Hi All,

Hope someone can help me with this issue.....I only have one key for my mini the other got lost by previous owner:(

I have read threads on here that you can program the fobs?
I have contacted dealers who have quoted me silly prices & also told me that YOU CANT reprogram an old fob from another mini to suit your mini???

I have see fobs&keys for sale on ebay etc but is there any point if it cant be programmed?

I have 2009 model so its the fob that does all the work never used key except to switch passenger air bags off for baby seat.

So can anyone help me???

define silly money..

Hi cooper s jon

silly money £200+ for a new key&fob

This is what he said when I asked if you can reprogram a fob......


The remote fob, (the round disc that goes into the slot) should automatically programme to the car once it is inserted into the slot and ignition is turned on.



We cannot reprogramme a fob from another car into your car.

the fob is pre programmed to the car before being delivered to the dealer..

friend of mine ordered another fob for her car,she paid 135-140 inc vat..

the only info loaded to it via the car is the service data..

So cooper S Jon,

Is it not possible to reprogram a fob from another car to your own? and if this is true then why do people sell/buy keys from places like ebay if they are no good?

Im not understanding the reason why it is so dear for a fob&key either??

silly money £200+ for a new key&fob

This seems a little expensive, when the garage lost my second key in the past I got a quote from a local BMW service dealership and they wanted £140ish for it. I didn't pay but this didn't sound terrible to normal BMW prices. Can always shop around, and this was for a key + fob brand new made to order for the car from Murketts in Huntingdon.

Wow, I hope this isnt the case. My dealer said $400 for a new key and FOB so I purchased one off of Ebay and it just came in yesterday. I was planning to take it to the dealer tomorrow to get it programmed for my car. 400 for a key is just stupid!

my understanding is the todays remotes with immobiliser chips use a rom chip which can only be programmed once..

I went to my local BMW dealer (not a mini dealer)today were I purchased my 2010 Mini S and they were not able to do it. They said to take it to the mini dealership in Nashville to see if they could, I have a tripped planned for Friday so I will let everyone know a difinitive answer soon. Maybe this will help someone in the future. I failed to mention that my Mini was sold to me with only one key as well like the original OP.

Okay final answer is they cannot program the FOB or cut the key. The key has to be ordered for your car. I threw away about $70 ebay dollars for FOB and key that is useless. $400 to order new key for my 2010 Mini S,,,,,so do not lose your key.

a second hand metal key wouldn't have worked anyway..

that confirms what i said in post 9 by the sounds of it..

the round fobs are programmed before they get to the dealer,so there is no programming required by dealer..

Well the key I recieved was a blank but it doesnt matter as they cannot be cut by the dealer. I hope this thread saves other people the problems that I have encountered. If you buy a Mini used insist that they give you a second key before signing the papers.

Brad--hope you didn't throw away the key! IF the Ebay listing said it was a key for your year and model car, and is useless, file a case with Ebay. That's fraud! You'll get your money back by Ebay if not by the seller. If, on the other hand, the listing didn't indicate it was for a Gen 2 key, well...better read more carefully next time.*

My understanding is that you can replace a key at the dealer (I've generally heard $350 or so), but only upon proof of ownership. If you're a member of BMWCCA, or a local MINI club, you may be able to shave the cost a little--many clubs give discounts on parts.



*(I'm a full-time Ebay seller.)

This week, BMW Synter Mini, Chifgwell, Essex told me the process is:

(1)
Take my car registration document (V5) + photo ID to them to order a new key+FOB for my 2002 Mini Cooper S.

(2)
The cost of the key+remote is £138. The key should arrive in a few days and it will be for use on my specific car (presumably the key is pre-cut rather than being a blank).

(3)
They also told me that I need to take the car, the new key (plus maybe the one old key I have) to them for coding at a cost of "about" £60.

(4)
This cost - say £200 in total - is very much in line with my previous key replacement experiences( £120 for a Yamaha FZS, and £200 for a VW Passat-3 years ago). Ebay did not work for me.

I am getting a refund from the Ebay dealer. Grizzly has it all correct, that is what is required and it is right around $400 in the states. I think that is absurdly high for a car key but I guess it is what modern tech cost now days.

I have experienced this as well.
i purchased a 2009 mini back in February only one key fob
i researched and did purchase one off of E-bay, but read the fine print again and realized no return. made a call to the local mini dealer and confirmed "NO THEY CAN NOT REPROGRAM FOB, HAS TO BE ORDERED FROM FACTORY"
Luckily I was able to stop the eBay transaction before it was shipped and was out no money.
I did order a new key fob $176, and key $46 from the dealer.
this was on a Saturday, they received it on Tuesday
when i picked it up all I had to do was insert and push start
So if you are being told you have to pay a programming fee you are being ripped off.

Hope this helps, besides the ouch to your wallet.

My deepest sympathies! Before purchasing my 2009 mini in 2010 I did extensive research. I found 2 significant negatives one is the issue you are currently experiencing. Fortunately for me I received 2 fobs and one did not function properly. The problem was only that they could not program a few extra features. The essential features work perfectly. My car is under warranty so they said they would replace it BUT not without surrendering it first. I even asked if I could purchase the defective one. I was told definitely not. When they placed the replacement order the service dept failed to request the fob and I did not advise them of their error. So fortunately I have an extra fob. One of the other potentially serious problems is that if you have the misfortune of theft or loss of your fob you are stranded until they send you one in the mail! I had this "almost" happen to me with my previous car (Lexus) while on vacation. By divine intervention someone found my fob and turned it in to "lost and found". Lexus fobs however can be replaced immediately by the nearest dealership or on ebay and they program them for free. So beware you can potentially find yourself in a predicament with your beloved Mini. More Mini owners should be advised of this.
I wish I had a solution for you and look forward to other remarks.

my understanding is the todays remotes with immobiliser chips use a rom chip which can only be programmed once..

I have in my work experience programmed ROM chips. We delete what is already on them by exposing them to intense UV light. They can then be reprogrammed. Just something of interest to the readers, I know that is useless information for a key.

I am considering contacting the BMW dealer (not Mini) where I purchased my car and insist on the 2nd key. This was not disclosed to me before I purchased the car, when I saw only one key I asked about it but didn't get to upset because I thought it would be a easy cheap fix. I will let you know what they say.

Maybe I'm missing something there, but EVEN if there was a procedure for programing a new fob, how would you cut the key track (slot)?

Or is this discussion only about a "smart key" operation with a push to start button?