Manual Key Operation with Cover

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OLDBMWGUY

Active member
Joined
May 28, 2019
Messages
33
Location
Honolulu, Hawaii
I am trying to use the metal key for my I3 which requires first opening the cover that is just behind the door handle. I have tried to insert the "metal Key" as shown in the Drivers Manual but it does not allow the cover to "unclick" and allow use of the metal key. BMW Genius had no answer. Is there some "trick" to getting the cover off (and then back on)?
 
Not in English but shows the procedure:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l9O_F67e3Y
 
Thanks Mark. The video does show the correct procedure. But apparently does not work on my I3.
With mine, I can press up as hard (or gently) as I want while also altering the direction slightly. Nothing. I have tried both sides of the I3, same result.

BACKGROUND: My reason for needing to use the smaller "metal key" vice the fob is that when I go to the beach I have to swim with the key on me and the fob is not waterproof. (Can't leave anything on the beach in Hawaii, it "disappears" in seconds).

I have heard from other I3 sources that some covers have fallen off while driving (after removal and re-attachment) since it is equally as difficult to put the cover back in place securely as it is to remove in the first place. So I have purchased another "cover" (un-painted) from the dealer to use for those times that I would go to the beach rather than use my original painted cover, or possibly lose it. (Part # 51-21-7-379-775/776 (door cap)). $30.


Examination of the inside of the "new" cover while inserting the key was somewhat helpful in discovering how the cover attachment is supposed to work. It seems simple. The insertion of the metal key from the bottom slightly moves a plastic strut inside the cover to free the cover (supposedly).

So this morning I tried again. After about 20 minutes of everything short of using a hammer to force the key upwards in the slot, the drivers side finally did come loose. Unfortunately there was absolutely no clue as to what exact movement "released" it. Then I did use the metal key to manually successfully lock/unlock the I3 as expected. But then it was another 20-30 minutes of rather increasingly frantic experimenting with attempting to re-attach the cover back on to the handle without any success. Finally in utter frustration I hit the cover squarely with my fist and it "snapped" into place. Not a very sophisticated method, but the only thing that worked.

Needless to say, repeating the above methodology while at the beach parking lot does not seem to be a viable solution.
Asking at the dealership has not been too successful but I will try again. Any other ideas?
 
Since the manual key access is for rare emergency use, guess not made for easy on/off repeated access.
https://surf-stash.com/car-key-stash/

https://www.makospearguns.com/Key-Lock-Box-p/mklb.htm
 
Thanks again Mark.

I might have to resort to the "lock box" solution. I think you are right about the non-everyday use for the key.

I did find an I3 expert who showed me how to undo/do the cover. Apparently the technique required varies by age of the vehicle but for mine it involves inserting the key then pulling it sort of "up and towards" you to release. To re-affix the cover you put in the top portion first then the bottom til it "snaps" in.
He mentioned that he also thought that the "cover" for his 2017 I3 was of slightly different size then for my car.
Thanks again.
 
Thinking on it - Since you have a 'spare' cover. I would look at cutting the tabs off the spare, so it fits over the handle smoothly but does not latch to anything, with a small metal plate glued to the inside of the handle, and a neodymium magnet or two glued inside the cover (if space etc will allow all this of course - would pop mine to see if this is even possible - but mine has 'comfort access' which puts sensors in the door handle, so a different setup than yours ). Would provide an OEM look, with an easy on/off for key access. And could always go back to 'factory' with the original cover
 
Hmmm....... an excellent idea! Too bad that BMW did not think of that for starters. I could just use it on "beach" days and put the regular cover on most of the time.

But I also have the "Comfort Access" on my I3, does that have some effect on the cover? Are you thinking that the magnetism would effect the "Comfort Access" operation?
 
It may, since there are some sort of sensors in the door handle. Would need some experimentation to check for sure.
 
Pretty sure the comfort access stuff is rf based, not magnetically controlled.

I was thinking more it might affect the touch-sensors on either side of handle in the center. But small neodymium magnets along with some steel washers, glued in near either end of the handle cap and base likely wouldn't cause any problems.
 
Because I can't shift into Park, I've been forced to manually (aka with key) lock the driver door when leaving the car.

I can't resolve how in the video shared above the driver "stabbed open" the latch to release the cover! It doesn't compute. In fact, it looks like a good way to break something.

Here's a picture I took of my door lock cover. This is a top down view. The front of the car is to the right. It's just a very delicate little catch, and it looks prone to breakage with any ham-fisted maneuvers.

Instead, the key should be inserted gently and used as a lever. The key needs to push the latch **towards** the front of the car (so towards the hand grip part of the door handle) to release contact (so to the right, relative to my photo). The base of the key (the part we hold) should therefore be pushed lightly towards the rear of the car (to the left in the photo). The rectangular slot is the fulcrum.

i3-lock-cover.jpg
 
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