beldredge

First, sorry if this has been addressed elsewhere, but I did a search through the numerous CA threads, and didn't find the answer I was looking for.

I just ordered my 530xi, and am considering adding CA to it. Here's my question:

Approaching the car, is it only the driver's side that can unlock the car with CA, or can you do it from the passenger side as well (front or rear door?)? One reason I would like CA is that I am often carrying at least one child (sometimes two), and not fumbling with the key would be convenient. But a lot of the time I'm getting one of my sons in first, on the passenger side. It would defeat the convenience aspect of CA if I had to walk around to the driver's side to unlock the car.

Similarly, if a friend is getting in on the passenger side, and they get to the car first, I assume they can't open the door until you, as the driver, open the driver's door?

Thanks! I know these questions are sort of silly, but I want to make sure I understand how it all works before dropping the ridiculous $1,000 it requires.

Klepper

Mine works on all 4 doors

centenorc

All four doors can be accessed or opened using CA. If you touch the driver's door first, only that door will unlock. However, if you touch any of the other doors all four doors unlock. You can also lock all doors using CA. If you use your left hand over the driver's door handle and place your thumb on the key hole, all doors will lock.

Klepper

All four of my doors unlock when I touch the drivers door, but I have it set that way in the i-drive options (don't recall exactly where off the top of my head).

santiago fonseca

Funny you should ask, but your question is not silly. I suppose many people will have different stories. I ordered the C.A. for a slightly different reason - one of convenience to me and to avoid having to put the key in AND have to press start as well. It's the stupidest gadget in the car. If you have to put the key in, just turn it and do away with the button altogether... It's supposed to be cool I guess, but it just adds a step to the start up routine. It pretty much forces you to spend the extra thou to get it.

But to answer your question - in my experience: You can go through the iDrive and set it to open driver's door only or all doors (under Vehicle Settings). That said, I have it set for all doors, but if I touch the driver's door, only that door will open, then I have to touch the rear passenger door to open all doors, and I have to touch and touch sometimes until it does. It gets better - if I come up to the car and just touch the REAR passenger door - driver's side, then the whole car opens - all four doors, without any more touches. I have not yet tried touching the front passenger side first, but once I had my daughter touch the passenger's side and all the doors opened even though the key fob was in MY possession (it's a proximity thing they say...). And last, the trunk, it worked off and on until I "discovered" a trick: I touch the trunk release (the whole car is locked still) and then I just touch the lid anywhere with the tip of a finger and the trunk springs open. I've tried this many times and it never fails. If I just squeeze the trunk release it may not open, but if I squeeze it and then touch the trunk lid, it will open immediately.

Locking requires you to touch the lock itself in the driver's door. It will not lock if you touch the painted handle - at least not for me.

Let me know if this helps you any. It is sort of convenient, but again, if you do not get it you'll curse yourself for having to insert the key AND press the button - with kids or no kids. And they could not do away with the key slot for C.A. cars since you'll have to insert the key periodically to charge it/keep it charged

Regards,
Santiago.

beldredge

Thanks for the replies. That helps a lot.

I agree that it's silly for BMW to have included the button, but make the true CA an extra-cost option, at least on the 5-series. Without CA, the button just seems so gimmicky. The RL, M35 and GS all have it as standard.

I hate to spend $1k on something I can obviously live without, but I figure as the years pass, and it becomes a standard on more and more cars, I'll wish I had it.