Does the i3 fob tolerate water?

Well, it finally happened: I got into our swimming pool with one of our i3's fobs in my swimming suit pocket. I swam a lap and then spent about 10 minutes doing aquatic exercises before realizing that the fob was in my pocket. I quickly got out of the pool, returned to our apartment being careful not to press any of the fob's buttons to minimize the risk of a short circuit, popped the battery cover off the fob, and removed the battery. I was pleasantly surprised to find a gasket sealing the battery compartment and no visible water in the battery compartment. But I had no idea whether water might have leaked in around the buttons or elsewhere, so I left the fob open overnight in dry air-conditioned air.

The following day, I reassembled the fob and took it to our i3 for testing. It appears that all functions are working normally!

So kudos to BMW for designing a fob that seems to tolerate at least a brief underwater experience. But I don't plan to elevate my testing to include a session in our clothes washer which might not end so well.

One of mine went through the washer and dryer in my pants pocket with no damage a few months ago.

alohart said:

So kudos to BMW for designing a fob that seems to tolerate at least a brief underwater experience. But I don't plan to elevate my testing to include a session in our clothes washer which might not end so well.

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I believe every car key FOB I've had in the last 10 years from four different car companies have be washer/drier proof! I know this is true from frequent experience!!! It is not difficult to make these small electronic devices very water tight since there is no external electrical connections, nor any display other than an LED or two or three, or any external interface other than simple-press buttons. A snap on back with a rubber O-ring like seal is all it takes. It's not like a cell-phone where you have microphone and speaker and earphone jack and charging jack and slide switches and other environmental interfaces that are difficult to seal while remaining useful.

Well, after washing the fob for my other BMW, I heard the car alarm turning on/off. The fob was toast, had to replace it. Luckily, the i3's seems to be more resistant. Still not a good idea to immerse them though!