Precondition with key fob

[Mehdi]

Is it possible to precondition with key fob? I'd like to warm up the i3 in the winter if I am sitting in a coffee shop and planning to leave. I know this can be done using the phone app, but can it be programmed into the key fob buttons?

 

[alohart]

I don't know what's possible, but if you have Bimmercode, look in the Body Domain Controller module in expert mode for possibilities. I found this information:

BDC Body Module:
Change Behavior of 3rd Button on Keyfob (short, med, long press of button)
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_3RD_BUTTON_SHORT set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_3RD_BUTTON_MID set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_3RD_BUTTON_LONG set to option below

Change Behavior of 4th Button on Keyfob (short, med, long press of button)
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_4TH_BUTTON_SHORT set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_4TH_BUTTON_MID set to option below
30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_4TH_BUTTON_LONG set to option below

Options:
Wert_00 = No Action
Wert_02 = Open Trunk (rear Boot)
Wert_03 = Panic Alarm
Wert_04 = Follow-Me-Home (find car in dark parking lot)
Wert_05 = Open Frunk (front boot)
Wert_07 = Auxiliary Cooling

I'm not certain of the fob button numbering scheme. There are obviously buttons 1 and 2 which might be door lock and unlock whose functions probably shouldn't and maybe can't be changed.

There might be unlisted options (e.g., Wert_01, Wert_06, and maybe more). "Auxiliary Cooling" is likely what you're looking for although it would refer to climate control which could be cooling or heating depending on the ambient temperature.

Please report what you learn.

 

[Mehdi]

Thank you very much Art. That worked!

 

[lpbggag]

Yeah, it works for me with my i3 2016!!! Many thanks Alohart (posts: 2188, Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 10:36 pm)

Side note: My focus was to adress the problem that when I pause on the road for a fast charge, sometime I just can't access my clim. menu to enable climate function and for now, I just don't know why (I had recently to sit in the car for 30 minutes at -15 Celcious !!!)

Some searches on google point me to a diamond button, which in fact is the emergency button #4 for my i3 on the key fob). So basically. using Bimmercode, Body Domain Controller module in expert mode and set 30D0->RC_DEFAULT_IDG_4TH_BUTTON_MID to Wert_07 (Auxiliary Cooling), that did the job (note that is wasn't working using button #3).

What left to be done is to verify if during fast charge, I can use button #4 to force enabling the clim control... we'll see

 

[darenhayes78]

Just curious if this will work on a Canadian i3? Thank u.

 

[Fisher99]

Just curious if this will work on a Canadian i3? Thank u.

Yes, but you have to say "Eh?" after pressing the button...

 

[Tunnelboy]

Hate to resurrect an old thread, but this is now more relevant than ever since 3g has been obsoleted. The phone app is now 100% useless. At least here in the US. I used the Climatize feature almost every single day. With 3g dead and BMW (as expected) saying there is no fix, at least I can climatize within car-keyfob range.

Thanks very much for the information!

 

[appie]

Can't you also just go into the car's option menu and program the diamond shaped button on the keyfob to turn on the climatization? I think that is an easier solution that does not require any kind of programming/parameterization, no OBDII dongle etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Can't you also just go into the car's option menu and program the diamond shaped button on the keyfob to turn on the climatization? I think that is an easier solution that does not require any kind of programming/parameterization, no OBDII dongle etc.

Sure - if you are inside the range of the key fob. Over 50 to 100 feet away from the car, and it won't work. If you live on the 10th floor and your car is in the basement parking garage - not much use.

 

[appie]

I agree with the fact that it will be of no use when you're out of keyfob range, however that's not the question. The question is how to activate climitization with the keyfob, and I simply pointed out you don't need bimmercode to do that...

 

[3pete]

Can't you also just go into the car's option menu and program the diamond shaped button on the keyfob to turn on the climatization?

Those of us in the US don't have a diamond shaped button. We have a much scarier looking red horn with sound waves coming out of it for triggering the car alarm from the fob.

I hesitated for a while on programming climatization to replace the alarm "in case I needed it" then I realized I had owned the car for 2 years and never once considered triggering the alarm from the fob whereas I had often wished I could climatize from it, rather than wait on the BMW app to decide if it would succeed or fail.

It makes sense based on the logos that the diamond is "multipurpose". I didn't realize non-american cars might allow reprogramming that button without bimmercode or something like that.

 

[appie]

Oh really? I thought all keyfobs were the same!

 

[alohart]

I thought all keyfobs were the same!

U.S. i3's have had 2 different fobs, both of which have an alarm button instead of a diamond button. The original fob has the image of an i3 on the button that opens the frunk. Later fobs have the image of an i8 on the button that opens the hatch. Please correct me if I'm wrong - I have the original fob.

 

[frictioncircle]

The original fob has the image of an i3 on the button that opens the frunk. Later fobs have the image of an i8 on the button that opens the hatch. Please correct me if I'm wrong - I have the original fob.

You're correct alohart!

The fobs that came with my 2014 BEV had an i3 silhouette with an open frunk silkscreened onto one of the fob buttons.

Just now I looked at the fobs that came with my 2021 BEV and you're right – they show an i8 with an open hatch!

My guess: BMW expected to sell a lot more i8s than they did and just reprogrammed their stockpile of i8-stenciled fobs to work with the last of the i3s.

 

[SSi3]

alohart is correct, the early 2014 NA i3's came with the frunk icon, this changed on late 2014MY or early 2015MY i3's to the i8 icon because that button only pops the hatch in NA unfortunately, so the i3 frunk icon was confusing to NA owners.

 

[alohart]

alohart is correct, the early 2014 NA i3's came with the frunk icon, this changed on late 2014MY or early 2015MY i3's to the i8 icon because that button only pops the hatch in NA unfortunately, so the i3 frunk icon was confusing to NA owners.

That the i8 fob opens the hatch rather than the frunk seems pointless for the large majority of i3's with Comfort Access. Even after the hatch has been popped by the fob, the fob-holder must still grab the hatch to open it. That's insignificantly different from unlocking and opening the hatch using its handle via Comfort Access. This also means that the frunk cannot be popped using the fob or with Comfort Access. I frequently use my 2014 i3 fob to pop the frunk and am glad that I don't have to first open the driver door then press the frunk button down low to the left of the steering column.