Locked Out! How?

[AustinJerry]

I stopped to fill up the gas tank this morning. As I was getting out of the car, I simultaneously opened the door latch and pressed the unlock key at the same time (we have all done that). The door opened, and everything seemed to be OK. After filling the tank, I returned to the driver door, and it was locked! My keys were inside on the passenger seat. Needless to say, I was screwed.

After taking a round-trip cab ride back to my home to retrieve the spare key fob ($60--ouch!), I was able to gain access. Since then, I have been trying every conceivable way to see if I can duplicate the scenario in which I was locked out, but nothing I try results in a lockout.

Does anyone know how this might have happened? I would like to avoid it in the future.

[SakhirM4]

Don't leave your key in the car.

[d4vid]

Did you have your phone with you? You can unlock your car by using the BMW remote app.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by d4vid

Did you have your phone with you? You can unlock your car by using the BMW remote app.

Just to be clear, you can't actually directly unlock your car using the BMW Remote app. In the USA and Canada, you can use the app to call BMW Assist and request an unlock, and they will remotely unlock your car, once you supply your BMW Assist password.

[ciaranob]

That is actually incorrect - you can unlock and lock your car remotely with the BMW Connected app in the US (along with sounding the horn, flashing LED lights and activating climate control) - just did an unlock again with the app to confirm in case some features had changed!

Simply open the Connected app and select the small icon labelled 'Remote' (above the location map view) and in the next page you'll see the options. You may have to wait a minute or a few for the signal to get sent back to your car (a bit painful) but def works .

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

Just to be clear, you can't actually directly unlock your car using the BMW Remote app. In the USA and Canada, you can use the app to call BMW Assist and request an unlock, and they will remotely unlock your car, once you supply your BMW Assist password.

[aboulfad]

App does unlock/lock/... in Canada too, but back to OP's question, I think there is some function where the car auto locks on its own, forgot the conditions but I never tried it with the key inside...

OP, I have CA and I always leave in the key in my pocket, nothing else attached to it... it is a good habit I developed, three things I absolutely never leave unattended or not on me, my mobile, M key and wallet! One day I dream of, is to only cary a mobile

[dzvero]

Originally Posted by aboulfad

App does unlock/lock/... in Canada too, but back to OP's question, I think there is some function where the car auto locks on its own, forgot the conditions but I never tried it with the key inside...

OP, I have CA and I always leave in the key in my pocket, nothing else attached to it... it is a good habit I developed, three things I absolutely never leave unattended or not on me, my mobile, M key and wallet! One day I dream of, is to only cary a mobile

This, I dont leave key on seat. Unlock the car - back in my pocket.

[AustinJerry]

Thanks for the replies. While it may be good advice to never leave the keys in the car, this still doesn't answer my original question--under what circumstances will the car lock itself? This isn't my first BMW, and I have never had the car lock itself before.

Thanks for the tip on the iPhone app. In this case, it would not have helped, because I left the iPhone in the car while filling the tank. Cool idea for an app enhancement: have the app live in the cloud, accessible from any iOS device, password protected, of course. Borrow a phone, and unlock the car.

[2kaccordocoupe]

Originally Posted by AustinJerry

Thanks for the replies. While it may be good advice to never leave the keys in the car, this still doesn't answer my original question--under what circumstances will the car lock itself? This isn't my first BMW, and I have never had the car lock itself before.

Thanks for the tip on the iPhone app. In this case, it would not have helped, because I left the iPhone in the car while filling the tank. Cool idea for an app enhancement: have the app live in the cloud, accessible from any iOS device, password protected, of course. Borrow a phone, and unlock the car.

Call buddy with iOS. Have them install the app, provide your credentials and hit unlock. That's your cloud solution

My wife knows my assist account and I know hers just in case.

[2kaccordocoupe]

How do you hit unlock when it's on the dash and the handle is on the door? What car is this?

[AustinJerry]

Originally Posted by 2kaccordocoupe

How do you hit unlock when it's on the dash and the handle is on the door? What car is this?

Typically, you would reach up and press the unlock button in the dash and then open the door with the handle. Occasionally, you might press the unlock button at exactly the same time that you are trying to open the door using the handle, and the two operations can conflict with each other. Does this make sense?

And the car is a 2015 M4.

Is the app mentioned earlier the "BMW I Remote" app? Or the "Connected Drive" app?

Edit: Never Mind. I found it. The My BMW Remote app. Now I am having difficulty registering my vehicle on the ConnectedDrive web site--I think the site is down for maintenance.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

lmaoo why didnt u just go on the passenger door and use the comfort acess?

[2kaccordocoupe]

Originally Posted by AustinJerry

Typically, you would reach up and press the unlock button in the dash and then open the door with the handle.

I have owned an e53, e70, e92, f82 and r56. Never have I ever pushed the unlock button to get out of the car. This must be just you... You either have the doors auto unlock when turning off the car or pull the door handle twice.

[AustinJerry]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

lmaoo why didnt u just go on the passenger door and use the comfort acess?

What are you talking about?

Edit: I just read the section in the user manual regarding Comfort Access. Either my vehicle is not equipped for it, or it has been turned off in the setting somewhere. I cannot get any of the described features of comfort access to work as described.

[AustinJerry]

Originally Posted by 2kaccordocoupe

I have owned an e53, e70, e92, f82 and r56. Never have I ever pushed the unlock button to get out of the car. This must be just you... You either have the doors auto unlock when turning off the car or pull the door handle twice.

I don't have auto unlock set. And whether you open the door by pulling the door handle twice, or pressing the unlock button, is totally irrelevant to my original question of how the car could have locked itself while I was re-fueling.

Another data point: when I went around the car and opened the cover to access the gas cap, the cover was not locked in place. This is proof that the car was unlocked at that point in time, and locked itself sometime after I finished filling up, returned the gas cap, and closed the cover. How could that have happened?

Edit: I wonder if the setting "Lock if no door is opened" has somehow been the cause? This feature was enabled. How is this feature supposed to work, and might it have locked the door while I was re-fueling?

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by ciaranob

That is actually incorrect - you can unlock and lock your car remotely with the BMW Connected app in the US (along with sounding the horn, flashing LED lights and activating climate control) - just did an unlock again with the app to confirm in case some features had changed!

Simply open the Connected app and select the small icon labelled 'Remote' (above the location map view) and in the next page you'll see the options. You may have to wait a minute or a few for the signal to get sent back to your car (a bit painful) but def works .

I have the BMW Remote app on both my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (Android) and my Apple iPod Touch. When "Unlock" is selected (and held for 2 seconds) on either app, a notification comes up that says

To request a vehicle unlock, please call BMW Assist. Have your BMW Assist password ready.
USA: +1-888-333-6118
Canada: +1-800-493-4070

It does not unlock the car. Maybe the app works differently on an iPhone, but not sure how or why that would be the case. The version on the iPod Touch is 5.1.1.US. The version on the S7 Edge is 5.0.0.US.

[tom @ eas]

We had this happen with an M4 on the dyno (customer accidentally dropped key in trunk). A quick call to BMW Assist and they were able to unlock it remotely.

[AustinJerry]

Originally Posted by tom @ eas

We had this happen with an M4 on the dyno (customer accidentally dropped key in trunk). A quick call to BMW Assist and they were able to unlock it remotely.

But this doesn't explain why the car locked itself. It should not do this.

To everyone who has recommended remote unlocking services, I am in the process of setting this up, thanks.

[ciaranob]

OK, it may be that you are using the older Remote app - you need to be running the BMW Connected App - see my home screen attached in top right corner for the icon.

Once into the app with your password you will see the App's home screen with the Remote button on top right of Map view. You then get the unlock etc page (my third pic) where you can see the options which all work on my car (don't know why ht alas screen dump is a diff size !!.

When activating an unlock you will be asked to verify a security question you had set up previously and then good to go

Hope that helps,
Cheers, C.

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

I have the BMW Remote app on both my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (Android) and my Apple iPod Touch. When "Unlock" is selected (and held for 2 seconds) on either app, a notification comes up that says

To request a vehicle unlock, please call BMW Assist. Have your BMW Assist password ready.
USA: +1-888-333-6118
Canada: +1-800-493-4070

It does not unlock the car. Maybe the app works differently on an iPhone, but not sure how or why that would be the case. The version on the iPod Touch is 5.1.1.US. The version on the S7 Edge is 5.0.0.US.

[SD ///M4]

Originally Posted by ciaranob

OK, it may be that you are using the older Remote app - you need to be running the BMW Connected App - see my home screen attached in top right corner for the icon.

Once into the app with your password you will see the App's home screen with the Remote button on top right of Map view. You then get the unlock etc page (my third pic) where you can see the options which all work on my car (don't know why ht alas screen dump is a diff size !!.

When activating an unlock you will be asked to verify a security question you had set up previously and then good to go

Hope that helps,
Cheers, C.

You're right, you're running the newer BMW Connected North America app, not the BMW Remote app that was initially mentioned in this thread and also has similar functionality.

This newer app replaced the BMW Connected app and was not initially available for Android. I now have the newer North America version on my S7 Edge and it doesn't even include an Unlock feature. When I tried to install the newer North America version on my iPod Touch (purchased in April), I get a message "Cannot download. This app is not compatible with your device."

So it appears that you can unlock your M3/M4, but only if you have an iPhone with the newer BMW Connected North America app. The unlock function is not even available on the same app for Android, although the lock function works. Selected functionality for Android users, not surprising since BMW has long slighted Android users over Apple users.

[ciaranob]

Well indeed that bites - not exactly a universal roll out then!

Originally Posted by SD ///M4

You're right, you're running the newer BMW Connected North America app .........the unlock function is not even available on the same app for Android, although the lock function works. Selected functionality for Android users.........

[SanchoDivine]

Maybe what might have happened is that you opened the door first and then might have locked it when you hit the button. Got out, closed the door, viola, locked out?

I would think with the engine off and key inside, the car would have prevented the car from locking but that's one scenario for you.

Also, some cars re-lock the doors if you use the remote to unlock but don't open the doors within a certain timeframe although this doesn't seem to apply to your scenario.