If you still have one key, you must bring your car, one piece of personal identification, one form of address identification, and the V5C logbook to your selected BMW Center*. You will need to make arrangements for your automobile to be delivered to your preferred Center along with the necessary documentation if you have lost both keys and are unable to access the vehicle.
* A photocard driver’s license cannot be used for both address identification and personal identification.
To keep you safe, our Centers are required to adhere to these security precautions. Additionally, you’ll have to sign for your new key upon picking it up.
In This Article...
Can you track a missing key fob?
Despite being highly technological, key fobs don’t come with a built-in tracking feature just yet.
Fortunately, you have lots of third-party tools at your disposal to monitor your key fobs till then!
This is essentially a tiny keychain-sized fob that you can attach to your key fob (or your phone, wallet, vehicle keys, or anything else that has a propensity to disappear!)
These key trackers connect to your phone via Bluetooth; don’t worry, even the most affordable models typically have a range of several dozen meters.
Your key tracker might, depending on the manufacturer you select:
- Make a noise to aid in finding it
- GPS can be used to locate it.
- When you are a specific distance away, notify you.
Once everything is set up, all you’ll need to do to find your key fob is pull out your phone and use the app that is included — no more frantic searching or needing to go back a step or two!
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Guest Post from the MIT School of Engineering’s Ask an Engineer series
Maybe—but don’t get your hopes up—if it’s the proper kind of remote and you have lots of time and technical know-how.
You’ve once again misplaced your automobile keys. You’re certain they’re in your home, but despite looking under the refrigerator and between the cushions of your couch, you were unable to locate them. You have a keyless remote that appears to be in communication with your automobile, and you are wondering if there is any way to make it speak with you and let you know where it is. “Theoretically, it is feasible, according to electrical engineering and computer science doctoral candidate Phillip Nadeau, “but it depends on the kind of remote-entry system we’re talking about. Even then, it can be difficult based on the manufacturer and technologies employed.”
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) and Passive Keyless Entry (PKE), the two primary categories of keyless remotes, operate in various ways. Only when you push a button on the remote control do RKE devices send a radio signal to your car. Nadeau says that “these gadgets are often solely outfitted with a transmitter.” Unfortunately, this prevents you from calling the remote. It can’t hear you any more than a skeleton key can.
Your chances are improved if you have a PKE remote. You don’t need to press buttons with PKE devices to lock or unlock your automobile. According to Nadeau, “the car transmits a signal that simultaneously powers the remote and requests a legitimate authentication code to open the car.” Similar technology is used by RFID card scanners to grant you entrance to a building without requiring you to take your ID card out of your pocket. A PKE remote, in contrast to an RKE device, includes both a transmitter and a receiver, allowing it to hear you call it using specialized radio equipment while you’re just acting like your automobile! Theoretically, you could create a special gadget that doubles as a radio transmitter and receiver, retransmitting the signal from your car and waiting for a response from your keys. However, if you have the technological know-how to build such a device, it should work. This is not a simple or cheap option.
According to Nadeau, as long as you have a lot of free time. “To elicit a response, the interrogator must be a short distance from the distant.” Most of the time, this proximity restriction is helpful since if PKE remotes had a long range, someone might steal your automobile while the keys are safely inside your home! However, it also means that in order to locate your keys, you will need to search every inch of your home with your tools. You might as well go back and rummage through that junk drawer one more time rather than spending the time and money developing some fancy radio equipment in order to find your keys.
written by aeronautics and astronautics PhD candidate Aaron W. Johnson. The question was sent by Suzan Atkinson-Haverty from Fitchburg, Massachusetts. For further information and answers to your questions, visit the Ask an Engineer page at the MIT School of Engineering.
Can a BMW car key be tracked?
Nope. There is nothing you could do to make the fobs detectable even if there was a means to start reverse communication because they lack a speaker.
Can you find misplaced car keys using an app?
An excellent answer for people who always know where their phones are is a key finding app. A Bluetooth keyring attachment is used by the Chipolo app, which your app can find and call.
The Chipolo gadget is little, adorable, and unobtrusive, and in addition to helping you locate misplaced car keys, it can also be used to locate other items. You can spend less time looking for your purse, backpack, house keys, and other missing items.
Chipolo, unlike some other apps, provides an extra feature that enables other people to use their phones to assist in finding the missing item. In this manner, your complete family can participate in the game (which is of course great if you lose your phone).
- dual tracking. You can call your phone using the keyring attachment if you misplace it.
- Alert notification. The Chipolo will notify you when you leave range if you leave your car keys (or other items) behind so you remember to take them.
- Colours. comes in a variety of colors
How do I locate my electronic car key?
Electronic vehicle keys, which were originally made available in the 1990s, are a practical way to open your car door or trunk from a short distance. This saves you the time and hassle of having to enter a key into a lock and turn it, which can be uncomfortable in inclement weather. Being unable to access and operate your vehicle due to the loss of your electronic keys might be upsetting. There are a few things you may do if your electronic keys go missing.
The garbage, drawers, refrigerator, your handbag, your shirt and trouser pockets, your coat pockets, and, if your car is unlocked, the ignition, seats, and floorboard of your vehicle, should all be searched for your keys.
If you have a sonic key finding gadget, use it. Your electronic key will respond by making a loud noise and flashing a bright light when you press the “find” button on one of these gadgets. The sound and light will make it much simpler for you to locate your key if it is close.
Retrace your movements from when you last used your car keys, being vigilant and diligent in your search. Examine areas like the gutter or the shrubs close to your parking space, as well as areas like your desk, where you may have accidently left your keys after getting out of the car. Call your friends to see whether you left your keys with them if you were at their house, in a shop, or at a restaurant.
How can I locate a lost key?
Put your detective hat on and attempt to recall when you last had access to your keys and everything you did after that. Retrace your steps and check every area of your Texas home where you might have dropped your keys unintentionally. As you get ready for the day, it is simple to toss them on the kitchen counter, next to the bathroom sink, or even next to your shoe rack.
What should I do if my auto key fob is lost?
You must report your stolen car keys to the police and make contact with them in the event that your car keys are stolen. The investigating component of it should be handled by the police. For replacement car keys or car locks in the interim, get in touch with your car dealer, a locksmith, or a technician.
The specifics of what to do in the event that your car keys are stolen are covered in the later sections, but if there is one method to manage stolen car keys, it is calmly.
Without my original car key, how can I acquire a replacement?
visit a vehicle locksmith The replacement key made by an automobile locksmith will fit your particular vehicle. Additionally, if your replacement key fob needs to be programmed, an automotive locksmith may be able to help.
How can I find my BMW that was stolen?
The VIN number is the quickest way to track down a stolen vehicle. Likewise, if a stolen car doesn’t have a tracker, you can check the security camera footage or get in touch with the insurance provider.
We’ve created a guide to assist you in selecting a car security camera for overnight observation.
Important information regarding what to do when your car is stolen is provided in the table below.
Is it advisable to report misplaced car keys?
The first thing to do is report the incident to the police if you are aware that your car keys have been taken but your vehicle is still in your possession. They will give you a crime reference number and may be able to provide you with additional protection recommendations for your vehicle, such as the use of a wheel lock. You can track your case using this number, and it’s likely that your auto insurance company will need this information to start your claim.
To find out if you are insured for lost or stolen keys, the next step would be to get in touch with your insurance company. Key protection is a feature that some carriers include as basic service, while it may be an add-on that some providers charge extra for. Replacement locks and keys are safeguarded by Age Co up to a value of PS 500 as standard, and this includes other keys as well, like those for the house or business. As an added precaution, you can opt for a greater level of key protection if you want to be insured for more than this. As with every insurance claim, there can be an excess fee.
The best advice is to keep in mind that if a set of keys, including your house keys, are taken, you may also need to notify your home insurance provider in order to have the door locks replaced.
Take your automobile to a reputable locksmith if you have a spare set of keys so that you can make sure the vehicle stays in your hands.
The locksmith may need to do a few things depending on the type of keys. Nowadays, the majority of cars come with an electric key fob that also serves as a manual key. This indicates that new keys will need to be programmed for the car as well as possible lock replacement. This can cost a little bit extra, especially if you no longer hold a spare key.
Microchips are typically found in car fobs. This is the reason why only one key fits one car, and it explains how the car can start when the key is turned. The locksmith should also remove the car’s “memory” if your keys have been stolen so that it won’t recognize them. The key that was taken will no longer function as a result.