remote door locks

one of my first posts here regarded the intermittent problem of doors not remotely locking/unlocking on my 2002 3.0i Z3 (stock locking system w/o alarm on 2001-02 models). the occasional problem only happens outdoors (not in garages), on warmer days and on a warm car that has recently moved (any distance that causes just the right vibration or jarring). car battery is charged (though it show no voltage drop when the problem is there vs. 0.1 V drop when functioning correctly) and the problem affects both keys equally. when the problem occurs, it can sometimes be remedied by holding the key up close to the interior rear view mirror (where the receiver is).

my dealer has just replaced the mirror and i still have the problem. while i'll be going back to pursue the next attempt to fix this, i'm very interested in compiling a list of all who have experience this problem (and particularly those folks who have gotten it fixed) i'm already corresponding with several others and i do believe that this is more than an isolated issue. however, like lots of new car problems, some folks let it slide.

if you have experienced this door lock problem, please take the time to respond with details. i'll keep all respondents updated on fixes relayed to me.

I too have the same problem with my 2001 2.5i model. It works sometimes and doesnt hte other times.

Usually when in a garage with other cars parked nearby, i find the problem occuring, even if i stand a foot away from the mirrors and pointing the key at it, while in the open i coudl be 15 feet away and it works like a charm.

I talked about it with my dealer some months ago and he was honest with me saying that he wasnt sure why, it was most likely a desing problme of the frequency or laser and that most probably it would never be fixed and i would have to live with it. ( i have come to by now :-))

The key works fine and ripping out the sensor in the car and replacing it wouldnt work for the same reasons this one doesnt, so we just decided to keep it as is.

If you find any one who has solved it, please do post it !

Thanks,
hokapoka

They worked for about the first year, about 5 months ago they worked on and off. Sometimes if they didn't work, and I would put the key into the door lock, but did not turn it, they would magically unlock themselves. I made an appt. at SF BMW (terrible dealer) and they informed me that b/c I do not drive enough (about 15 mins each day ) that the keys are not getting charged enough when they are put into the ignition. Neither key will work mind you. They checked the sensor and said it was working properly, and replaced something in the keys. The one remote worked once when the car was returned, neither work again. I recently drove the car for three hours on a trip, when I got to the destination I tried the key remote, it would not work. Something is seriously wrong with this remote system, and on a car that cost 45K I'm a little upset. I now need to go to another dealer and have it checked out. Was this dealer feeding me crap? Please let me know. Thanks!

I have exactly the same problem with my 2002 Z3. Occasionally both keys seem to go dead. I have taken it to the dealer and was told they could not recreate the problem, so it was not fixed. The car is in the serice dept of BMW again now and again I have the same reply from them.
Has someone had any success in having this problem resolved?

I also have problems with the CD player skipping. It was replaced once 2 years ago (as a faulty unit) and now it is being replaced again.

I really want to get to the bottom of this locking issue before the new car warranty expires. Especially because I am very unimpressed with the BWM service (Seattle), and am concerned if it does not get fixed within the next year, it will not be fixed and gradually it will get worst.

Thanks much for any information.

the final solution to the intermittent remote control problem is that there is no solution other than to not park anywhere there is a police or fire station or marina or anything that may constantly be transmitting with a signal frequency that somehow overrides the one your particular receiver (in the rear view mirror) uses. i figured this out when i realized that i could always duplicate the problem in the same locations. another way to ell if your problem is the same as mine is that the remote will always work in an underground parking garage (within at least 50 feet of the car) because the signal bounces around and the interfring signal is outside.

as to the cd skipping, it is because there are little rubber shock absorbers (like baby rubber bands) just inside the outer edges of the head unit. one of the z3 sights has pix of how to replace them yourself. however, they will just keep getting brittle and die. moreover, the bmw business cd is a p.o.s. as are the speakers and amps in the harmon kardon upgrade (with the subwoofer being the biggest offender). break down and get a real stereo (particularly if you do a long daily commute in the s.f. bay area). perhaps the best head unit around for sound quality and cd shock absorption (not to mention visibility of the front panel info with the top down and the sun shining on it or lighting that matches the instrument cluster) are the upper model eclipse units (fujitsu). the ideal setup for a z3 is an eclipse with the optional high definition module (much better reception in hilly areas) and the optional sirius satellite radio module; a zapco amp (installed in the forward ceiling of the trunk); mb quart coax speakers in the kick panels; z3 bass as a replacement for the sub woofer; and keep the door speakers and rear speakers with the original amp for filler sound. total cost of this will be about $4,000 if you have a good pro do it. if you don't want to spend that much, at least get the eclipse (i don't have the model number handy but it's the first one where a remote is added in -though you don't need it- and you can change the display colors). after the eclipse, i'd add the mb quart speakers. total for the lesser setup would probably be about $1250. but if, you want crystal clear fm, cd and satellite at decent volume (with clean power) with the top down, you're looking at big bucks.

good luck

dr z