Comfort access woes

I was wondering if anybody has had this issue. My 2011 has comfort access and yes it it sorta worked but some key features did not. The only way the car would switch settings from key A to key B is when you placed that specific key in the ignition and only then would it switch setting but only the next time the car was started. This is repeatable, but there were times you would have the A key settings and the B key was miles away and it would randomly switch to the B settings. The X has been in the shop for two weeks and have replaced keys and ignition modules associated with the new keys with no avail. From what my SA is telling me, this problem is causing every technical person in the US fits and Germany has not a clue and has ran every test, diagnostics, reprogrammed the car 1/2 dozen times I have have comfort access on my 550 and it works exactly as it should. I guess I can live with this issue but since I optioned this X to a bit over 80k, gets me a bit aggravated. What do people think I should do if they cannot get this issue fixed? Refund my CA option price? I have a really good relationship with my SA/sales guy/dealership and really don't want to be an ass demanding the world in return for my issue. Sorry for the rant but the 535 I have been driving for two weeks is just not my X

There is a setting in the iDrive on the E61, to allow you to select when it moves the seat etc. (I think it is called Last Seat Pos) Once you set that to "on door open" I found CA works a lot more predictably. Try it and see. (it is under the vehicle/seats menu I think)

I wish it was just the seat but it is every setting. The latest update is they are replacing every component which is associated with comfort access. I was told BMW is going to have to make a decision about what to do and I will be contacted when that time comes

That setting impacts all CA eg mirrors. Try it, and see if it improves. On the other settings we had the same issues you describe. Using unlock gives it a definitive event to switch from. I agree it should work though.

BMW headquarters in Germany cannot solve the issue. They have reprogrammed the car numerous times and replaced numerous key sets and modules and still cannot fix the issue. I do not believe it is an idrive setting since BMW Germany and one of the head techs was flown in to work on the car. I wish it was a idrive setting because that would mean that BMW would not have had my car for 3 weeks now. I guess I was looking for input If anyone else had this issue and what I should do if BMW cannot not resolve the issue.

Wow. Weird. It should not be doing this - the CA on our 2011 X5D works fine.

While they are trying to debug it, here's a work-around that may make your life a little easier. Using each key independently, go into iDrive and uncheck the settings for "return seat to prevous position when car is unlocked" or whatever it's called. Then set the primary driver's settings (you? your wife?) into memory poistion A and the other driver's settings into position B (on the side of the seat - maybe they're called positions 1 and 2 now, I forget). Set both fobs to restore the position A / 1 setting when you unlock the vehicle.

That way, the seat, wheel and mirrors should be set right for the primary driver, and the secondary driver will only have to touch the B / 2 memory buttor to restore her settings when she drives the car.

From your post, I take it that it isn't just the seat but all the other settings as well - radio presets, climate, etc. I don't think my approach is going to help at all with those, but it should at least make the experience a little less stressful while they sort things out.

Not sure I worded all that very well; hope you can understand what I was trying to say.

Originally Posted by MRV99

BMW headquarters in Germany cannot solve the issue. They have reprogrammed the car numerous times and replaced numerous key sets and modules and still cannot fix the issue. I do not believe it is an idrive setting since BMW Germany and one of the head techs was flown in to work on the car. I wish it was a idrive setting because that would mean that BMW would not have had my car for 3 weeks now. I guess I was looking for input If anyone else had this issue and what I should do if BMW cannot not resolve the issue.

Seems like a shame to lemon the car over this, but it would drive me crazy. I think you should bring up the subject of a trade assist.

Originally Posted by MRV99

What do people think I should do if they cannot get this issue fixed? Refund my CA option price?

I'd get a new X5 without CA.

Wait until yours glitches, and all windows and sunroof open during a rainstorm at night...and BMW says "you must have left it open, no warranty coverage".

A

Originally Posted by ard

I'd get a new X5 without CA.

Wait until yours glitches, and all windows and sunroof open during a rainstorm at night...and BMW says "you must have left it open, no warranty coverage".

A

Speaking from first-had experience? If so, that sucks.

Originally Posted by quackbury

Speaking from first-had experience? If so, that sucks.

Second hand.

Still sucks.

The CA on my E61 works exactly like the issue you describe until I switched it to work from "on unlock". It would randomly pick up the other keys settings, I would get in the car and the seat and steering wheel would try to squash me. IMHO this is "normal" CA behaviour, ie another BMW software bug. You should just try the setting and see if it "fixes" the issue....

Just because BMW can't figure it out doesn't mean much. They can't figure out why their sunroofs leak either.... yet VW managed to figure out they had to remove the flapper valves on the drain tubes.