Beware: Keyhole deletes!

Hey guys,
So I've had a keyhole delete on my 335i car since 2009 and I didn't have any problems, except once where my car died and I had to crawl through the trunk to open the hood.

BUT, with my 2012 M3, I didn't know that they removed the keyholes for the trunks and I just got back from a 2.5 week vacation and my car was dead (I didn't put it on my trickle charger because I literally just got the car, so I thought the battery would be fine).

So, at first, I thought to myself, "no worries, I'll just crawl through the trunk". I get to the trunk and I find that there is no keyhole. Then I start freaking out because now there is no keyhole anywhere and my keyhole delete didn't have the locking mechanism behind it.

After searching the web for some possibilities for a fix, I couldn't find anything. So I took the chance and tried to dremel out the key hole delete. It was a stressful process because I didn't want to scratch the door or door handle. I eventually got it, but I will never put a keyhole delete back in the car. I just put back my regular keyhole.

IMO, it isn't worth the trouble if you don't have a keyhole in the trunk and I wouldn't recommend putting one in for anyone thinking about it.

Here's a picture of my mutilated keyhole delete:



Hope this helps,
Matt

Did you retain the actual key cylinder behind the delete or had you removed the cylinder altogether?

That is the biggest reason why I never put on keyhole delete. Didn't want to be SOL if the battery died.

Why didn't you call BMW assist and have them unlock the car for you?........Phil

THE TECH wrote

Did you retain the actual key cylinder behind the delete or had you removed the cylinder altogether?

I removed the cylinder all together. But either way, if the cylinder is behind the delete, you'd have to drill out a hole to put your key in. I just completely drilled out the delete to the point where I could just twist off the little metal piece that holds it down and connects to the screw. It was definitely risky, but I had no other choice.

tlp wrote

That is the biggest reason why I never put on keyhole delete. Didn't want to be SOL if the battery died.

Yea, never again will I do it.

///M Ryder wrote

Why didn't you call BMW assist and have them unlock the car for you?........Phil

The car cannot be unlocked when it is completely dead. I've gone through this in the past with my e92 335, but luckily it had a keyhole in the trunk and I could crawl through the trunk to pop the hood.

Sorry but Hahahahahahahaha

lol, the key hole delete covers up such a tiny minor detail. Such a pointless thing.

The Database wrote

lol, the key hole delete covers up such a tiny minor detail. Such a pointless thing.

I think it makes a decent impact and definitely improves theft protection. It's a no brainer if you have a keyhole in your trunk, but in my case, it was a terrible idea

Glad I have the keyhole on the trunk lol

Have to agree with you though, the delete is such a simple mod but the impact it makes is pretty substantial once you get it installed.

The Database wrote

lol, the key hole delete covers up such a tiny minor detail. Such a pointless thing.

You'd be shocked how easily it is to break into a BMW door lock.

.

The Database wrote

lol, the key hole delete covers up such a tiny minor detail. Such a pointless thing.

+1

MR///M3 wrote

I removed the cylinder all together. But either way, if the cylinder is behind the delete, you'd have to drill out a hole to put your key in. I just completely drilled out the delete to the point where I could just twist off the little metal piece that holds it down and connects to the screw. It was definitely risky, but I had no other choice.
.

so after you removed the key hole delete, how did you open the door/trigger the unlock mechanism? screw driver or reinstalled the OEM cover with keyhole and mechanism?

geneatals wrote

so after you removed the key hole delete, how did you open the door/trigger the unlock mechanism? screw driver or reinstalled the OEM cover with keyhole and mechanism?

well i was able to completely remove the keyhole delete (by breaking it into little pieces ). so then I just pushed in the unlock mechanism and hoped the screw wouldn't get pushed out and it worked.

...when in doubt, smash the muthafukr.

GOVCO wrote

...when in doubt, smash the muthafukr.

That's pretty much what the Bimmian instructions say.

I was just about to pull the trigger on a keyhole delete on account of accepting I'm paranoid.. and now this.

Well, thanks for biting the bullet for us!

stefan wrote

I was just about to pull the trigger on a keyhole delete on account of accepting I'm paranoid.. and now this.

Well, thanks for biting the bullet for us!

I'm not worried as much cause on mine, I left the cylinder on with the keyhole delete.

THE TECH wrote

I'm not worried as much cause on mine, I left the cylinder on with the keyhole delete.

yea that's smarter, but is there a way to remove the cover without cutting a hole in the delete? Does it just slide off since the screw goes into the cylinder?

MR///M3 wrote

yea that's smarter, but is there a way to remove the cover without cutting a hole in the delete? Does it just slide off since the screw goes into the cylinder?

You would still have to destroy it to get to the cylinder, but at least you can use your key at that point.

THE TECH wrote

You would still have to destroy it to get to the cylinder, but at least you can use your key at that point.

well that's pretty much what i had to do. and trust me it isn't a fun experience trying not to scratch the paint on the door handle or door while trying to mutilate the keyhole cover.

whenever i go away for a while i just leave the hood unlatched so that if the battery dies i can just jump start the car.. but if you park your car out in the public this is probably not a good idea.

JS11 wrote

whenever i go away for a while i just leave the hood unlatched so that if the battery dies i can just jump start the car.. but if you park your car out in the public this is probably not a good idea.

well normally I would have left it on my trickle charger, but since I took delivery on Dec. 1st I didn't think it was necessary to do so. Now I know though.