[nikitino25]

My car has the comfort access but the unlock feature where you touch the door handle works maybe one out of every 5 times that I try. Got a new battery for my key fob and that didn't help. I don't think it's a fuse since it does work occasionally. Any ideas why this is happening and how to fix? The lock feature where you touch the top of the handle works fine by the way.....

[JazStar740]

Are you touching the inside of the handle?

[ctuna]

The car battery itself could be weak .
I have noticed on mine its sometimes necessary to have
the fob at shirt pocket level, or at least above the window level.

[ccbl]

mine just recently started doing this too.. haven't done the key fob battery replacement yet... but i also noticed everything inside the car has been resetted... (date and time... trip etc... i probably need a new battery i can only assume)

[NH335i]

Ya. Id check the car battery. When the batteries in these cars get low alot of random things stop working.

[nikitino25]

I just kind of figured something out on this. If I lock the car, and then try the comfort access by putting my hand on the handle, it works every time without fail and unlocks the car for up to about 2-3 minutes after i've locked the car. But, if i wait more than 2-3 minutes, it never works. It's almost like it's on a timer or something and won't work after a specified amount of time but always works for a short time after I've locked it......I wouldn't be surprised if there was some obscure timer setting for this but i have no idea how to change it or if there even is one.......

[PichaDis11]

Originally Posted by nikitino25

I just kind of figured something out on this. If I lock the car, and then try the comfort access by putting my hand on the handle, it works every time without fail and unlocks the car for up to about 2-3 minutes after i've locked the car. But, if i wait more than 2-3 minutes, it never works. It's almost like it's on a timer or something and won't work after a specified amount of time but always works for a short time after I've locked it......I wouldn't be surprised if there was some obscure timer setting for this but i have no idea how to change it or if there even is one.......

Get the car's battery tested and change the key fob battery as well. That's a good place to start. If other features are shutting off as well that could mean a battery problem.

[nikitino25]

Well I already changed the key fob battery and everything else seems to work fine. I guess I could get my battery checked out but I don't think anything is wrong with it....

[Hokie_BMW]

Originally Posted by nikitino25

Well I already changed the key fob battery and everything else seems to work fine. I guess I could get my battery checked out but I don't think anything is wrong with it....

I thought my battery was fine too. I experienced this exact thing. New car battery fixed it.

[ctuna]

If you have an 07 or 06 and it the original(car battery not fob)
You are due for a battery. 6 years is about the average
maximum life of a battery in these car they are noted
battery hogs. There is a glass eye on the battery that
tells its condition but I would go by voltage measurements
first. a healthy battery should be 12.6 if its 12 or under in the
morning you better start looking for a battery or be stranded
somewhere unless you have a manual you can push start.
Also if the fob is in your pants pocket under the level of the window
it won't work as well.

[rogerdiaz]

Originally Posted by ctuna

If you have an 07 or 06 and it the original(car battery not fob)
You are due for a battery. 6 years is about the average
maximum life of a battery in these car they are noted
battery hogs. There is a glass eye on the battery that
tells its condition but I would go by voltage measurements
first. a healthy battery should be 12.6 if its 12 or under in the
morning you better start looking for a battery or be stranded
somewhere unless you have a manual you can push start.
Also if the fob is in your pants pocket under the level of the window
it won't work as well.

Is mileage a factor? I have a 2011 with 97,000 miles. Original car battery. I looked at the battery window and shows green dye. My comfort access stopped working also.

[nikitino25]

I finally got a new battery....my original lasted almost exactly 8 years! Comfort access unlock now works fine so my problem this whole time was due to a less than optimal battery......

[rogerdiaz]

Originally Posted by nikitino25

I finally got a new battery....my original lasted almost exactly 8 years! Comfort access unlock now works fine so my problem this whole time was due to a less than optimal battery......

Ive read this too in a couple other threads and forums. mine is 4yo. Im going with battery vs bad CA module for my diagnosis.


what were your symptoms prior to new battery? Thanks

[nikitino25]

I didn't really have any other symptoms besides comfort access not working right. I don't drive my car all the time so I used a battery tender a lot. I've heard though that if your battery is not in good shape, it won't trigger the water pump to keep circulating coolant to the turbos after you shut off your car. I couldn't really tell if my old battery was or was not doing this.....

[nikitino25]

On a side note, I think my original bmw battery was a 720amp battery and my replacement Bosch looks to be 850amp. Anybody know if that matters?

[wildcatcrazy]

Originally Posted by nikitino25

On a side note, I think my original bmw battery was a 720amp battery and my replacement Bosch looks to be 850amp. Anybody know if that matters?

Find the reserve capacity on the battery, divide by 2 then add 16. That will give you your amp hour (AH) which is what BMW uses. If that matches your old battery, then your good. If it changed, or you went from a non-AGM to a AGM (vice-versa), then you need to code your car to reflect the change.