Chipped keys for CKD E36

[godflesh]

Question for all of you out there. Were CKD E36 models equipped with chipped keys? My key is not chipped, and owner claims that it was like that from the first day he took the car out from AB. Is this possible with a 99 car. Thought that all E36 97 onwards were chipped. He could have bypassed the whole imobiliser system. Is this possible??

 

[8080pbmw]

mine is a end year 97 and the keys ( all four of them ) have chip embedded in them as part of the immobiliser. A master key will cost you approx.1k to replace at AB. maybe the previous owner replaced/by pass the immoiliser due to key loss as it is quite costly to replace the complete set.
perhaps other e36 owner can confirm on this.
I actually made four keys upon getting this car only to find them useless except for openning the lock. It's good only up to that and can not crank up the engine.
anyway , enjoy the car.
cheers.

 

[flash]

Understand you are using another brand of alarm system. So most probably the previous owner has already bypassed the system or removed the immobilser totally....

 

[godflesh]

Originally posted by flash@Mar 17 2006, 12:50 PM
Understand you are using another brand of alarm system. So most probably the previous owner has already bypassed the system or removed the immobilser totally....

Flash,

Yup. Not standard (code alarm) system. Question is....

1) Can the EWS imobiliser system be removed completely.... or

2) has it been bypassed - and the chip hidden somewhere in the car where the ECU "sees" it continuosly??

Am taking the car back to the ppl who installed it - just hope they have hidden the chip somewhere in the car where it can be retrieved. No problem so far, but what happens if the alarm system fails and I need to install a new system, then locating the chip (if at all it's there) would be crucial.

Any advice on who I can go to (good installers/troubleshooters) just in case these guys I'm going back to dont know anything.....

What do you guys out there think of the viper or cobra alarm systems?? Any good???

 

[machinehead]

Godflesh,
The alarm system and immobiliser(EWS) is two different issue.
The EWS is standard equipment where the alarm is fitted off-line (Pre Delivery Inspection) area with MAMBA alarm.(siren, control unit, interior sensor,2 remote,speed-lock,auto window up when remote is on).
For your case, The MAMBA was replace by Code alarm.
The chip is in your original car key. To by pass I don't think it is possible? Maybe they have change the ECU without EWS (92-93) If you can start the engine with a duplicated key then it is without EWS already.

 

[godflesh]

Originally posted by machinehead@Mar 17 2006, 03:27 PM
Godflesh,
The alarm system and immobiliser(EWS) is two different issue.
The EWS is standard equipment where the alarm is fitted off-line (Pre Delivery Inspection) area with MAMBA alarm.(siren, control unit, interior sensor,2 remote,speed-lock,auto window up when remote is on).
For your case, The MAMBA was replace by Code alarm.
The chip is in your original car key. To by pass I don't think it is possible? Maybe they have change the ECU without EWS (92-93) If you can start the engine with a duplicated key then it is without EWS already.

Machinehead,

Thanks for the quick response. I checked the ECU, thru the hold down trip + ACC2 key position. The 5 digits displayed match the Vin on car. That, I guess confirms the ECU + Car have been together since day 1???.

The other possibility is that the owner installed a bypass system to accomodate the the auto start function. Anyway, that would explain why the chip is not in the key, must be somewhere in the car. From what I searched on the net, there were two ways of doing this, either slot the spare key (with chip) into alarm unit, or remove the chip and slot it in. They then wind a piece of wire loop around the ignition barrel and the chip RF signal transmits directly to the car ECU via the ignition barrel. So the car always "sees" the key. Anyone can confirm this??

I would need to locate the alarm unit under the glove compart. and see if I can find the key / chip. The owner is so confident that the car came without a chip. Sometimes, I guess these ppl with lotsa money dont know what acc shop sell them, just park the car and say gimme this, that, +++ --- bla, bla, then pay money and walk off with questioning what's been done.

Will get to the bottom of this.. Any idea how much a viper/cobra/mamba system would cost???

Cheers...!