I had to run an errand for my wife ... park at the shopping center, exit, lock the car ... uh, nothing happens. None of the buttons on the key do anything. Get back into the car, start it, run it for 30sec, turn it off, try again. Nothing. Finally, I decide to lock it manually and go run to the store.
I come back 5min later and, of course, the remote doesn't open the door. I then use the key by unlocking the door and then I try to push the buttons to see if that will cycle anything. Nope. Then, the alarm triggers and I'm standing there with a car beeping away, cars driving past, and none of the buttons on the key are doing anything. I close the door, lock it and call the dealer. Meanwhile, the lights are flashing ... but at least the horn has stopped.
Turns out I'm supposed to put the key into the ignition and turn it within 10sec of opening the door. Gee, I must have missed that while reading the manual. I thought I read I'm supposed to unlock the car, not open the door, and try to cycle the remote buttons. Sean, my sales man, said if I use the key to lock the car, I have to unlock it manually and insert the key and start the car within 10sec to disarm the alarm. So, I get in, the horn starts beeping, I start the car and drive to the dealer; which happens to be 5min from the shopping center.
Of course when I get there everything is fine; the key works normally. Keith, the service manager says to make sure to hold the button down until the function is complete; just don't push and release. He cycles through each function several times and says "come back if it happens again" and warns me that, if I don't start my car for 5 days, to use the same "open the door with the key, and cycle the ignition within 10sec" to "normalize" the car. He said I don't have to start it; just turn it.
So, upon delivery I have one key that didn't work until I changed the battery and now the primary key has "acted up". Makes me long for the old days when everything was mechanical.
What's
next
?
No one is going to give anyone living in Hawaii any sympathy. Seriously, even though I’ve tried to master the instructions they escape in times of need like yours. I wonder what the
next
ten years of electronics will bring.
Yes, when they start using MS Windows in cars I may stop buying them. I can just see a blue screen of death appearing on the display.
I know it was in jest, but here is the view from my townhome ...
Update: I found out that others have experienced problems with remotes at the shopping center -- interference from all of the TV and radio stations located in the surrounding area.
The new BMWs do use M$ Windows on certain models and it is said that Ford is planning to use M$ Windows for their nav system in upcoming models. Yuck ...
Hi gtkyl,
Those pics are nice. You've got a great view to wake up to.
That shopping center wouldn't have to be Ala Moana would it? I always have key issues
with my wifes BMW, when we park on the mall level by Barnes & Nobles, but other than that area, we have no problems. I've never had an issue with the CS. We have to hook up one day.
cya
gtkyl, very nice! See no sympathy...
I have problems with my wife's BMW all the time, with respect to using the remote. It appears to be location related. Especially around mall/shopping areas, where there is a high level of radio signal being emited from various locations.
In Seattle we have 2 hills with great big radio towers at the top. If you are parked within 10 blocks of those towers, the remote will not work at all.
Yes, Ala Moana. I usually park by Macy's with no problems but this time I was on the upper level by N-M. My friend's wife has an X3; she has problems at Ala Moana.
Yes, Sean said they've sold 30
Caymans
but I've only seen one on the street. Where is everyone?
