How to Start a BMW or Mini with a Dead Key Fob
Starting Your BMW or Mini
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Some BMW and Mini models already require that the key fob be inserted into the dashboard next to the Start/Stop button. If the key fob battery is dead, the vehicle will recognize the fob when inserted. In “Comfort Access” models, the slot is only needed if the fob’s battery dies, or if electrical interference interrupts the fob’s signal. Insert the fob into the slot and use the Start/Stop button as normal.
For other BMW or Mini models, hold the remote control against the marked area on the steering column and press the Start/Stop button within 10 seconds while depressing the brake.
The process remains the same in the new EV line from BMW, starting with the i4 and iX. However, there are now two additional back up start methods available in these vehicles.
The smart phone recharge pads also act as new start points. A properly connected key card or a smart phone holding the proper BMW app touched to the pads will allow the car to start. The pad is found in front of the cup holders in the i4 (first image) and on the lower level of the iX console (second image).
Note: If you have made an attempt to start the vehicle without success, there may be residual pressure in the brake system and a new warning light may appear (left) or text 
message to Step on the Brake. Press the brake pedal very, very hard when trying to start the vehicle again to be sure that the release switch behind the pedal is engaged. Or wait a few minutes and try again.
Video Help with Your BMW or Mini
There are lots of videos here to help out.
Recharging the Display Key
In an automotive first, BMW‘s Display Key (right) actually has a rechargeable battery. The display is automatically disabled when the charge is low, which is a major hint that the device needs to be recharged!
The car features a wireless cell phone charging station inside the center console. There is also a bulge into which the Display Key can be slipped, with the lock button up and out. The Key is charged with a micro USB cable, a micro USB port on the Key (see the arrow on the Display Key) and the USB port at the back of the console.
Related: Getting Out!
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Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.
These posts are for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.
Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.
The author has 25 years of automotive experience and has assembled the most extensive collection of symbols and warning lights anywhere (over 1,000!) and can help you open and start any keyless start car with a dead key fob battery. BA, St. Joseph’s College, ME: MS, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, NY
The CX5 was the first model to use Method 3 and by 2016 all Mazda models use this method. Push the brake pedal, or the clutch pedal if you have a manual transmission. This will cause the indicator light in the Start / Stop button to flash green. While it flashes, touch the back side of the key fob to the Start / Stop button, which will cause the green indicator light to stop flashing and remain lit. Push the Start / Stop button to start the engine as normal – or with the fob itself.
Method 2 is found in the CX7, CX9, MX-5 and RX8 models. Remove the Start knob cover by pushing both release buttons and pulling the cover off exposing the key cylinder. Slide the auxiliary key out from the bottom of the advanced key (see above) and insert it into the cylinder. Turn the key to start the engine.
For Method 1, found in the Mazda3 (including MazdaSpeed3) and Mazda6 prior to 2014, slide the auxiliary key out from the bottom of the advanced key (see above). Use the auxiliary key to remove the key slot cover located on the right side of the steering column. Depress the clutch (manual) or brake pedal (automatic) until the ring around the key slot starts flashing. Insert the auxiliary key into the slot while it is flashing, but do not turn the auxiliary key in the slot. Press the push button start to start the engine.
Note: If you have made an attempt to start the vehicle without success, there may be residual pressure in the brake system and a new warning light may appear (left) or text message to Step on the Brake. Press the brake pedal very, very hard when trying to start the vehicle again to be sure that the release switch behind the pedal is engaged. Or wait a few minutes and try again.
On the 
The Smart Key can be undocked with the car in Park and the ignition off. Press the Key to release and pull it out.
Found” is displayed, hold the Smart Key close to and below the auxiliary switch pack to the left of the steering wheel on the dashboard and press the Start / Stop ignition button and the brake pedal as normal. A small depression will be found in the correct location.
If it is adjusted manually, hold the Smart Key fob flat against the underside of the steering column, buttons facing down, as shown. Note the markings, three parallel lines, on the steering column that mark to the correct right spot. The Message Center in your instrument panel will display “Smart Key Recognized”. You will need to hold the key fob in place, and press the Start / Stop ignition button and the brake pedal, all at the same time, to start the vehicle. The electric I-Pace uses these markings as well.
If the steering column adjusts electrically, the process is exactly the same, except that the three parallel lines marking the correct spot are moved to the left side of the steering column. Hold the Smart Key fob against the lines with the buttons facing out, as shown. When the fob is in the right spot, the Message Center in your instrument panel will display “Smart Key Recognized”. Again, the key fob will need to be held in place, and press the Start / Stop ignition button and the brake pedal all at the same time to start the vehicle.
However, Jaguar, beginning with the newest Smart Key in the 2020 XE and the 2021 XF and F-Pace, a new location was introduced. The Smart Key needs to be laid flat against the underside of the dashboard, again below existing switches with the buttons facing out. There is an indent in the dash to help identify the correct spot. The key fob must be help against the while stepping on the brake and pressing the start / stop ignition button.
message to Step on the Brake. Press the brake pedal very, very hard when trying to start the vehicle again to be sure that the release switch behind the pedal is engaged. Or wait a few minutes and try again.
Here’s the deal: Buckle up, find your model, and if your start battery is still good, we’ll get you underway. Note that they are generally presented as sedans, then SUVs then pick ups.
In Corvette models built before 2014 (C6), the pocket is on the left of the inside of the glove box. Place the transmitter in the pocket with the buttons facing the glove box storage area (right). Then, with the vehicle in P (Park) or N (Neutral), press the brake pedal and the Start / Stop ignition button as normal.
transmitter in the pocket with the buttons facing up. Again, with the vehicle in Park or Neutral, press the brake pedal and the Start / Stop ignition button as normal. Find a helpful video 
Push button or keyless start is introduced to the Camaro in 2016. It also uses the cup holder as a back up slot, but to their credit, Chevrolet made this one simple. Make sure there is nothing, particularly coins, in the rear cup holder, and simply drop the fob into it. The car will recognize the key and a press of the brake pedal and Start / Stop ignition button will have you on your way. Corvettes (C8), 2020 – 2023, use this spot as well. In 2024, the Corvette spot is moved to the front cup holder.
The Impala uses a back up pocket located in the front of the center console (right). The model is using the flip key thus far through 2018. Drop transmitter into the pocket with the key ring up and the buttons facing out. With the vehicle in Park or Neutral, press the brake pedal and the Start / Stop ignition button as normal.
storage area located above the infotainment screen and remove the rubber mat. Extend the key blade and place the blade into the slot (right).
moved to the center console, as shown. The rubber mat at the bottom of the console will need to be removed, and so anything actually in the console.
The last flip key back-up start option belongs to the Cruze. You must remove the plastic trim piece from the small storage area next to the accessory power outlet near the front of the console. Extend the key blade and insert it into the transmitter slot (right). With the vehicle in Park or Neutral, press the brake pedal and the Start / Stop ignition button as normal.
The 2017 Cruze gets the new key and a new back up location, which is the front cup holder, as seen to the right. Sonic, Equinox and Blazer models now use this spot as well.
The 2024 Blazer Electric Vehicle (EV) is a different animal. Its back up spot is at the bottom of the center console storage area. Drop the key fob on the spot shown (right) with the buttons up.
The Trax, which first saw push button start in 2017, also uses the front cup holder as its back up slot. However, there are three cup holders in the center console area, with the front one being separated from the two behind it. Be sure to use the one in the very front. See the image to right.
The new Trailblazer model has the back up pocket in front of the center console storage area and behind the the two cup holders on the console (image at right). Drop the key fob into the pocket or depression, The manual states that the buttons should be facing the front, but we don’t believe this is possible given the shape of the pocket. We also believe that it will not likely matter. With the vehicle in Park or Neutral, press the brake pedal and the Start / Stop ignition button as normal.
pocket also located in the face of the front of the inside of the center console. However, the pocket points down, as shown to the right. Slide the transmitter into the pocket with the key ring facing out, buttons forward (in the Suburban we had on hand, the engine started with the buttons facing either way). It is a loose fit, so don’t be concerned. With the vehicle in Park or Neutral, press the brake pedal and the Start / Stop ignition button as normal. Check out the video 
In the Chevrolet Traverse, through 2023, the transmitter pocket is at the bottom of the center console storage area, as seen in the image to the right. The outline of the transmitter will be visible to the front of the console. The 2024 Traverse uses the left or driver’s side cup holder, exactly like the Silverado EV below. Once the fob is in place, press the brake pedal and the Start / Stop ignition button as normal to start the vehicle.
shown in the manual. There are three storage spots in the console (see the red arrows), and one of them will be the “pocket” but none of them are actually marked. Drop the transmitter or key fob in the front storage spot first and attempt to start the car normally, with your foot on the brake and pressing the Start / Stop button.
In the Silverado pick up (note that the electric version is discussed below) and the Malibu sedan, the pocket for the transmitter is located in the face of the rear of the inside of the center console. Silverado gets push button start for the first time in 2019. Slide the transmitter into the pocket with the key ring facing up, and the buttons out (or however it will fit!).
the Start / Stop ignition button as normal. The pocket in 2021 Tahoe and Suburban models with a bench seat is also moved to this location, at the back of the console.
transmitter into the left side cup holder (second image below right).
First a word of caution concerning the Ford GT. Its latches are entirely electronic, the result being that, in the event of a power failure while inside the car, a back up plan is necessary. There is a strap on each pillar alongside each seat, as seen n the image to the right. Pull it to release the door.
In the Taurus, Expedition (before 2018) and Flex the Intelligent Access key slot is to the rear or the side of the console and points up. The key is slipped in vertically or horizontally depending on the slot’s shape, with the buttons facing out, as in the image shown. After inserting the key, use the Start / Stop ignition button and brake pedal to start your vehicle as usual. If it fails to start, turn the fob so that the buttons face back and try again. Once the vehicle is started, the key can be removed from the backup slot, if you wish.
In the updated (2018) Expedition, and (2025) Explorer (with bucket seats — see well below for column shift models) models the back up slot is in the front cup holder (Expedition) and rear cup holder (Explorer). There is a two-piece mat at the bottom, and the front piece needs to be pulled away. It is a loose fit and slips out easily. Drop the key fob into the slot with the buttons facing the back of the vehicle and start it as normal.
In Explorer and Fusion models, the slot is found near the Auxiliary, USB and power ports in the center console, like the one shown. The Intelligent Access key is slipped in with the buttons facing out (in the Explorer we had, the vehicle started with the buttons facing either direction) and the key ring up.
Transit
The new Ranger compact pick up also uses a cup holder, the rear one. Place the key fob in the cup holder making sure that it is centered and is parallel to the brake handle, as can be seen in the image at right. The truck can then be started by stepping on the brake and using the Start / Stop button as normal.
The Edge back up slot is inside the center console, but actually beneath the the front of the console (right). It is difficult to see, but it can be felt as raised tray just the right size for the remote control. Slip the remote onto the tray with the buttons up and press the Start / Stop button while stepping on the brake as normal.
Escape
In the 2018 Escape, the back up slot is found in the front cup holder. The bottom is marked with radiating lines meant to indicate radio waves. Remove anything that may be in the cup holder and set the fob inside, as shown in the image at right. Once it is placed, use the Start /Stop ignition button to start the vehicle while stepping on the brake as normal.
Bronco, Maverick, Transit (2024 and later)
/Stop ignition button to start the vehicle while stepping on the brake as normal.
The EcoSport, introduced in 2018, also uses a location in the front of the center console. Drop the fob into the slot with the key ring up and the buttons facing the back. After inserting the key fob, use the Start / Stop ignition button and brake pedal to start your vehicle as usual. And again, the key fob can be removed from the backup slot once the vehicle is started, if you wish.
Mustang, Fusion, Expedition
In 2024, Ford moved the Mustang back up start slot to the bottom of the center console. Remove the mat covering the bottom — as well as anything stored there — and place the fob in the fob-shaped depression with the buttons facing up.
Mustang Mach E
F-150, Explorer, F-150 Lightning
If the shifter is on the center console through 2016, the slot will be under the rubber mat in front of the shifter. Remove the mat and insert the Intelligent Access key with the buttons facing up.
In 2017, trucks with the shifter on the center console have the back up slot moved to one of the cup holders. Through 2020, the front cup holder is used, but it is moved to the rear cup holder starting in 2021. All Lightning models use the rear cup holder. Remove the mat at the bottom (see image) by pulling the tab and stand the key fob up in the slot, buttons forward. Then press the Start / Stop button while stepping on the brake as normal.
F-250
The compact Focus has five variations alone, with the Escape and C-Max sharing two of them and the Fiesta sharing one. The fifth Focus variation belongs to 2016 models only. All are located on the right side of the steering column near the windshield wiper lever. And see below for Fiesta and Focus models built after 2020 and not sold in North America.
If you see the transmitter symbol, which may have a key or tower in between the radiating lines, and you have a three button Intelligent Access key, slip the key into a small slot beneath the symbol, as shown.
If you have a five button Intelligent Access key, place the key against the transmitter symbol, as shown in the image, and start the vehicle. The vehicle will recognize the key, even if the key’s battery is dead. Use the Start / Stop ignition button and brake pedal to start your vehicle as usual.
If you see a cover, like the one shown above, there are two options. If a small slot or notch is visible, as seen in the image, pry off the cover using the mechanical key and insert the Intelligent Access key, as shown.
If the covering does not have a slot or notch to pry off the cover, which will include Fiesta models, simply hold the Intelligent Access key against the cover, similar to the five-button process shown above and as shown here, and start your vehicle using the Start / Stop ignition button and brake pedal as usual. The vehicle will recognize the key, even if the key’s battery is dead.
In 2016 and going forward, Ford made a change in the Focus. The back-up slot will be found at the bottom of the center console. It will appear as a depression in the floor of the console in roughly the shape of the key fob.
console storage compartment with the buttons facing up.
Fiesta and Focus models built after 2020 feature a small storage area in front of the shift lever on the center console. The area’s rubber mat must be removed, much like the pick up trucks with center console shifters seen earlier. There is even the mark of a key with lines radiating from it to point out the location (top arrow). Place the fob as shown (lower arrow) with the buttons up. Step on the brake and start the car using the Start / Stop ignition button as normal.
Finally, if you happen to have the GT model, the back up location is a storage tray at the front of the center console beneath its rubber mat, like the Fiesta and Focus above. Lift the mat and place the key fob with the buttons up, as shown in the image. Step on the brake and start the car using the Start / Stop ignition button as normal.
The latest models from all three manufacturers — with two exceptions — have a much simplified process. Staring with vehicle updates in the 2013 model year, simply press the Start / Stop ignition button with the Smart Key while depressing the brake to start the vehicle. We originally named this the back up start Method 6. If this does not work in your model, continue on below for a method that will.
The exceptions noted are first, an EV button (far left) in Kia EVs. It is pushed just like the Start / Stop button. The second exception is the 2021 Genesis G80, which is now a Seventh Method. This method has moved to the 2022 GV60 EV as well, and may yet be placed in other models. If the vehicle does not recognize the key fob or Smart Key, slip the Smart Key into the space behind the shifter dial and cup holders and in front of the leather of the console. See the second image to the left. Then, step on the brake and push the Start / Stop ignition button to start the vehicle as normal.
We must also add an Eighth Method, which is digital. In the new GV60, G70, GV70, G80 and G90, a registered smart phone or a pre-registered card key can be placed on the vehicle’s wireless charging pad. It is found in front of the center console storage area (left). Once in place, the vehicle can be started as normal.
The Kia Forte, Sportage, and Sorento and Hyundai Sonata (prior to 2014) use Method 1. Insert the Smart Key in the Smart Key holder, which is a slot inside the center console, then press the Start / Stop ignition button while depressing the brake. To remove the Key, press it, then pull. Check out the video below.
The Kia Magentis also uses a slot in the center console in Method 2. Insert the Key and then press the Start / Stop ignition button while depressing the brake. To remove, press the Smart Key inward past the detent and then pull it outward.
The Hyundai Genesis, built before 2014, uses Method 3, which is a slot located behind a door above the shifter. Insert the Key and then press the Start / Stop ignition button while depressing the brake. To remove the Key, press it and then pull it out.
The Kia Optima (prior to 2014) and Soul and Hyundai Equus use Method 4, which is a slot in the glove box. The slot is a little higher in the Equus. Insert the Key and then press the Start / Stop ignition button while depressing the brake. To remove the Key, press it and then pull it out.
The Kia Borrego uses the Method 5 slot, which is in the dash just below the Start /Stop ignition button. It should be readily visible. Insert the Smart Key and then press the Start / Stop button while depressing the brake. To remove the Key, release it by pressing and then pull it out.
How to Open a Mazda with a Dead Key Fob
Retrieving the mechanical key
In 2020, Mazda introduced a new key fob style. It is distinguished by the lock, unlock etc. buttons being found on one side of the fob. The mechanical or auxiliary key is found inside.
away in the opposite direction and removed. The mechanical key can be seen inside and is simply lifted away, as shown.
models, the key hole can be seen only when the door handle is pulled to the open position. It may be awkward to reach and drivers with large hands may have difficulty, but the mechanical key must be inserted into the key hole while the door handle is pulled open. See the image to the right.