My Favorite $30 Mod so far...(keyless entry)

[mikracer]

Just installed the REC43T+ (not sure if the + dictates a newer model) in the trunk of my '88 325is. Pretty straight forward and it only took about 20 minutes to install. I wasnt worried about trying to get blinking lights, interior dome lights, or audible alerts when the car locks or unlocks. I was just tired of going to the trunk to lock and unlock the car. Only downside is that one of my remotes isnt working.

[RitchiE30]

(assuming that in addition to cutting the wires – you also reconnect them with door loop eliminated) One way to answer your question would be to say that removing the “door loop” has no effect on a fully functioning central locking system – let alone a properly installed keyless system.

"you also reconnect them with door loop eliminated"

im very unsure about this step, after cutting the red/black wires what do I do?

[woc]

I installed this system 2 weeks ago. it works, but it does not respond right away, I have to press the button couple of times to ake it work, and i have to be within 5 feet from the car. I know there is a little wheel for adjustment on the system, but i don't know what it does.

[RitchiE30]

@ Simon S thanks for all the great answers, you cleared up alot for me!

[RichmondE30Bmw]

K9 Mundial Trouble

I have a 1991 325ix e30 and i recently bought a K9 Mundial 4 keyless + alarm system. I followed the guide on this forum and for some reason I am still having trouble unlocking/locking. I have attached the BLUE to the car's green/purple and GREEN to the car's green/black. When I click the unlock/lock on the keyless switch, the system clicks but the car does not lock/unlock. We manually tested by grounding out each cable and the car DOES lock/unlock. We are thinking that the k9 mundial board is not properly grounding out the cables because we always have a constant voltage on one cable and 0v on the other.

Has any one else had any of these issues before? What do you guys recommend that we do?

In addition, the YELLOW is linked to the GREEN ignition switch

[Simon S]

..in order to get the keyless system working I must first correct the central locking problem. Right?

Right. Correct.

Will cutting the red/black wires lead to the keyless system not working if I install it.

(assuming that in addition to cutting the wires – you also reconnect them with door loop eliminated) One way to answer your question would be to say that removing the “door loop” has no effect on a fully functioning central locking system – let alone a properly installed keyless system.

The modification to the red/black wires will cure 90% of locking faults..

i.e. if you have current faults (such as you describe), then checking door plug for corrosion and performing the “red/black-wire mod” are your first logical steps.

Not very sexy – but here’s what my work looked like



Corrosion in the door plug and that red/black "door loop" wire cause the most faults. After that, check the central locking brain box as well as door actuators for anything suspicious. Assuming everything looks/appears sound, then I'd move on to replacing the central locking brain box.

[RitchiE30]

I have a 91 318is. I'm pretty sure I have central locking but it doesn't work. The drivers side unlocks with the key, the passenger side unlocks with the key, and the trunk unlocks with the key. EACH INDIVIDUALLY, none of them unlock in groups. So, in order to get the keyless system working I must first correct the central locking problem. Right?

My question is; if i follow this write-up

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Central_Locking_problems

By following this step:

BMW use a logical wiring system where all red wires are constantly live. One of these wires, coded with a black stripe, makes a loop into and out of the driver's door via the A pillar socket. This is known to cause corrosion and general mayhem both within the socket and to other wiring in the area.
The fix is to eliminate the live loop through the door. The modification to the red/black wires will cure 90% of locking faults, and it is not necessary, or desirable, to dismantle the door hinge pillar plugs and sockets to do so. All the work can be done through the speaker hole.

-Remove battery earth lead.
-Remove the driver's side kick panel/speaker cover.(one screw)
-Remove the speaker(three more screws)
-Reach into the hole and pull the hank of harness going to the A pillar socket into view(try not to pull the socket out if possible)
-Locate and cut the red/black wires,saloons have two,cabbies have three.
-Solder and heat-shrink the harness ends together,insulate the ends going to the socket.
-Replace speaker and cover.
-Re-connect battery.



NOW, Will cutting the red/black wires lead to the keyless system not working if I install it. If so how should I go about fixing the central locking system so I can proceed to install a keyless entry system.


Thanks in Advance!

[bzboardz]

where can replacement key fobs be purchased from?

[Simon S]

Try changing the position of the trunk lock. Mine has to be in the horizontal way for the lock and unlock to work. It's a mystery to me why it works that way

Hmmm.. for one, if my lock is horizontal - then trunk is open/unlocked.

for second, my trunk actuator is removed - and lock position should be moot..

I did some further testing, and my issue seems to central-lock-related to my trunk actuator connection plug.

Central locking/unlocking works fine via either door keys.

When I run a jumper wire from ground to lock wire on the trunk actuator connection plug, the car will lock.

When I run a jumper wire from ground to UNlock wire on the trunk actuator connection plug, the system is unresponsive.

It's like the unlock wire to trunk actuator is dead. I'm not sure where I should be looking next(?)

[millsamus]

Day 3: remote fails to unlock. Locking feature still operative.

Can still hear audible relay clicking from unit when either button is pressed - but remote will unlock the car..

ug.

Try changing the position of the trunk lock. Mine has to be in the horizontal way for the lock and unlock to work. It's a mystery to me why it works that way

[Simon S]

Day 3: remote fails to unlock. Locking feature still operative.

Can still hear audible relay clicking from unit when either button is pressed - but remote will not unlock the car..

ug.

[Simon S]

Finally got the motivation to install that Octopus unit I picked up long ago. Wanted to get it installed before the snow and ice hit..



One of my objectives was to see how simple and stripped-down I could install it (just after keyless lock/unlock feature). I removed the trunk actuator since I wasn't interested in it being incorporated/used. This meant I could simply and neatly plug wires directly into the trunk lock actuator connection plug.

The Octopus wiring was weird and confusing to me. At first, I powered up the unit, then proceeded to try different wires to the lock/unlock plug wires with no luck.

Then I followed this diagram provided in instructions:



So basically – for the Octopus unit:

Car - - - - Octopus
Red(battery terminal) – Red + Pink + Orange
Brown(trunk actuator connection plug) – Black + [a second] Black + White
Green/Black (connection plug) – Green
Green/Purple (connection plug) – Purple


Mounting location between rear battery and trunk actuator connection. Unused wires on Octopus were cut.




So far, so good. Really nice to have.. Only pisser now is that the flip key blanks are wrong. Will be looking into swapping correct blanks to the provided key fobs if I can find a vendor for them..

[cbouchez]

A little show off for the turn signals blinking when lock/unlock and i was bored of my stupid remote control so i wrapped them both in carbon fiber vinyl. Now very pleased with my work but thats the best to archieve with not very sharp exacto knife.

Oh shit youtube destroyed my video with their stupid upgrades of quality, sorry for that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtzZAV7DKdk

Wire info for the blinkers?

[millsamus]

Love your E30 318is webpage! Same car here..... given me lots of good pictures and project to do!!!!

I got a $30 keyless entry system off e-bay and installed it. It works great so far and is a wonderful feature to have.

Car Wire -- Keyless Wire -- Function
Brown -- Black -- Ground
Red -- Red -- 12V
Green/Black -- Green -- Lock
Green/Purple -- Blue -- Unlock

Here are some pictures of my install:

Pull Back the trunk liner on the driver's side and expose these wires:


Splice into the Lock/Unlock wires and connect the constant 12V and ground wires:


Here is the unit stuck to the side of my car with velcrow:


Size of remote:


After re-installing trunk liner:


Other random pictures during installation:
My friend Jeff (JHinck1414) has the 318is and also did this install





Let me know if you have any questions about the install. This write up helped out alot, but i just mounted mine in a different place:

http://zoso.no-ip.org/318i-ke.html

Here is the unit i got off e-bay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...715184488&rd=1

[spitfirebg]

A little show off for the turn signals blinking when lock/unlock and i was bored of my stupid remote control so i wrapped them both in carbon fiber vinyl. Now very pleased with my work but thats the best to archieve with not very sharp exacto knife.

Oh shit youtube destroyed my video with their stupid upgrades of quality, sorry for that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtzZAV7DKdk