[Norbimmer]

I have succesfully activated the key card in the car, butthen the fun stops. The car doesn’t seem to recognize the card, or at least it refuses to open the doors. I have deactivated and reactuvated the card multiple times without any change.

I also installed the DK on my iPhone and that works, but would like to have the key card for when I don’t want to bring a fob or a phone with me i.e. when going for water activities.

Any pointers in what to try? The card seems to work as it can be activated and recognized in the charging tray. NFC in the door works as it recognizes the DK on my phone

[JimVR4]

Originally Posted by Norbimmer

I have succesfully activated the key card in the car, butthen the fun stops. The car doesn’t seem to recognize the card, or at least it refuses to open the doors. I have deactivated and reactuvated the card multiple times without any change.

I also installed the DK on my iPhone and that works, but would like to have the key card for when I don’t want to bring a fob or a phone with me i.e. when going for water activities.

Any pointers in what to try? The card seems to work as it can be activated and recognized in the charging tray. NFC in the door works as it recognizes the DK on my phone

Check if the car starts with the card in the charging tray. Try touching the card at various points across the door handle to find where it triggers lock and unlock. Try both sides of the card.

[Norbimmer]

I have tried the card at multiple points, in front of the handle, behind the handle and different sides of the card.

Was thinking of trying to start the car with the card in the tray as well, but have not yet done that. Will do. Thanks.

My DK in the phone seems to only be able to unloch and start the car, not lock the car. I couldn’t get the car to lock with the phone and noticed that on the face of the ”card” in the iPhone wallet it says ”open doors”, ”start engine”. Is there a way to define what the DK and also the key card should do when used?

[nZtiZia]

with both my digital key card and iPhone Digital Key, I'm able to lock and unlock simply by holding it up against the outside of the driver door handle (midpoint). I enabled Express Mode which allows the iPhone to lock/unlock the vehicle without unlocking the iPhone or even opening up the Wallet. It's super responsive!

I've seen a video where he placed and held the key card inside the driver door handle to lock and unlock, but it wasn't an X5. can maybe try that with both your key card and iPhone?

[Norbimmer]

I put the key card in the tray and was able to start the car �� After that the card also works to lock and unlock the car. I’d like to think that starting the car was what solved the issue, but I guess it probably was a user error in the first place, i.e I probably didn’t put the card against the handle in the right spot despite my numerous attempts. If I hold the card to the right on the handle (where the cap for the manual key lock is) it doesn’t get recognized.

Thanks for all the advice, highly appreciate it. Happy it works now.

[JimVR4]

Originally Posted by Norbimmer

I put the key card in the tray and was able to start the car �� After that the card also works to lock and unlock the car. I'd like to think that starting the car was what solved the issue, but I guess it probably was a user error in the first place, i.e I probably didn't put the card against the handle in the right spot despite my numerous attempts. If I hold the card to the right on the handle (where the cap for the manual key lock is) it doesn't get recognized.

Thanks for all the advice, highly appreciate it. Happy it works now.

Yay! Yeah the curve furthest from the car body is where mine triggers. I haven't found a way to use it with the tailgate so for that I open the driver's door and touch the button

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by JimVR4

I haven't found a way to use it with the tailgate so for that I open the driver's door and touch the button

both the digital key card and Apple Digital Key work only on the driver's door handle to lock/unlock and start the vehicle. There is no tailgate function with either of them unless you're referring to the lock/unlock 'All doors' setting in iDrive (key card and Digital Key do not physically open the tailgate; just locks/unlocks it according to your settings).

[Seansta]

You need to ensure your touching the car correctly for it to open the doors.

Touch/Put the car on the car driver door handle in the middle. So middle of the handle has the NFC sensor.

[SplendidCamel]

The BMW videos on how to use the iPhone Digital Key show the user holding the top underside of the iPhone at the rear of the door handle where there is an oval cut-out. Ignore this training video. This is not how to use an NFC key with an X5.

Using the physical Digital Key Card doesn’t work if I tap the end of the door handle. It does work if I tap the middle of the door handle. So as other people have mentioned, it seems that the sensors for the NFC DK are in the middle of the driver’s door handle.

Try this. Place the card horizontally at the front of the handle. Slowly swipe the card to the rear of the handle while maintaining contact with the door handle. It will unlock when the card is at the middle of the handle. Place the card horizontally at the rear of the handle. Slowly swipe the card to the front of the handle while maintaining contact with the door handle. The door will lock when the card is at the center of the handle.

This proves that the NFC reader for the physical card likes the card to be at the center of the door handle. The iPhone Digital Key works best in the center of the handle as well.

[nZtiZia]

the NFC area on the driver door handle is shown in the manual

[arRod1981]

Originally Posted by SplendidCamel

The BMW videos on how to use the iPhone Digital Key show the user holding the top underside of the iPhone at the rear of the door handle where there is an oval cut-out. Ignore this training video. This is not how to use an NFC key with an X5.

Using the physical Digital Key Card doesn’t work if I tap the end of the door handle. It does work if I tap the middle of the door handle. So as other people have mentioned, it seems that the sensors for the NFC DK are in the middle of the driver’s door handle.

Try this. Place the card horizontally at the front of the handle. Slowly swipe the card to the rear of the handle while maintaining contact with the door handle. It will unlock when the card is at the middle of the handle. Place the card horizontally at the rear of the handle. Slowly swipe the card to the front of the handle while maintaining contact with the door handle. The door will lock when the card is at the center of the handle.

This proves that the NFC reader for the physical card likes the card to be at the center of the door handle. The iPhone Digital Key works best in the center of the handle as well.

Did you really revive a post that's over a year old to give instructions that others already gave and OP probably figured out by now how to get it to work?

[SplendidCamel]

I got to the post from a Google search. The forum serves as a knowledge base as well as a cotemporaneous dialog. Someday, four years from now, someone will Google search BMW X5 key card issues and land here.

Last summer we went we did a beach vacation. I figured it would be easier to use the key card than taking the full key to go swimming in the ocean. One time when we were leaving the hotel, my key card and my digital key did not unlock the door of a June 2022 build X5. However, once unlocked with the regular key, my key card was able to start the vehicle.

I think there is a bug where the door handle is not doing NFC reads. However, trying to replicate the bug would require me to rely on the key card or digital key which is too risky.

Perhaps a year from now, someone will figure out what triggers the bug where the handle doesn't do the NFC reads.

[SplendidCamel]

After my key card and Digital key stopped working, I was going to take the X5 into the dealer. However, I decided to delete the key card and digital key from the vehicle and then add them back. That fixed the issue, but I still wonder if the key card will randomly stop working in the future.

[nog0odd3ed@gmail.com]

I don't know that this is terribly helpful, but I've had zero problems with the Keycard or using Apple iWallet version of it. They both work great. Granted, my vehicle is a brand new 2023, so don't know if maybe they fixed something in my Model Year? Just my $.02

[stocksy]

I also have a 2023. The digital key (on my phone) has worked reliably for 9 months but the key card is very unreliable.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by stocksy

I also have a 2023. The digital key (on my phone) has worked reliably for 9 months but the key card is very unreliable.

try removing then reactivating it

also pays to learn how to reboot iDrive** which is like rebooting a phone or PC and should be the first step in troubleshooting any issues

**hold the radio VOL button down for ~30 seconds until you see the startup screen

[Blue87]

Just for S&G's, the vehicle will also start if you place the card on the right side of the steering column in the designated area.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by Blue87

Just for S&G's, the vehicle will also start if you place the card on the right side of the steering column in the designated area.

I plan to test this. AFAIK, that area is for emergency detection of an unrecognized key fob. if that area uses NFC similar to the tray, then theoretically we could start the vehicle when placing an unrecognized key fob there as well, but I’ve never seen that as an option in the owner’s manuals since the keycard was released back in 2018

[Blue87]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

I plan to test this. AFAIK, that area is for emergency detection of an unrecognized key fob. if that area uses NFC similar to the tray, then theoretically we could start the vehicle when placing an unrecognized key fob there as well, but I’ve never seen that as an option in the owner’s manuals since the keycard was released back in 2018

I had to test it again to be sure. It's picky about location so you might have to move the card around until it works.

[nZtiZia]

Originally Posted by Blue87

I had to test it again to be sure. It's picky about location so you might have to move the card around until it works.

no dice with starting the vehicle by placing the digital keycard on the steering column. I moved it all around the indicated area twenty fold. at first attempt it said, “vehicle key is missing.” then during subsequent attempts it said, “ place vehicle key on steering column.” when I placed the keycard on the tray, the vehicle started immediately on first attempt

for S&G, I stopped the vehicle then immediately placed the keycard on the steering column, and it started. I stopped the vehicle again and attempted to start it while the keycard was still on the steering column. nope, so I’m not gonna count that start which was likely the result of a residual signal of the keycard being placed on the tray just before attempt.

[Blue87]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

no dice with starting the vehicle by placing the digital keycard on the steering column. I moved it all around the indicated area twenty fold. at first attempt it said, “vehicle key is missing.” then during subsequent attempts it said, “ place vehicle key on steering column.” when I placed the keycard on the tray, the vehicle started immediately on first attempt

for S&G, I stopped the vehicle then immediately placed the keycard on the steering column, and it started. I stopped the vehicle again and attempted to start it while the keycard was still on the steering column. nope, so I’m not gonna count that start which was likely the result of a residual signal of the keycard being placed on the tray just before attempt.

Weird. The last time I did this, I only had my phone and card on me and never placed anything in the charging tray. I'm not kidding when I said the the reader is finicky and the card has to be in a very specific position. I'll do it again and take a picture. I did try putting the phone on the steering column and that didn't work no matter what I did.