Dealer is screwing with me..long saga..advice please

[sirgolfalot]

Hello all, I've been bouncing back and forth between the forums searching out answers on my alarm system and I've found more questions than answers. My car is a '95 540i, built on 1/95....I purchased 2 weeks ago and have already got runaround by dealer. Here's what happened:

Bought car on a thursday night, drove home, parked...key worked fine. Go up and tried to use key, but key no work. Used key to enter car, alarm still going off. Tried the Position 1 thing, alarm still going off. Called 3 different dealers, all gave me the deer in headlight answer, alarm still going off. Car no start, alarm is going off. I pulled every fuse I could find....car still no crank. Now it gets screwy. Not knowing anything about the car, (now I do), I towed it to the dealer. The first day, they say, "we don't know...gota contact higher" The second day, they say replace the key.....so we did. A week later, key comes in, but alarm still going off.....me no car yet. They finally say that it's a "door lock actuator" in the drivers door...?? Huh? anyways, they somehow "bypass" the system, and crank it using the new key. I pickup, drive home. The new key starts car, opens doors and trunk, but not glove box. When i lock door with new key, all doors lock electrically. When unlock, same. A few days later, I accidentally hit the button the OLD key and car locks, alarm initiates. I hit the button again, the car unlocks.....like nothing ever happened. Now, scared to continue using the old key, I hit the button on the NEW key, nothing happens.....I'm still using the NEW key.....but I thought they BYPASSED the system or something? still working.... later that day, I call them to ask HOW they bypassed the system so that when I actually take it to get it fixed, the new people will know where to start........still no answer from them after daily calls.

My Questions:

How did they bypass the EWS II system? if they did at all? The OLD key worked...(opened the doors)...???

IS there such a thing as a door lock actuator, and if so, wouldn't it affect how the key opens the door, and not the alarm..?

If there's anyone that can shed some light on this, I'm begging at this point. I read the PDF on the EWS II system, and it's just a little too complicated for me to figure out. I've printed off several post already about this issue, among others and have learned a wealth of knowledge about my car from you guys. I've about figured out how to fix the issues from the shimmy to stuck seats, but the alarm system is just driving me that I can't figure it out, and I'm afraid to set it off again trying to work on it. I'm just looking for someone to give me some straight scoop. it really seemed the dealer was fishing, and I don't like that. When I dropped the car off, I asked them to do whatever was necessary to bypass the alarm so that I could drive it home.....1 week and half later, I'm still playing phone games with them.

thank you for any help you can provide, and /or advice. Also, I'd really like to meet up with someone in the Lemoore / Fresno area over the next month of March, or in the San Diego area after April to help me take a look at this stuff..I'm willing to pay for that if needed. I'm moving to San Diego in April (military). Sorry for long post.

thanks again,
Don

[632 Regal]

Don,

Under the back seat area is where the alarm and stuff is located. If I was you I would just disconnect it from the battery untill you find someone with common sence to tract the problem.

Nothing like having a new car and be unable to use it comfortably.

Disconnect it unless you live in an area that you feel you need an alarm, in that case I fell you would be served much better by an indipendant alarm/stereo shop as long as you provide the documentation you printed out from the PDF.

Oh by the way Welcome to the Club.

I dont have an alarm on my car so I moved about 70 miles out of the city.

[sirgolfalot]

Thanks for the response...yea, I tried to disconnect it from there when it first starting going off.....stopped the alarm, but the car still wouldnt crank.

Guess what I'm asking is where did the dealer bypass the alarm from..?

I hit the button on the old key and the alarm worked....they told me it was bypassed......hit the button no new key...nothing happens...but the new key starts car....?? what did they do.....or didn't do?

[DaveVoorhis]

I'm having a bit of trouble following what you've done via the remote fob and what you've done via the key itself, but... It sounds like they didn't bypass anything. They simply unlocked the car with the old remote -- which disables the alarm -- and didn't program the new one so you can't turn on the alarm.

[SharkmanBMW]

I'm having a bit of trouble following what you've done via the remote fob and what you've done via the key itself, but... It sounds like they didn't bypass anything. They simply unlocked the car with the old remote -- which disables the alarm -- and didn't program the new one so you can't turn on the alarm.

Probably right, scary isn't it?
How much did the wonderful "stealer" charge to screw you like this?!

Be patient, there is a huge amount of people here that can help you, give it some time... sorry you didn't end up here a few weeks ago

[sirgolfalot]

well, I guess I got lucky in that aspect...I only got charged for the new key...$200 after all was done.

Yea, I think you are right...I think that they just unlocked the car with old key, installed the new key enough so that the doors and ignition would recognize it for use, and sent me on my way.

I'm still confused about the "door switch/actuator" though....seems like if that was down, then the key wouldn't actually unlock the doors manually...?

I donno, my brain is fried at this point. I'm affraid to use/hit the old key in fear that the alarm will go again and the new key will not stop it...


thanks for everyone that has responded...one day I'll get this straight.....Luckily, it's not a real pain in the ars to lock/unlock the car via the key, but would be nice to use the keyless for a change

thanks again,

Don

[brick8]

Frickin alarms and immobilizers are the worst things for those of us who like to buy "seasoned" vehicles. At least with a car of e34 vintage it ought to be possible to eventually work around the thing. With newer vehicles I don't think it will be possible. I hate car alarms. They don't do s*** to stop thieves but they annoy the hell out of neighbors and cause immeasurable grief to owners when they make it impossible to drive the car IMHO. The alarms and immobilizers are just a marketing gimmick for the manufacturers.

[sirgolfalot]

I'm having a bit of trouble following what you've done via the remote fob and what you've done via the key itself, but... It sounds like they didn't bypass anything. They simply unlocked the car with the old remote -- which disables the alarm -- and didn't program the new one so you can't turn on the alarm.

I do have a question about that then....if they did do that, and I try to code in the new key will the alarm go on me again....and if so, how do I stop it. last time it went , it wouldn't stop, even with doing the emergency procedure with OLD key in ignition....battery ran down, had to tow to dealer. I'm 100 miles from nearest dealer, so can't afford for it to do it again.

any ideas..?

code in procedures? am I on track with these..?

Unlock the car, get in. Close the driver door.

Turn the key in the ignition to position 1 briefly (less than 5 sec), and remove it. Then hold the unlock key down, and press the lock key 3 times within 10 seconds. The dash light should flash, doors should lock and unlock showing that it's working,

found these in other forum..

[mattyb]

damn right! and welcome Don

[BMWCCA1]

Being a 540i, isn't your alarm control built into the key head? The EWS is separate from the alarm either way and reacts to the chip in the key. EWS will work with up to ten keys for your car. The alarm has to be programmed. Maybe the alarm/imobilizer part of your old key is bad but the EWS is still working? Sorry, my experience (and that of many here) is more on the BMW/Alpine alarm with the extra key fob.