[Shareandenjoy]

Good afternoon,

we only use iPhones to unlock our X5 LCI, it is definitively a great solutions and it works very well...until it does not work for some reason

DISCLAIMER: please do not comment this post by saying I should always carry a second key, that you always need to be ready for the worst case etc. I am here to look for suggestions not for a daddy to tell me how to live my life

Yesterday, my wife phone's was blocked due to too many wrong PIN tries (she left it unlocked in the bag and this is why it happened), so she could not operate the car anymore for the following 1h.

So, my wife managed to call me and I remotely opened the car but, as the phone was blocked, the car could not be started.

I remember there was a digital key that we never enabled and, of course, it was too late to try to enable it as it requires a physical key to achieve this goal.

Nothing major, luckily, she just waited and things went smooth.

Now: I was wondering how to avoid this in the future. This can also be useful in case the phone get stolen.

- Program the digital key and leave it in the car.
Pros: We can open the car remotely and then use the digital key to start it.
Cons: if a thief opens the car, they can easily start it if they find the key, no?

- Yes, always carry a physical key (doh!)

Any other hint?

Thanks for clever suggestions

Cheers and have a great weekend,

F

[eluded]

Get her an iWatch. Then you can use the iPhone or the iWatch to use the car.

[six]

Originally Posted by eluded

Get her an iWatch. Then you can use the iPhone or the iWatch to use the car.

This is what I tend to do if travelling far from home or on difficult days where delays or hassle could be a serious problem. If I don’t take my key I make sure I have both my iPhone and Apple Watch.

[Shareandenjoy]

Originally Posted by eluded

Get her an iWatch. Then you can use the iPhone or the iWatch to use the car.

Yes, did that already, but she was wearing a different watch yesterday

[davchr]

I can see problems anytime you don’t have a physical mechanical key. My iwatch worked great until iOS was updated. I had to re-pair and set it up again as a digital key before ir would work. Bottom line, if the digital key is not working- dead battery, blocked, iOS update, etc. you cannot start the car. Have an alternative or you will get burned sometime.

[Guy Fleegman]

You already know the solution to this based on your disclaimer.

Regards,
Daddy

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by Shareandenjoy

- Yes, always carry a physical key (doh!)

Any other hint?

Thanks for clever suggestions

I have no experience with this as I only use the fob and I don't have any clever suggestion but picking up on the comment about the Apple Watch...hmmm, I wonder if this would have worked in this case because the watch uses the phone as its master and if the phone was locked due to too many wrong passcode attempts, would the watch idea still work? Might be a good test for someone but I'm sure no one wants to deliberately lock up their phone to make the test.

If the probability between the two of you of getting locked out of the car falls mostly with her, she could carry the credit card size digital key in her purse. You can always call BMW Assist and have them unlock and hopefully start the car, I don't know what sort of info they need in order for you or your wife to prove you own the car.

[MADBMWX5MC]

Originally Posted by Guy Fleegman

You already know the solution to this based on your disclaimer.

Regards,
Daddy

Funny....

[crabman]

I carry the fob when I'm out of town, where being locked out would be more inconvenient.

Around the area, it's the phone and key card as a backup. This because I have broken a couple phones while out and about, and the card is painless to carry as a backup.

I'm hopeful that wasn't too daddified.

[Shareandenjoy]

Thanks guys for the good answers, and yes, having a backup is always the best choice, although sh*t can always happen!

I will try to investigate more with BMW if they can remotely start the car or if the smart card can be enabled remotely, that would definitively be a good solution.

Another one could be to program the smart key and hide it somewhere in the car (not in the glove compartment...)

F

[ltoda2nd]

Hopefully your talks with BMW doesn’t turn these cars more vulnerable to thieves.

[TurtleBoy]

I keep the digital card hidden in the vehicle. If this situation arises then I would unlock it remotely, get the card and use that.

[Qsilver7]

See the info under the FAQ heading in the pics below from the owners manual in regard to unlocking the vehicle by calling BMW Connected. If you use your phone and you get locked out…I guess having the number to BMW Connected call center written down on something that you carry in your wallet, and hopefully your wallet is on your person and not locked inside the vehicle…you could borrow a phone or find another phone to call the number to get the vehicle unlocked.

[bandersen]

Originally Posted by Shareandenjoy

Yes, did that already, but she was wearing a different watch yesterday

Then carry the damn key.
Good God. Ain’t rocket science.

How to make the easy, hard. Reminds me of my first wife.

[BlkGS]

Originally Posted by bandersen

Then carry the damn key.
Good God. Ain’t rocket science.

How to make the easy, hard. Reminds me of my first wife.

He said he didn't want to be told to use the key. He wants some sort of crazy non existent solution to not have to carry the key or card and instead be solely reliant on his phone which he has seen the drawbacks on.

I think this is more of a "I want to complain" than a "I want a solution" situation

The other (less) logical answer here (vs using the damn key) is to ditch iphones for androids. They won't lock you out from PIN issues.

[Shareandenjoy]

Originally Posted by BlkGS

He said he didn't want to be told to use the key. He wants some sort of crazy non existent solution to not have to carry the key or card and instead be solely reliant on his phone which he has seen the drawbacks on.

I think this is more of a "I want to complain" than a "I want a solution" situation

The other (less) logical answer here (vs using the damn key) is to ditch iphones for androids. They won't lock you out from PIN issues.

" I think this is more of a "I want to complain" than a "I want a solution" situation"

I think you have misread my post and yes, the solution does exist, as other persons have pointed out (keeping the activated digital key hidden into the car).

Thanks to all,

F

[Shareandenjoy]

Originally Posted by bandersen

Then carry the damn key.
Good God. Ain’t rocket science.

How to make the easy, hard. Reminds me of my first wife.

I guess that one of the reason why he was your ex-wife

[BMPHIL]

Originally Posted by Shareandenjoy

I guess that one of the reason why he was your ex-wife

HE?

[bandersen]

Originally Posted by Shareandenjoy

I guess that one of the reason why he was your ex-wife

That was pretty f’ing funny! Made me (almost) spit out my wine.
Love you guys. (Most of you!).

[Marty in NY]

Originally Posted by bandersen

That was pretty f’ing funny! Made me (almost) spit out my wine.
Love you guys. (Most of you!).

WAIT.. .. you're drinking wine now??? I gotta go, see y'all!

[Cityman]

I would program the digital key card and have her keep it in her purse, not in the vehicle. Regarding comments made about the Apple Watch (not iWatch btw), my Apple Watch Ultra has not been consistently unlocking my car of late. It should work without having the iPhone in my pocket, but it’s been hit or miss lately. The iPhone has never failed me so far. I keep my digital key card in my wallet as a backup.

[CeEl]

Suppose one could also argue that it’s pretty easy to lose the key fob. What’s the backup to that if one doesn’t have their phone with them?

I believe the BMW number is on a sticker that’s visible on the outside.

Anyone know how they identify the customer as the rightful owner?