[F30Toad]

Took my car to a full service car wash (I know, I should wash it by hand), got out of the car and left the keys in the center tray just like I always do.

After paying I see my car come out of the tunnel, two guys are pulling on the door handles and it's not opening. I went over and all the doors are locked and the keys are sitting right where I placed them.:mad:

Luckily they could push the car straight out and get it out of the way since the place was busy.

I had my BMW roadside assistance card in my wallet so I called and they transfered me to BMW Assist. After verifying my info and about a 5 minute wait as he went through stuff on his computer, he tells me to go to the trunk, hold the button for 10 seconds and then do it again after 10-15 seconds and repeat until the driver's door unlocks. He warned me it could take up to 15 minutes.

The first press and hold produced some dash warning lights and the second push opened the door. Really cool feature.

If you have BMW assist and haven't activated it, do so. They ask for your password.

I will be removing my key from the fob in future cases, but it is good to know it works.

[LEDZEP]

Good to hear the trouble was minimal.

Apparently you can lock the key inside with CA.

Don't ever take your car to a car wash.

[Revlis]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Good to hear the trouble was minimal.

Apparently you can lock the key inside with CA.

Don't ever take your car to a car wash.

Doesn't add up. Has to be a pretty unique series of events... I've tried everything I can think of to trip up the Comfort Access and have ye to have any luck.

So far I haven't been able to lock myself out or anyone in... Glad BMW Assist proved useful.

[flush01]

i just came from a car wash where you wash it yourself... i have CA too, and while I was washing it looks like the car locked/unlocked/locked/unlocked when i was spraying it, i guess its normal

[Bubbles]

I just activated my service, never got around to it until I read your post. Good to see they helped you out.

[flush01]

Originally Posted by Shadyg

I just activated my service, never got around to it until I read your post. Good to see they helped you out.

how do you activate it ?

[BK]

Originally Posted by flush01

i just came from a car wash where you wash it yourself... i have CA too, and while I was washing it looks like the car locked/unlocked/locked/unlocked when i was spraying it, i guess its normal

That's why you leave the key in the car (or away from the car) -- to keep that from happening.

Now that I've read the OP's story, I guess if I ever go to an automatic wash, I'll take the key out of the fob or make sure I have the plastic key with me.

FWIW, I have yet to have a CA hiccup in ~1 year.

[F30Toad]

Originally Posted by flush01

how do you activate it ?

Turn on the car and push the Assist button. The first time you push the button they go through the activation process with you.

[F30Toad]

Originally Posted by BK

That's why you leave the key in the car (or away from the car) -- to keep that from happening.

Now that I've read the OP's story, I guess if I ever go to an automatic wash, I'll take the key out of the fob or make sure I have the plastic key with me.

FWIW, I have yet to have a CA hiccup in ~1 year.

Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out how it happened. No one touched the key, it was right where I put it. Some kind of glitch in the system where the car thought the key was outside while the water was spraying on the door handle I assume.

I'm going to talk to service about it tomorrow, that just can't happen if everything is working correctly.

[aspiring335]

Good to know this can happen. As someone mentioned above, if you have the car on your person while you're spraying, the system tends to lock / unlock when you spray the door handles, so I've been leaving my key in the center console tray. Sounds like that's not a good idea.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by flush01

how do you activate it ?

Please drive to the dealership where you purchased your car. Ask for your CA. Say, "Hi Mr. CA... LedZep asked me to give you something that belongs to you". Then punch him in the mouth.

[turbotko]

Yep, seen this alot. My FSE was just talking about this last week in fact. He was saying how he was washing his company car (with CA) and was watching the doors lock and unlock by spraying the door handles.

The crazy thing is, the doors are not supposed to lock with the CA if there is a remote in the car. Ever tried shutting your trunk lid with a key in the trunk? It won't work!

I tell you what though, I won't be taking my 335 to a car wash, and I sure won't wash it with the keys in the car!!

[hunt55]

Thanks for the information. I tried to lock my fob in the car as a test. I am wondering, do you have the car set to lock after a specific time?

[Das M]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Please drive to the dealership where you purchased your car. Ask for your CA. Say, "Hi Mr. CA... LedZep asked me to give you something that belongs to you". Then punch him in the mouth.

[F30Toad]

Originally Posted by hunt55

Thanks for the information. I tried to lock my fob in the car as a test. I am wondering, do you have the car set to lock after a specific time?

No, I don't think there is a setting for that on my I-driveless car. I also have the autolock feature off that locks the car when you drive.

At the car wash, they would have vacuumed the car, started and drove the car 30ft, turned it off and the track would have pulled it through the wash. If someone hit either the fob lock or the central lock button while the car was closed they would have needed to unlock to get out or had the drivers door open when they locked it. It just shouldn't happen, it had to lock while it was in the wash tunnel.

[jfulcher]

There is a setting for that even if you don't have I-drive. I think it tells you how in the manual.

[mesier1111]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

Please drive to the dealership where you purchased your car. Ask for your CA. Say, "Hi Mr. CA... LedZep asked me to give you something that belongs to you". Then punch him in the mouth.

LMFAO!!!!

[e90fanatic]

Originally Posted by E90Toad

Took my car to a full service car wash (I know, I should wash it by hand), got out of the car and left the keys in the center tray just like I always do.

After paying I see my car come out of the tunnel, two guys are pulling on the door handles and it's not opening. I went over and all the doors are locked and the keys are sitting right where I placed them.:mad:

Luckily they could push the car straight out and get it out of the way since the place was busy.

I had my BMW roadside assistance card in my wallet so I called and they transfered me to BMW Assist. After verifying my info and about a 5 minute wait as he went through stuff on his computer, he tells me to go to the trunk, hold the button for 10 seconds and then do it again after 10-15 seconds and repeat until the driver's door unlocks. He warned me it could take up to 15 minutes.

The first press and hold produced some dash warning lights and the second push opened the door. Really cool feature.

If you have BMW assist and haven't activated it, do so. They ask for your password.

I will be removing my key from the fob in future cases, but it is good to know it works.

why not just keep your key in your pocket? the car wash place dont need your key. i always have mine and never take it out. not sure why you took it out...

[F30Toad]

Originally Posted by e90fanatic

why not just keep your key in your pocket? the car wash place dont need your key. i always have mine and never take it out. not sure why you took it out...

They turn off the car when they put it in the tunnel. They have to have something to restart it.

[F30Toad]

Originally Posted by jfulcher

There is a setting for that even if you don't have I-drive. I think it tells you how in the manual.

I'm pretty sure the only setting is to autolock the car when you drive. There is no setting for having the car lock after so many seconds when you walk away.

The autolock feature only works when you have the car running and you drive off. At about 5-10mph it locks the doors. I have that feature turned off.

[e90fanatic]

Originally Posted by E90Toad

They turn off the car when they put it in the tunnel. They have to have something to restart it.

just wait for the car at the end of the tunnel....restart it for them...most of them dont even know how to turn the car on

[BK]

Originally Posted by turbotko

The crazy thing is, the doors are not supposed to lock with the CA if there is a remote in the car. Ever tried shutting your trunk lid with a key in the trunk? It won't work!

I've washed my car pretty much weekly for the past year, leaving the key inside, and the doors have never locked / unlocked / locked / etc. when washing. The OP's experience is definitely a bug of some sort on his car. But if it happened once, I suppose it could happen again to one of us. Best to take the key out of the fob (or carry the plastic key) if you ever go to a car wash.