would need to put a CA remote in the car to charge a battery that I feel does not exist.