Hidden BMW Key Fob Functions

Opening and Closing Windows

Your key fob lets you lock and unlock your doors, but did you know you can open and close windows remotely as well? This can come in handy during the scorching heat of the summer when you want to air out the car before jumping in. Simply press and hold the unlock button for a few seconds to roll down those windows. Holding it for longer will even open the sunroof as well. Pressing and holding the lock button will allow you to close the windows. Granted, this feature is readily enabled for European cars, you can code your North American vehicle to get it working.

Mirror Folding

New vehicles come with electrically folding mirrors, but you can program some older models to activate mirror folding as well. Go to your iDrive menu and choose your vehicle. Enter vehicle settings, then select “doors and key.” Select “fold mirrors when locked” and “unlock at the end of a trip.” Now you can park in tight spaces or protect your mirrors from accidental damage.

Disable the Motion Detector

If your motion detector is enabled and you lock your car, it only takes a wave of the hand from inside the vehicle to trigger the alarm. If you need to leave your vehicle but have a pet or passenger in the car, then you will want to disable this motion detector. To avoid the unnecessary alarm, press on the key’s lock button twice. Do not leave kids and pets in the car if the outside temperature is high though!

BMW Key Blade

You might already know about this but it’s worth mentioning. Key fobs are great but electrical components can malfunction and the battery may die. That is when you have to rely on the good old conventional key to access your vehicle. Squeeze your key fob on the tab and pull the key out from the bottom of the fob.

Valet Parking Mode

Most valet attendants are trustable, but it is better to be safe than sorry. If you want to limit access to your car or secure property, then put them in the trunk and activate that tailgate lock. It is usually found in the glove box or center armrest. Then, take out the metal key from your key fob and lock the glove box or armrest. Hand the fob to the attendant but keep the key blade with you.