'Upgrade' to RF remote locking

[camera doctor 25]

My E39 is Ex Japan, therefore it has the useless 2 button iRed remote locking. During to day you really need to be standing right in front of the car for the remote to work - may as well stick key in door !! ( works better in the dark, as no interference from the sun )

Anywho, due to a mess up by Jeff Grays, I have eneded up with a Diamond shaped RF key that is coded to my EWS, so I wonder if I could 'upgrade' the car to use this key.

Am I correct to say that the diamond key recharges via a coil around the ignition keyhole ? So that would be the first thing I would need to do ..... ? Or could I swap to a lithium button battery ? ( perhaps the factory sytem just charges a capacitor ? )

Is it practical to get the RF unit from a wreck and fit to my car, or is that too much of a pain ?

My other thought was, if I could get a 433Mhz code learning receiver, I could teach it the Keyfob code and then run the relay output to the central lock switch on the centre consule ??

Jochen / Hotwire , any experience here ? Am I barking up the wrong tree ?

What is the exact keyfob frequency - there seems to be 433 and 433.92 receivers available - are they different or just an abreviation of the same thing ?

[hotwire 352]

Greg, count me out for an answer here.

I agree of the IR receiver being sh*t & must admit converting had crossed my mind. That said - I quickly discounted as i couldn't be bothered researching to possibilities. I just put it in the "to hard" bin.

Yes the later diamond head keys a rechargable but not sure if that will work on the older version car - again never had to compare.

I also don't know the frequencies the systems run on either.

Soooo...Jochen?

[my_e36 43]

When you use the IR remote, which part of the car do you point at to try to get it to work?

Many people I spoke to say point at the locks but really should be pointing at the middle rear view mirror which is where the sensor is.

My old e36 has IR key and the key will work around 3 cars' length away.

But after windows tinting it's down to 1.5 cars length from back and sides.

[hotwire 352]

^^^^^^^ Yes - aim at the clowns nose on the rear view mirror

[jochen 4]

Greg, count me out for an answer here.

I agree of the IR receiver being sh*t & must admit converting had crossed my mind. That said - I quickly discounted as i couldn't be bothered researching to possibilities. I just put it in the "to hard" bin.

Yes the later diamond head keys a rechargable but not sure if that will work on the older version car - again never had to compare.

I also don't know the frequencies the systems run on either.

Soooo...Jochen?

Following items would need to be changed:

Antenna amplifier

Fit the coil on the ign switch

Maybe change the GM

Change the keys of course

Code everything

A bit job and messy - with likely complications - is it really worth it?

[BMWTouring 20]

I dont understand if Jeff Grays mucked up the key why you ended up owning it??

usually BMW checks the keys against the chassis number and even if the dealer supplies the wrong part number they will correct it.

[camera doctor 25]

I dont understand if Jeff Grays mucked up the key why you ended up owning it??

usually BMW checks the keys against the chassis number and even if the dealer supplies the wrong part number they will correct it.

Yep, I know .......

After a 15 minute arguement on the phone with the parts guy and email discussions with branch manager they still would not take the keys THEY ordered wrong back.

When I was at their counter, I suggested to the parts guy that as my car was ex Japan perhaps it would be the iRed system, and he very grumpily snapped back that he was looking against the VIN number and it was DEFINATLEY the RF system !! So it seems BMW's system is not infalible.

And that was not the half of it - first key they got me was the one with the light in it, no remote locking at all, and I had to pay for that too !

They got me the correct iRed key at a reduced price, but I was still out of pocket.

But their loss - I have not set foot back in there, and buy my parts elsewhere now

[RhoanW 0]

Hold on Camera Doctor are you saying the keys with the light in them that flashes when you press any button is the incorrect key for EX Japan cars?

Yep, I know .......

After a 15 minute arguement on the phone with the parts guy and email discussions with branch manager they still would not take the keys THEY ordered wrong back.

When I was at their counter, I suggested to the parts guy that as my car was ex Japan perhaps it would be the iRed system, and he very grumpily snapped back that he was looking against the VIN number and it was DEFINATLEY the RF system !! So it seems BMW's system is not infalible.

And that was not the half of it - first key they got me was the one with the light in it, no remote locking at all, and I had to pay for that too !

They got me the correct iRed key at a reduced price, but I was still out of pocket.

But their loss - I have not set foot back in there, and buy my parts elsewhere now

[camera doctor 25]

Hold on Camera Doctor are you saying the keys with the light in them that flashes when you press any button is the incorrect key for EX Japan cars?

NO, the Japan IRed key has a red LED that glows, that is correct.

There is also a key that has no remote at all, rather it has a white bulb to illuminate the keyhole. They sold me that one first !

Take a look at this link RealOEM

Item 1 is the Illuminated Key, no remote locking

Item 4 is the Correct iRed remote Key

Item 5 is the 433Mhz RF 'diamond' key that they also sold me incorrectly.

[BMWTouring 20]

Well, to be honest thats rubbish if they check the spec's properly this wouldnt have happened.

[*Glenn* 854]

Well, to be honest thats rubbish if they check the spec's properly this wouldnt have happened.

+1... I agree

[Sam@TMBMW 0]

If it was RF out of Japan it would have been a 315mhz LP (low power).

If you don't mind, I'd like to check your VIN against our system to see what answer we would have given you. PM me if you'd like.

[scottr 10]

You talking about the the hutt road one? you're not the first person they've got it wrong with.

Guy i worked with with an e39 wanted the remote lock from the key. they ordered it and when he took the car in to code the remote they realised it was an e39 that didn't acutally accept any remote. Not that it had the wrong one, it didn't accept one at all.

They were nice enough however to give him the key at the standard non-remote rate (100something, instead of 400 something) seeing it was their f**k up.

That IR remote is possibly the stupidest thing I've ever seen. I would've been so unimpressed if I'd bought a brand new bmw and the remote only worked properly in the dark, or up close when aimed correctly through the window.