Starting car with BMW wallet key?
12-05-2013, 07:00 PM
#1
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Starting car with BMW wallet key?
Hey guys quick question, left my key at a friends place when he picked me up. Car is in the garage but all I have with me is the BMW wallet key. It is the key shaped like an actual key that is plastic and black. I don't have the key fob thing the key goes into, so my question is... is there a way to start the car with only the plastic key shaped key and nothing more? thanks.
12-05-2013, 07:08 PM
#2
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This is the key I'm referring to... I have this key and no other keys at the moment... Not sure if it's suppose to start the ignition, if so I have no idea where to put it since it doesn't go into the regular key fob spot.
12-05-2013, 07:15 PM
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Hey, I was actually wondering the same thing one day. I don't believe so. This is why: because the key fob is an actual computer chip, right? That key part is just plastic and I don't believe has any type of electronics inside of it, just a complex carved pattern for insertion into the real key. If you could start the car with that plastic piece, then BMW would have a ton of problems on their hands… hahaha. So I'm gonna say no but I might be wrong.
12-05-2013, 07:27 PM
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Hey Bilbo, the plastic key actually does have a chip in it, but I believe it requires the "SPARE KEY ADAPTOR" which is like an empty key fob that you place this plastic key into. They are usually located in the glove box from what I've read, but I can't seem to locate mine... Either I'm blind or it didn't come with my car when I bought it.
12-06-2013, 02:02 AM
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My Ride: Alpine White 2010 535 M-Sport
Thats the valet key. Mine is missing too, but from what I understand, even if you had the plastic key fob, the chip thats in the valet key would limit your revs and/or available gears..so that the valet can't take the car for a joy ride. So if true, it would make for an interesting drive over to the friends house.
12-06-2013, 07:48 AM
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My Ride: 545i sport
Model Year: 2004
My E60 has the old fashioned key for ignition. But, my E66 had push button start and the fake FOB was located in the tool compartment in the trunk. You would use the plastic key to open the trunk to get the FOB shell, assemble and insert in "ignition" slot and start car. But, my E66 had comfort access, so the plastic key was all that was really needed as it could stay in my pocket (IIRC).
Last edited by DavidF; 12-06-2013 at 07:51 AM.
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