If someone stole my keys...............

[Dave M]

91 525im.

Upon arriving home, I unloaded bags of baby clothes from the back seat and headed for the house. Later on in the evening, when I couldn't find my keys, I went back to the car and found it unlocked, no keys in sight.

I fear the worst as I may have left the keys to our BMW and Honda in my drivers door. Someone could easily have walked away with them.............

So, I have the "immobilizer" feature on at the moment (which won't deter theft of contents), but wonder what my longer term options are. How difficult is it to get re-keyed? Oh, I am nowhere near a dealer

Oh, and then theres the Honda CRV 2002.

****,

Dave

[Tiger]

For right now, I'd get steering locks and put them on the car. Tomorrow, I would take the car to the car stereo shop and have them install aftermarket alarm system. Since they have the key, you have to tell the guys the situation and make the overide button very difficult to find. Only the CRV.

The BMW you can set the CODE at OBD... do it now. If you can block your CRV with your BMW, then you don't need steering lock... but be aware, someone may follow you and take the car at your destination.

In the meantime, look real hard everywhere for you keys... if you find them, nobody has it.

Park the car in the garage and take out the registration cards and insurance card and put them in your wallet/purse rather than in the car. Update your insurance to include comprehensive coverage if you don't have it.

Costly to rekey BMW... check with dealer... I did that long ago on mine... cost like $2000. Honda may be cheaper... Another option is to buy the lock and tumblers from part car... two doors, ignition and trunk... make sure you get the VIN and have the dealer make enough copies... bring the lock into the dealer so they know. Otherwise, they might not let you have new fresh copy of the key. You just need one and then let locksmith copy from that new key only.

[ryan roopnarine]

check the manual for the crv and see if there is an impact switch for the fuel pump. i know my ford has one under a cloth panel in the trunk, iirc it both shuts the fuel off if you collide too hard and if you switch it manually (i don't remember if it is more circuit breaker like than airbag sensor like). nobody's going to bother looking for that if the car doesn't start right away. the bmw, if you have a spare key, can be made pretty hard to get into if you disable the central locking and use only the emergency unlock procedure on the passenger door to enter and exit.

[bubba966]

For right now, I'd get steering locks and put them on the car. Tomorrow, I would take the car to the car stereo shop and have them install aftermarket alarm system. Since they have the key, you have to tell the guys the situation and make the overide button very difficult to find. Only the CRV.

An alarm is absolutely worthless.

What you should do though is get a cutoff switch installed somewhere. Have it cut power to the fuel pump. That way it'll crank over but not start. That'll usually just frustrate most thieves (how often does a car cranking but not starting frustrate us and we're not even trying to steal our cars!) and they'll give up after cranking it for a while with it not starting. Do not install a cutoff switch on the starter. Yes, it will do the same thing. But it will be a bit more obvious that there's a cutoff switch installed somewhere if it won't crank and they might try and find it.

[Ross]

An alarm is absolutely worthless.

What you should do though is get a cutoff switch installed somewhere. Have it cut power to the fuel pump. That way it'll crank over but not start. That'll usually just frustrate most thieves (how often does a car cranking but not starting frustrate us and we're not even trying to steal our cars!) and they'll give up after cranking it for a while with it not starting. Do not install a cutoff switch on the starter. Yes, it will do the same thing. But it will be a bit more obvious that there's a cutoff switch installed somewhere if it won't crank and they might try and find it.

Worthless, you bet. Mostly ignored also.
A fuel pump or main relay in one's pocket will insure no drive offs for now, and maybe get your keys back if the guy panics when the car won't start after he's made some noise.

[Dave M]

Worthless, you bet. Mostly ignored also.
A fuel pump or main relay in one's pocket will insure no drive offs for now, and maybe get your keys back if the guy panics when the car won't start after he's made some noise.

Thanks for the advice gentlemen.

As stated, I have 'immobilier' function activated on the BM, which also acts as an alarm if the would be thief attempts three successive starts. Once the boat is out of the garage, the BM will sleep there. I think Ross' and others advice of the Hondas fuel pump relay in the pocket will do the trick for now. Untill its sorted, we leave no valuables in the vehicles.

Dave

[sal_park]

Remove the Fuel pump relay ?

[Morgenster]

Remove the Fuel pump relay ?

I used to do this on my old E30 if I was parked in a particularly nasty neighbourhood.

[bubba966]

Oh, and as far as getting new locks & keys from BMW. I recall the ignition tumbler costing me about $150 a year and a half ago. And my master key is $230 or so as I have the alarm/unlock function built into mine (it's a 9/95 build car). But I think even the basic keys are a good $100 or so.

Then you've got the two door locks, trunk lock, and glove box lock.

Forget if you've got EWS in your car since it's an earlier E34. But it cost me $95 to have the EWS codes re-done when I had a Dinan chip installed in my car. So if you need to change the EWS codes on the car to match the new keys I'm sure it'll be around $100. And you'll need to have that done at either a dealer or an independent that's got a BMW GT1 diagnostic computer.

[Ross]

re-key the BM and let 'em have the Honda.
Seriously, if you are convinced someone took the keys rest assured they did it for a reason. House keys too?
I have a complete set of matching locks with one key & the vin to get addl. A bit of work to change them but assures you no-one has your key.
Could also lie in wait, well armed, for the guy to return then request them back.