E30 OEM KEY OCD Thread

[unitt01]

Well a small update.. The guy that helped me out yesterday called me today and said he talked to BMW north america and that they'll send out another key. I asked if he happened to know the part # just to confirm its the one you guys had mentioned and he said he couldn't confirm since it wasn't provided. Fingers crossed its the general key this time..

What made me believe it was the correct key at first is that it didn't have the letter I on the key like on the first post.
But it still felt like it was wrong since it's smaller then the original key I had.

[bradnic]

it only works on the ignition and driver door.

Any chance you can post a pic of the key you received?

The drivers door comment has me confused a bit. The valet key will not open the trunk or a locked glovebox. It also won't allow you to "deadbolt" the drivers door (I.e. Turn the key clockwise all the way horizontal to enable the unlock inhibit feature).

If the unlock inhibit is enabled you can't unlock the car from any other lock than the drivers door, and only with a master/general key.

If your drivers lock works properly and you cannot turn it all the way horizontal with your key then yes you probably have a valet key. They are all steel with a round head and no plastic on them. They also have an "I" stamped on the long part of the key. All 3 of the master keys have an "S" stamped on them, including the new vin coded keys I have ordered at the dealer for my cars.

One more thing - the valet key was the "standard key" for BMW cars before the unlock inhibit feature was introduced - E21s used them. That's why you see it described as a standard key in the parts catalogs

[unitt01]

This is covered earlier in the thread ... you will want to order 51211900877 (General Key - Coded), or as nouseforaname mentioned you can buy a general key blank from garagistic or eBay.

If you go with the blank key you need to find a locksmith that will cut steel keys. I really wouldn't recommend that since your original key will be all worn. I'd instead order the correct coded key and a lock rebuild kit for the drivers door, which is dirt cheap and fairly easy to install

Yeah that is what I originally had planned to get, but I guess he must've ordered the standard (valet) key since it's exactly how the key I got looks like. Plus like I said it only works on the ignition and driver door. I'll ask him and see if that part number comes up. Honestly I'm just hoping I didn't waste money and not get a working general key.

[bradnic]

bumping this up for two questions, maybe three

#1 Is it more cost effective/ reliable to have the tumblers re-keyed or just buy new?
#2 What is the best process to get the tumblers matched to the VIN cut key?
#3 Can any locksmith do this? Simple DIY?

SORRY 2man!! Missed your post.

1) just rebuild. The kits are cheap and you'll end up with a brand new lock anyway. Alternative is to buy a coded lock.

2) You can do it by feel (worst case), or better carefully pull each tumbler out and write down which number it is (1,2,3 or 4). There are other options you can PM me about

3) it's doable DIY. Any competent locksmith can also do your whole car but they'll need the right cutting machine for steel keys.

[nouseforaname]

This is covered earlier in the thread ... you will want to order 51211900877 (General Key - Coded), or as nouseforaname mentioned you can buy a general key blank from garagistic or eBay.

If you go with the blank key you need to find a locksmith that will cut steel keys. I really wouldn't recommend that since your original key will be all worn. I'd instead order the correct coded key and a lock rebuild kit for the drivers door, which is dirt cheap and fairly easy to install

good point, bradnic. i forgot that i did worry about that when my blanks got cut off my old key. guess i got lucky.

[bradnic]

This is covered earlier in the thread ... you will want to order 51211900877 (General Key - Coded), or as nouseforaname mentioned you can buy a general key blank from garagistic or eBay.

If you go with the blank key you need to find a locksmith that will cut steel keys. I really wouldn't recommend that since your original key will be all worn. I'd instead order the correct coded key and a lock rebuild kit for the drivers door, which is dirt cheap and fairly easy to install

[nouseforaname]

bumping old thread.. just ordered a key from bmw with my vin # since I lost my recent cut key and only have the bad original key. Figured they'd give me the master key with the black head but no they sent me the valet key... $77 dollars for a key I can't open my trunk or glove box with. :( I called them back and told them that the key only opens the driver door and turns the car on and the guy that helped me at the dealer said he'll see what he can do and call up bmw north america. He also mentioned most likely they'll send another key. (better be free of charge i hope). i'll update soon.

bummer, man. sorry.
i'd recommend ordering a key from garagistic.

https://store.garagistic.com/51211900894-bmw-oem-blank-key

[unitt01]

bumping old thread.. just ordered a key from bmw with my vin # since I lost my recent cut key and only have the bad original key. Figured they'd give me the master key with the black head but no they sent me the valet key... $77 dollars for a key I can't open my trunk or glove box with. :( I called them back and told them that the key only opens the driver door and turns the car on and the guy that helped me at the dealer said he'll see what he can do and call up bmw north america. He also mentioned most likely they'll send another key. (better be free of charge i hope). i'll update soon.

[2mAn]

bumping this up for two questions, maybe three

#1 Is it more cost effective/ reliable to have the tumblers re-keyed or just buy new?
#2 What is the best process to get the tumblers matched to the VIN cut key?
#3 Can any locksmith do this? Simple DIY?

[nouseforaname]

very helpful thread, bradnic. thanks a lot for all the good info.

i finally finished rebuilding my lock core.

the first stumbling block: the kit i got was missing a key piece of the assembly. looks like it came that way from the manufacturer. pelican took care of me though. make sure your rebuild kit has all the pieces before you take yours apart and are left with a gaping whole in your door for far too long. working badly would have been better than gaping whole, had a realized that first.

Yup - rebuild your driver door lock cylinder - $25 and a couple of beers lol

Thanks for confirming things btw

second stumbling block: it might have gone faster for me without the all beers though. ;)

got it all back together and i was trying to figure out how it's really supposed to work when i ran across this thread. i didn't know the 'inhibit' system. i thought i'd put something back together incorrectly. i incorrectly thought it supposed to return to the upright position. really glad i know how it's actually supposed to work.

and just now i looked at my keys. brass and super worn, so i guess super lucky it all still works.

next stop, garagistic to order up steel keys and then to the googelator find a willing locksmith....

thanks again for the thread. i love r3v. its all here.

[Semblance]

Nah, I just rebuilt it a few months ago, it works great except for this. I'm not going to rebuild it just to make the valet key work. There's enough other crap falling apart on a daily basis.

Thanks for this post, totally helpful.

[bradnic]

Yup - rebuild your driver door lock cylinder - $25 and a couple of beers lol

Thanks for confirming things btw

[Semblance]

Yup. All the way to the right. It successfully engages the double lock - can't open from passenger side (though oddly I could open it from the trunk with the other key. Weird).

I have an 89 vert.

Like I said, maybe I screwed up the tumblers.

[bradnic]

Good pic.. Absolutely without a doubt a valet key

So you can turn the drivers door lock all the way to the right, horizontal?

What kind of E30 are you running?

[Semblance]

I don't know what to tell you:



It's shorter. You can see it's missing the last "prongs" that are seen on my destroyed old key. It opens driver and passenger door, but won't insert into the trunk or glove box.

But it DOES engage the double lock on the drivers door. There is no 'I' mark or any other mark on it.

The only thing I can think of is I did rebuild the drivers lock a few months ago. I seem to recall there being special tumblers for the double lock. It's possible I screwed up there. But I was pretty sure I did it right.