second key mechanism on the drivers door?

Mon Oct 13, 2008 12:50 pm

I have 2 key holes on my 1990 cab. One is the normal key hole, the other looks like a more modern key shape (ford type) and has a red led housed in it (not working).

I asume this was for an after market alarm or something but there is nothing else with the car, no keys or docs. It is wired up to the lock mechanism inside and has wires coming off it.

I have 2 questions, is this something people have seen before and can I just cut it out?

Picture to follow tonight?

Cheers,

Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:01 pm

yes seen many times

i believe its a standard type of bmw alarm/immobiliser not uncommon on cabs

and yes can be gotten rid of easily

sure the more electrical minded people will tell you how

Daz

Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:04 pm

I ahev this too! Is this something BMW really fitted as standard? 2 door locks?

Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:08 pm

Common on cabs. I disconnected mine by removing the control box above the ECU, There is a connector above the glove box that you need to jumper, so that you can start the car. You should find the details if you search.

Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:11 pm

The car handbook has details of this as an option and it works with a magnetic key which you can change the settings of myself. I have one on mine to and have been trying to suss out whether it can be resurrected as I have the original key for it. Any ideas?

Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:22 pm

It might deter the casual thief, but it's so easy to bypass. A highly visible steering wheel lock would be better. Less likely to get your windows smashed in too.

Mon Oct 13, 2008 9:00 pm

No idea what the second lock does but flappy the box you removed sounds more like the ECU for the on board computer.

Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:48 am

It is original BMW and mine still works although intermittently as the deadlock needs adjusting again. I'd had the car for 4 years before I worked out that it still worked.

It will only work when the car is deadlocked and if you forget to disarm it when you've unlocked the door it sets the alarm off.

Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:27 pm

mmmm, might have to have another try although it seems pretty dead.

Thu Oct 16, 2008 6:17 pm

FlappySocks wrote:Common on cabs. I disconnected mine by removing the control box above the ECU, There is a connector above the glove box that you need to jumper, so that you can start the car. You should find the details if you search.

thats sounds most definately for the obc and you will have to do that wire bypass if you remove the obc or the car wont run

i had a cab with these locks easy to remove but a pain when you have to fill the hole/plate it and get the door painted after you should be able to get the key and when working you will see a red led light when armed in the lock .....prob worked in the 80s but not so good by modern standards

worth keeping as a working system must be quite rare now ...cant think of the last time i saw one working

Thu Oct 16, 2008 11:00 pm

Martinaston wrote:...but flappy the box you removed sounds more like the ECU for the on board computer.

The ECU for the OBC is inside the OBC itself. The black version of the box referred to just contains relays for the OBC CODE immobiliser, and the CODE alarm horn, and a lot of empty space.
The blue version of the box contains the above, and the magnetic key immobiliser alarm electronics.

Fri Oct 17, 2008 8:55 pm

Is it a whole blue box or does it have just blue sockets ?

Sun Oct 19, 2008 8:46 am

Cheers for that, as I dont have any keys for it I have just cut it out and repaired the hole. Everything seems to be working ok still.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:33 pm

I was just wondering, if they fitted this second lock would they have fitted an alarm also? I have an alarm on my cab which appears to work except there is no sound when it goes off i.e. the indicators flash but no noise. Would it of been connected to the car horn or is there a seperate sounder? Any ideas where it might be? thanks

Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:45 pm

kman82 wrote:I was just wondering, if they fitted this second lock would they have fitted an alarm also? I have an alarm on my cab which appears to work except there is no sound when it goes off i.e. the indicators flash but no noise. Would it of been connected to the car horn or is there a seperate sounder? Any ideas where it might be? thanks

Well on mine it's the horn that sounds, so there's a start! Haven't investigated any further into how it all connects up though, sorry!

Wed Oct 22, 2008 2:09 pm

Should be a seperate horn, inside a metal cage, underneath the flat panel behind the headlamps on the LH side.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 2:12 pm

thanks, i'll have a look when i get home tonight.

Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:55 pm

Just had a nosey around and cant find the sounder. Is it right underneath the front lights?

I did manage to find a bracket and a cut wire which i assume used to house an aftermarket sounder right up near the bulkhead however. Going to try and get a sounder and see if I can get it to work