Remote Key Failure

AWJDThumper · 12-19-2023, 04:20 AM

The remote control on one of the keys for my 2019 X1 has failed although the transponder inside it is still working to allow me to start the car. I have changed the battery but that made no difference.

I would be interested to know if anyone else has had this problem and found a way to get it working again? Fortunately, I can probably get away without buying a new key from BMW since the broken one can still be used as a spare manual key but it would be nice to get it working again, being only 4 years old!

Skyline2.0 · 12-19-2023, 02:36 PM

Had the same problem a few weeks back. The first replacement battery that I installed tested as "good." BMW key fobs might need a fully charged battery to function properly, as it ended up working with a brand new one. Worth a try if the battery you put in was sitting around for awhile.

mrpingu · 12-19-2023, 03:25 PM

I also heard that BMW fobs don’t go well with cheap batteries. Read one guy solved the problem by using varta battery instead of cheap no-name batteries from the gasstation.0

rice_rocket88 · 12-19-2023, 03:27 PM

Yes I've said the same thing more than once. I first saw this issue and someone else had it. In the last 4 or 5 years I've seen this happen over and over to me, my friends and family. Even though you think you have a good battery, the best thing is to swap it, or change it from something known to work. I've found at least 4 batteries that were in fact dead even though the pack said it was good for a lot more years.

AWJDThumper · 12-20-2023, 12:47 AM

Many thanks for the replies. When I bought my X1 18 months ago, the first thing I did was to change the fob batteries and both keys worked fine until a week or so ago.

However, I've just done a test by changing the batteries in the two fobs to see whether the known good battery worked in the otherwise duff fob. The initial result was that neither fob then worked. So I changed back the batteries and now both fobs are working!

I'm at a loss to explain exactly what the problem was especially as I had tried several new batteries in the duff fob without making any difference. I will have to see how the fobs go but at least the problem appears to have gone away - for now!

Again, many thanks for the helpful replies

12-19-2023, 04:20 AM	#1
AWJDThumper New Member 0 Rep 27 Posts Drives: BMW X1 Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Oxfordshire iTrader: (0)	Remote Key Failure The remote control on one of the keys for my 2019 X1 has failed although the transponder inside it is still working to allow me to start the car. I have changed the battery but that made no difference. I would be interested to know if anyone else has had this problem and found a way to get it working again? Fortunately, I can probably get away without buying a new key from BMW since the broken one can still be used as a spare manual key but it would be nice to get it working again, being only 4 years old!
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12-19-2023, 02:36 PM	#2
Skyline2.0 First Lieutenant 137 Rep 310 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW X1 xDrive Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: United States iTrader: (0)	Had the same problem a few weeks back. The first replacement battery that I installed tested as "good." BMW key fobs might need a fully charged battery to function properly, as it ended up working with a brand new one. Worth a try if the battery you put in was sitting around for awhile.
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12-19-2023, 03:25 PM	#3
mrpingu Captain 191 Rep 635 Posts Drives: 2018 F48 X1 xDrive 18D Join Date: Nov 2022 Location: Norway iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW X1 (F48) [10.00]	I also heard that BMW fobs don’t go well with cheap batteries. Read one guy solved the problem by using varta battery instead of cheap no-name batteries from the gasstation.0
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12-19-2023, 03:27 PM	#4
rice_rocket88 Major 303 Rep 1,087 Posts Drives: E60 F48 F39 Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Yes I've said the same thing more than once. I first saw this issue and someone else had it. In the last 4 or 5 years I've seen this happen over and over to me, my friends and family. Even though you think you have a good battery, the best thing is to swap it, or change it from something known to work. I've found at least 4 batteries that were in fact dead even though the pack said it was good for a lot more years.
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12-20-2023, 12:47 AM	#5
AWJDThumper New Member 0 Rep 27 Posts Drives: BMW X1 Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Oxfordshire iTrader: (0)	Many thanks for the replies. When I bought my X1 18 months ago, the first thing I did was to change the fob batteries and both keys worked fine until a week or so ago. However, I've just done a test by changing the batteries in the two fobs to see whether the known good battery worked in the otherwise duff fob. The initial result was that neither fob then worked. So I changed back the batteries and now both fobs are working! I'm at a loss to explain exactly what the problem was especially as I had tried several new batteries in the duff fob without making any difference. I will have to see how the fobs go but at least the problem appears to have gone away - for now! Again, many thanks for the helpful replies
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