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      06-21-2011, 09:43 AM   #1
momo28
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Car Wash, doors locked?

Picked up my 335 i 2 weeks ago. Of course, will try to keep it clean (for now!)After the road trip, had to bring the car to the car wash to just spray off the bugs. Have the comfort access. Remotely remember people mentioning that doors may lock by itself? So I bring a second key to put in my pocket, just in case. Sure enough, 3 mins into the car wash, lights blinked and doors locked by itself and 1 min later, unlocked itself??!! I have a key inside my purse in the passenger seat. Even though I have a key in my pocket, it freaked me out. Anybody have the same experience?
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      06-21-2011, 10:11 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by momo28 View Post
Picked up my 335 i 2 weeks ago. Of course, will try to keep it clean (for now!)After the road trip, had to bring the car to the car wash to just spray off the bugs. Have the comfort access. Remotely remember people mentioning that doors may lock by itself? So I bring a second key to put in my pocket, just in case. Sure enough, 3 mins into the car wash, lights blinked and doors locked by itself and 1 min later, unlocked itself??!! I have a key inside my purse in the passenger seat. Even though I have a key in my pocket, it freaked me out. Anybody have the same experience?
Comfort Access does that. Best to keep the key fob away from the car when washing it. If it is on your person, the locks will cycle on and off.
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      06-21-2011, 11:27 AM   #3
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It's the moisture in your fingers that makes the system work (not the warmth or tender caress of your touch, unfortunately) - so it can't distinguish between water and hands. I keep the fob far enough away during washing to prevent this. Not only annoying, but why wear out the mechanism with the constant cycling.
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      06-21-2011, 11:35 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LEDZEP View Post
It's the moisture in your fingers
So as I approach the car during a rain storm, it should unlock automatically. Now that would be useful
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      06-21-2011, 11:37 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pault View Post
So as I approach the car during a rain storm, it should unlock automatically. Now that would be useful
It very well could.
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      06-21-2011, 11:44 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LEDZEP View Post
It's the moisture in your fingers that makes the system work (not the warmth or tender caress of your touch, unfortunately) - so it can't distinguish between water and hands. I keep the fob far enough away during washing to prevent this. Not only annoying, but why wear out the mechanism with the constant cycling.
I think it would be very difficult to keep the key away from the car when you are at one of those do-it-yourself pressure washer car washes. In that case, I'll take the risk of cycling the system too much over having someone nick my key fob I placed far enough away to avoid engaging the CA.
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      06-21-2011, 12:06 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CdnE90 View Post
I think it would be very difficult to keep the key away from the car when you are at one of those do-it-yourself pressure washer car washes. In that case, I'll take the risk of cycling the system too much over having someone nick my key fob I placed far enough away to avoid engaging the CA.
Good point.
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      06-21-2011, 05:08 PM   #8
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If you keep the fob in the car while washing, it won't lock the doors. Probably beep at you from time to time to warn you the fob is inside, though.
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      06-21-2011, 08:49 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Razel View Post
If you keep the fob in the car while washing, it won't lock the doors. Probably beep at you from time to time to warn you the fob is inside, though.
That's good to know. I won't be carrying the spare key in my pocket next time. Probably will try to wash the car in my own driveway while experimenting with all these scenarios
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      06-22-2011, 04:03 AM   #10
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The images I have in my mind if people washing their X3 and then running away from it are hilarious!!
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      06-27-2011, 11:06 PM   #11
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I have been reading the X3 Owner's Manual while awaiting a build week for my newly ordered X3. The carwash section confuses the heck out of me. It says:

Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll when the following
steps are adhered to:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Engage transmission position N.
3. Release the parking brake or deactivate Automatic
Hold.
4. Switch the engine off.

Why would I want to switch the engine off???
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      06-29-2011, 06:58 AM   #12
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I have also had the wing mirrors cycle in and out during pressure wash. Can not see why that should happen...
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      06-29-2011, 07:18 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 02420X3 View Post
I have been reading the X3 Owner's Manual while awaiting a build week for my newly ordered X3. The carwash section confuses the heck out of me. It says:

Before driving into a car wash
The vehicle is able to roll when the following
steps are adhered to:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Engage transmission position N.
3. Release the parking brake or deactivate Automatic
Hold.
4. Switch the engine off.

Why would I want to switch the engine off???
On many automatic conveyor car washes where the car is dragged through on front wheel pickups the car wash instructions will tell you to "shut off the engine and put the car into neutral". Presumably to reduce the exhaust vapor in the car wash building.

If the wash does require that the engine is off, it's important to follow the BMW instructions correctly so the car remains in neutral, and the auto hold or the electronic parking brake is not inadvertently activated (locking the rear wheels) while the car is being dragged through the wash by the fronts. Shutting off without depressing the brake pedal will result in the car automatically selecting "Park".
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      07-03-2011, 05:17 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill S View Post
I have also had the wing mirrors cycle in and out during pressure wash. Can not see why that should happen...
Just another car wash problem we have to encounter?
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      07-04-2011, 11:17 PM   #15
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Thanks Lotus7, your response is, as always, helpful and informative. My local carwashes do not require engine shutoff. I suspect though, that I'm going to be spending more time at the local detailer.
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      07-06-2011, 03:27 AM   #16
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If this is a major issue - you can always put your CA key inside one of those Anti-Static bags that they deliver integrated circuits in (eg computer memory cards).

The metal film in the bag forms a Farraday Cage and stops the signal from the key being read by the car.

I keep one handy for putting toll tags in when I carry them in my car, so that I dont get charged a toll from more than one of the tags at the same time.

(and to stop anyone from asking - I have to carry a spare tag for any loan car I use when I am getting my car serviced / repaired as my regular tag was conveniently glued permanently to my windshield by the dealer on delivery - real clever .)
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