Hi All,

Does anyone know if there exists a step by step Troubleshooting guide for the Comfort Access System? It's the only thing still not working on my 2011 R56 and I would like to fix it, so a step by step would be handy.

Thanks

Neil M.

 

There are 2 systems. The regular lock/unlock doors and the keyless start. I had the issue with keyless start on my R55 several years ago. It was very difficult to diagnose. Started with the usual suspects; fresh batteries in the FOB, checked fuses. I then moved on to running a scan but nothing showed up in the CAS module. I ended up having the dealer diagnosis while it was in for a recall. They ended up swapping out the rear view mirror (the antenna is integrated into the mirror). The mirror set me back $500 at the time so I picked up a spare when I came across one in junkyard.

 

Thanks for this information. I too have scanned the CAS module and get no trouble codes. I have one key that works remotely as long as I press the unlock button and another key which is dead. However, both keys will start the car as long as they are inserted onto the dash socket. So basically, neither the keyless entry (door handle rubber button) or the keyless start work at all. I do question whether the rear view mirror is the culprit on my car. Do you know if the rear view mirror has always been involved with the Comfort Access System or did it change at some time? The factory manual (Newtis) seems to suggest that everything is now controlled through the Body Controller. As with everything BMW based, information is either unavailable or just plain incorrect.

Thanks

Neil M.

 

Sure sounds like the rear view mirror. All the symptoms check out. The key FOB lock/unlock and starting via inserting key are different systems. As far as BMW literature goes, I never did find anything. PM me if you want to see if my spare mirror fixes the problem.

 

Thanks for that offer. Let me do a little more research and then I may take you up on it

Neil M.

 

I think any of us that has dealt with this now keeps a spare mirror in a box somewhere.

 

Sure sounds like this might be a fairly common problem then? I was told by the stealership yesterday that my FOB probably lost the Comfort Access feature when the FOB battery was replaced. They offered to reprogram it for $150.00!!!!!!

Neil M.

 

Stealership doesn’t know jack. The only thing the dealer can do is re-match the FOB lock/unlock function/system. They can’t “reprogram” a key to start a car. The FOB has a chip burned in by BMW specific to the VIN and it can’t be changed and is registered in the immobilizer/CAS. Also, a new mirror won’t need coding. Just plug and play.

They don’t call em stealerships for nothing.

 

Sorry to ask this question here, but just bought a new to me, CM 2015 R60. The key fob works well, except, no comfort access. I have replaced the battery in the fob and all buttons work and starts the car (but fob must be in the receptacle), and when I press the black button on the handle, on the passenger side, I can hear three soft clicking sounds coming from the car (from behind the passenger door area). It means the button on the car itself is working. I can’t hear it on the drivers side as I’m too far away, but let’s assume the problem is the car isn’t recognising or receiving the comfort access signal from the fob. I have two questions: would a new fob from the dealer automatically work with the car for Comfort Access? Would I be able to reprogram the car to recognise this current key fob (original oem) with an OBD device?

thanks very much

 

I am not sure MINI carried over the same comfort access design from Gen2 so my advise may not be accurate. If the CA start is not working there
Q1: "Would a new fob from the dealer automatically work with the car for Comfort Access?"
A1: Not automatically, the new fob would need to be registered
Q2: "Would I be able to reprogram the car to recognize this current key fob (original oem) with an OBD device?"
A2: It is possible (but not very likely) an original oem CA fob would be dropped from the module. If it was dropped, to reprogram the module to recognize an original fob again you would need a dealer level, bi-directional OBD device.

If you hear clicks but car does not unlock when you try all the door handles and trunk, it could be the CA module itself. I would scan the system with a good scan tool. One that works on MINIs and can find all those weird internal codes like the dealership would find.