Spare BMW 3 Series Car Key – Old Portsmouth

CONTACT US BY EMAIL OR MESSAGING

BMW 3 Series Spare Key
In Old Portsmouth
Overnight At The Customer’s Convenience

BMW FEM Metal Spare Key

BMW FEM 2019 Spare Key

In this case study, this BMW 3 Series spare key was worked in around the customer’s long, 7 days a week working hours (a business owner). The vehicle was attended overnight to complete the work, by arrangement.

bmw 3 series keys

Master Auto Locksmith worked overnight in Old Portsmouth to program a BMW 3 Series Spare Key for a customer

BMW 3 Series keys of this vintage work with an immobiliser security system called FEM. Some vehicles of similar vintage use the BDC system, which on the face of it is very similar to FEM in terms of BMW auto locksmith working practices. Previous BMW models and versions use various versions of CAS, and early vehicles use the EWS systems. The later BDC2 systems on G chassis, are dealer only keys as it currently stands.

bmw FEM location passenger footwell

The BMW 3 Series FEM module is usually located in the passenger footwell. Removal is fairly simple. This unit needs to be removed to program new or lost bmw keys

BMW FEM module fuses

BMW 3 Series FEM module fuses

BMW 3 Series – Spare Key – Pre Programming Diagnostic Scan

BMW 3 series FEM key programming is a complex process, for either spare keys or replacement keys. It involves removal of the FEM circuit board, usually housed within a robust housing in the passenger footwell of the car.

BMW 3 Series FEM circuit board

BMW 3 Series FEM circuit board, with jigs and power, ready for data read and write operations, prior to spare key programming

Prior to any BMW spare key programming work, it is always wise to run a diagnostic scan on the vehicle via the OBD port. This will pickup any fault codes stored in the vehicle’s ECU and Modules, including the immobiliser. Stored fault codes – even historical codes, can impede key programming success on many vehicles, including BMW. Master Auto Locksmith ran a diagnostic on the BMW 3 Series. Fault codes were logged, but the detected DTC’s were all marked as historical. In this case the fault codes were deleted, and the vehicle was started and run for 10 minutes or so, so that any current and present faults would generate fresh fault codes. A second diagnostic scan reported no fault codes. A clean vehicle. We are good to go with BMW key programming. The BMW FEM module was removed from the footwell. Fuses need to be removed from the plastic housing before the circuit board can be removed, so evidence is taken of fuse locations, for reference during re-fitting after the key programming is complete. In years gone by, we would solder onto points on the board in order to establish a connection with the immobiliser chip. We now have jigs which clamp onto most boards, which is a much safer and fool proof method of connecting to the chip, to read and write data. The key data was read from the BMW FEM unit, modified with an additional, new key. The data was written back to the chip, verified and the jig was removed from the FEM circuit board. The FEM module was re-assembled and re-fitted to the car. The ignition was turned on, and the new and original key were tested. The BMW 3 series worked fine with both keys.

 

CONTACT US BY EMAIL OR MESSAGING

Leave a Reply