Yes, to enable Remote Engine Start, point your BMW key fob towards your car and hit the lock button (the BMW Roundel) three times in a row.
In This Article...
How does it function?
Simply stand close to your car, within the range of your key fob (so at a maximum of 230 feet), and push the lock button on your BMW key fob three times within 2 seconds to activate the remote start feature. Even when your car is still locked, the engine will start right away and turn on the most recent climate control settings. Press the trunk button on your key fob three times to turn the engine off. Depending on your arrangement, it will automatically shut down after 10, 20, 30 or 40 minutes if you don’t do that. You can change this by hitting various key fob button combinations.
Our retrofit doesn’t necessitate turning on the iDrive’s remote start capability, in contrast to the OEM BMW remote start. To ensure that your on-board computer recognizes the presence of a BMW key fob and permits engine activation, it will be necessary to have a spare BMW key fob permanently fitted under the front passenger’s footwell panel.
Because the key fob doesn’t include a battery, it is obviously impossible to start your car’s engine using just that one item inside. Therefore, if you were concerned about that, don’t 😉 The second key is necessary to engage the engine.
The BMW Remote Engine Start option is now available for purchase.
A number of updates and new services for BMW automobiles have just been published. BMW owners may now choose from a variety of other options in the ConnectedDrive Store to add to their vehicles in addition to the “Uneven Road Surface alert” feature. One of them allows you to remotely preheat the temperature of your BMW vehicle, and it is called “Remote Engine Start.” While Remote Engine Start has been a feature of BMW vehicles from MY 2019, it is now also available as a new “Function on Demand” that can be added to eligible cars that weren’t initially equipped with it. This functionality can be purchased through the ConnectedDrive Store.
Through Remote Software Upgrade, the new functionality can be downloaded and installed wirelessly. This is a fantastic feature for the sweltering summer and icy winter months. You can preheat the interior by turning on the heat or the air conditioning while starting the engine from inside your house or place of employment.
Simply tap a button in the My BMW app to turn on Remote Engine Start, and your BMW’s engine will start, allowing the cabin to reach the ideal temperature. A triple-click of the lock button on the BMW key fob will also activate Remote Engine Start.
Can the key fob be used to start a BMW?
How to Remotely Start a BMW. If you have a BMW vehicle key: If your key fob doesn’t have a light-up display, you can still start your car by pressing the lock button three times in a row. In exactly the same manner, you can also turn off the engine.
If my BMW has remote start, how do I know?
Look up the “Remote engine start” option in your Premium Package or in the settings of your iDrive sub-menu to see if your car has BMW remote start. It might be present if your BMW has an iDrive 7.0 (also known as the Live Cockpit) and a digital gauge cluster.
The digital gauge cluster and the iDrive system 7.0 (Live Cockpit) appear like this.
How do you use a key fob to remotely start a car?
- To lock every door, press the Lock button on your key fob.
- Two times on the Remote Start button. Each step must be completed in 3 seconds. When the external lights flash twice, the car will start.
How do you use keys to start a car?
Once you hear the starter motor spinning, turn the key clockwise. When this occurs, it will be obvious because the engine will begin to make noise and the vehicle will begin to tremble. The sound the engine is generating will often sharpen and smooth out after a short period of time. Release your grip on the key at this point to stop the starter motor. Repeat the procedure in case the engine stalls. If not, your efforts were successful.
NOTE: In some more recent vehicles, all you need to do is click a button after inserting the key into the ignition. If so, proceed as directed.
Additionally, the vehicle may have a dead battery or be out of gas if it won’t start or the starter motor doesn’t move at all. If none of these situations apply, a mechanic could be needed for your vehicle.
The functions of the buttons on my BMW key fob.
Simply pressing the unlock button on the key fob’s top will unlock your BMW. Within the settings menu of the automobile, you may select whether to unlock all the doors or simply the driver’s door. The alarm system will also be engaged and all the doors, the boot, and the fuel cap will lock when you press the BMW roundel in the key fob’s center. When the lock button is pressed and held down, some models will also fold in the wing mirrors, close the sunroof, and any open windows. Press the boot lid button on the key fob’s bottom to open the boot lid while standing outside the vehicle. For BMWs with automated tailgates, holding it down will unlock the lock and open the boot. There is no need to be concerned if, in the odd case, neither supplied key fob is functional. The integrated key can unlock and lock both the glove box and the vehicle.
Can my BMW start without the key fob?
You won’t be able to use keyless entry or remote unlocking if your BMW has Comfort Access if the battery in your key fob has died. You can still enter and manually start your automobile, though.
Press and hold the key release button at the remote fob’s base while unlocking the door of your car, then slide out the internal key blade. This can be used in place of a standard key to unlock your car. You can locate a little hole on the bottom of the handle if the keyhole is hidden on your car door. Use the key blade to pry off the trim panel and expose the keyhole by inserting it into the hole.
Once you’re inside, put your remote key fob in the ignition slot or, if your car doesn’t have one, press it up against the steering column’s key markings. If your key fob dies, you will still be able to start your BMW using the start/stop button on the dashboard.
Has the BMW been auto-started?
With the BMW Display Key and the BMW Connected App, you may remotely start your car. After turning on automatic engine starting in your driver assistance settings, you can easily maintain the interior temperature of your BMW by pressing a button.
How does a keyless remote start function?
Once properly configured, remote start is a very user-friendly tool on your end. However, a fairly complex system for remote starting is within the car. You can start and stop your engine with the push of a button thanks to a variety of physical components that operate together.
Your vehicle needs appropriately installed wiring, a bypass module, a control module, and a remote transmitter in order for a remote starter to function. To put it simply, car remote starters imitate the process that is triggered when you turn on the ignition with your key. A remote car starter accomplishes this instead of using a real key in the ignition.
The control module’s connection to your starter mechanisms and ignition switch makes this possible. Using the buttons on your car’s remote transmitter, you can communicate with the control module once the remote-start system is installed.
Once installed, your remote-start control module receives instructions from your remote transmitter using certain radio frequencies. These signals instruct the control module to unlock, lock, remote start, and other things.
Has my vehicle a remote start?
You must first check at your key fob to see if you have the remote start option. The remote starter button has an arrow-like form.
If your key fob has this button, your car has remote starting capability. Press the button that locks the car once to try remote starting. Your engine will start when you press and hold the remote-start button for at least four seconds.
The climate control and parking lights will turn on as soon as the engine begins. Additionally, the heated/ventilated seats and the rear window defroster may turn on. You must only move out of park after pressing the start button on the dashboard since this function starts the engine but does not switch on the ignition.
Press and hold the button with the curved arrow on it to turn the engine off if you change your mind. Parking lot lights will go out.
Every key fob has remote starting, right?
If you spot a button with a clockwise-moving circular arrow, you’ll know it’s there. That is the remote engine start button, though the key fob itself does not have a label for it. For those who are already familiar with this button’s use, it involves hitting the lock button first, then the remote engine start button. No problem, isn’t it? Other key fobs include a button in the same location, but they have a different sequence for remotely starting the engine. For instance, Ford key fobs have the same circular arrow emblem with “2x” inside the circle (other key fobs are labeled “X2,” which implies the same). This informs you that in order to remotely start the car’s engine, you must click the button twice. This button is frequently seen in many key fobs, therefore it’s not really thought of as a hidden feature. However, certain automakers, primarily BMW, have introduced redesigned key fobs without the button. However, this does not imply that these key fobs lack these functionalities merely because there isn’t a circular arrow button to click. By rapidly pushing the “lock” button on the key fob, one can remotely start an engine in a new BMW by doing so. You don’t need to become daring and try out this sequence to test if the engine activates after pushing the lock button three times in a single second if your key fob has the circular arrow button. However, if it doesn’t, it won’t harm to try it out and see if it manages to complete the task in some way.
If your push-button car won’t start, what should you do?
Your automobile may have a dead battery if your keyless entry system is functional but your engine won’t start. Check the battery voltage with a voltmeter to make sure that this is the issue. The battery needs more voltage to start the automobile if it has less than 12.4 volts.
Why won’t my remote start operate?
Replace the battery in your fob if your remote starter system isn’t functioning properly. Batteries Plus sells replacement key fob batteries. The majority of remote starter fobs are powered by 2032 lithium coin cells. Although it may seem intuitive, your remote starter will not operate if your car is not in “Park.”