BMW 7 Series Key Fob Issues: Antenna Problems Suspected

Hi there! I've got some experience with BMWs and had a similar issue with my 2019 BMW 5 series (my third BMW after previously owning a 3 series). I totally get your frustration! My key fob started acting up the same way, inconsistent locking/unlocking, and I had to use the physical key to start the car. Turned out to be a faulty connection in the antenna wiring. Got it fixed at my regular workshop, they replaced some cables and connectors, cost me about 95 Euro, and it's been working perfectly since. Before you head to the shop though, could you share: Is the key fob battery new? Does this happen with both keys? Are you getting any specific error messages on the dashboard? This info would help figure out if you're dealing with the same issue I had. Let me know and I'll share more details about what to expect at the workshop.

Thanks for the detailed reply! My car's pretty fresh with just 13999 KM since I got it, and it's been regularly serviced. Already tried swapping the key fob battery, no luck. Yeah, both keys are acting up the same way, which got me worried. The error code I'm getting is something about the passive access system. Just hoping it won't cost an arm and a leg to fix! Really appreciate your input about the antenna wiring, that's super helpful to know. Maybe I'll ask my mechanic to check that first before diving deeper into other possibilities.

Hey again! Thanks for those extra details about your 7 series, that actually makes things more interesting. You know, when I had this issue with my 5 series, I was at similar mileage (around 15000 KM), and it was also really well maintained. The fact that both your keys are acting up and you've already changed the battery, that's exactly what happened with mine too. That passive access system error is definitely a red flag that points to the antenna system, just like in my case. From my experience, when both keys fail like this, it's rarely the keys themselves, it's usually something in the car's system. The antenna wiring issue I had started exactly the same way. Mine turned out to be a loose connection where the wiring harness connects to the main antenna module. The weird part was that it worked fine one day and then just started acting up the next. Since your car's still pretty new, you might want to check if it's still under warranty. Mine wasn't, which is why I had to pay for the repair. But honestly, the fix itself wasn't too complex, my mechanic had it sorted in about an hour. One thing though, while you're getting it checked, have them look at the entire antenna system, not just the bumper antenna. Sometimes these issues can be linked to the roof antenna as well. Let me know how it goes, curious to see if it's the same problem I had!

Thanks so much for all this info, you're really helping me feel less worried about the whole thing! It's actually super reassuring to hear someone else had such a similar experience, especially with the same mileage and maintenance history. Just checked and I'm still under warranty (phew!), so that's definitely a relief after hearing about your repair costs. You've given me a much clearer picture of what to expect now. I'll definitely ask them to check both the main antenna module and that wiring harness connection you mentioned, plus the roof antenna too, wouldn't have thought about that! Going to book it in tomorrow morning and make sure they look at the whole antenna system like you suggested. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience in such detail. Will let you know what they find, fingers crossed it's just that loose connection like yours was! Thanks again for walking me through this.