Ignition Barrel & KEY NUMBER

[Omega]

Guys/Gals,

I have suffered from the sticking ignition barrel this evening. After teaching the car some new English phrases and applying some gentle persusion with a large adjusting-hammer I finally have the ignition barrel out.

My question is: Where is the key number for the barrel?
Is it the 6-figure number cast on the side of the ignition barrel body? If not, do you know where the key number is located in the car? I don't have the original master key, nor is the key number written in any of the paperwork I possess.

I have heard that the boot lock has the number on it. Please confirm this is true before I strip it out.

Thanks for any assistance

Omega :)

[Qsilver7]

have you called your local BMW dealer's parts department yet? I thought that the keys were given out according to the car's VIN...if I'm correct...that's the only number you need to give them (the last 7 digits will usually suffice).

Or I could be totally wrong...you can still give 'em a call if no one else responds to this post. :D

[granit_silber]

have you called your local BMW dealer's parts department yet? I thought that the keys were given out according to the car's VIN...if I'm correct...that's the only number you need to give them (the last 7 digits will usually suffice).

Or I could be totally wrong...you can still give 'em a call if no one else responds to this post. :D
Qsilver's right. Call your local dealer with the VIN (be sure to take your registartion or some other method for proving ownership with you) and they should make you a new car.
-ashley

[632 Regal]

proving ownership with you) and they should make you a new car.
-ashley

I'm gonna have to try this one!

[granit_silber]

I'm gonna have to try this one!
LOL! Oops, guess that final "car" was supposed to be "key". :D

Reckon that was a good indication that I'm not looking forward to redoing my gasket tonight (the high temp here was 63 @ 9am) in the driveway.
-ashley

[DaCan23]

On all locks (ignition, door, glovebox, trunk) there is a serial code that can be used to produce keys, and in almost all cases the VIN can also be used.

Exception - The stealer had keys made for my E24 3 times because they did not match. Reason was that at some point a PO had all the locks replaced w/ new keys and the "serial" was not updated for the VIN. There are many speculative reasons why this was done. Thankfully the E24 blank can be cut anywhere. An E34 blank can only be cut by specially lasers. New BMW's forget it, cant be done by anyone but the stealer.

Next time your at the stealer, look at the service techs desk and you'll see this funny lookin device, looks like a dock for a device. Its actually used to program the new chip'd keys.

[uscharalph]

I'm gonna have to try this one!
"be sure to take your registartion or some other method for proving ownership with you) and they should make you a new car."


Me too!!

[romus]

what about me then? I had the entire steering wheel assembly and lock barrel changed...now i have a key from a totally different car. How would i get another key if i needed it?

[Rigmaster]

what about me then? I had the entire steering wheel assembly and lock barrel changed...now i have a key from a totally different car. How would i get another key if i needed it?

If the key code was not documented when the column was changed, you'll have to get the code off the lock cyl barrel. Unless you have the VIN of the car the column came out of, and even then you will probably have trouble convincing the BMW dealer that you are the owner of the car that the column came from (unless it was your car......).


Bret.

[romus]

The assembly came from the wrecker. I have a number off the bottom of the assembly, but not the VIN of the actual car, no. So you think that number alone would be sufficient?

Thanks

[Rigmaster]

The assembly came from the wrecker. I have a number off the bottom of the assembly, but not the VIN of the actual car, no. So you think that number alone would be sufficient?

Thanks

Not sure, but if it's not the VIN, then I doubt it will be of much help. Alot depends on your local dealer, most of them are (rightfully) VERY cautious and guard the key code pretty closely. They often require that you bring the car to the dealership, along with proper proof of ownership before they will give you the key code. Maybe if you explain your situation, they will understand and help you out.


Bret.

[Omega]

Cheers guys. Took the V5 (registration document) to the stealer and ordered a vin-matched barrel. £35- ... I was amazed, a reasonable price from a stealer for a change.

[Omega]

Picked up the barrel last night and fitted it. I can't believe the difference between the new, smooth lock and the old narly, stiff one.

Only took 3 working days to get the barrel from Germany, although had the gut-wrenching feeling when I picked it up as it's keyed to the VIN and I didn't know if the car had been relocked in the past, all the locks (including the glovebox) are the same so I was hoping that they were original. Luckily they were!

One thing that's strange is without the barrel in (and starting/stopping) with a screwdriver to turn the internal mechanism, the steering lock doesn't work. Once the new barrel was in the steering lock is back to normal. Very strange..

Cheers for all your advice.