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      06-20-2014, 11:48 AM   #1
Otacon132
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Lost my key fob in my air vent.... now what?

Long story short, I believe I lost my key fob under my passenger seats air vent.

Even if I took off the seat, somehow found out how to remove the carpet, how can I possibly recover it?
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      06-20-2014, 12:10 PM   #2
tinman831
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Do some hard pulls and try and force the key fob out?
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      06-20-2014, 12:16 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Otacon132 View Post
Long story short, I believe I lost my key fob under my passenger seats air vent.

Even if I took off the seat, somehow found out how to remove the carpet, how can I possibly recover it?
We need details..
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      06-20-2014, 12:36 PM   #4
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Turn it upside down and shake
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      06-20-2014, 12:36 PM   #5
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The fortunate thing is that the key is inside the car lol. Best advice, so you don't end up kicking your own butt in the future, take it to the dealership and have them sort it out.
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      06-20-2014, 01:21 PM   #6
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I did the same thing once at the track. I was able to fish it out with a straightened wire hanger with a the end bent into a hook.
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      06-21-2014, 01:39 AM   #7
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I have a telescoping tool with a magnet on the end to retrieve dropped tools. Maybe something like that would work.
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      06-21-2014, 08:49 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bavarian Beast View Post
I have a telescoping tool with a magnet on the end to retrieve dropped tools. Maybe something like that would work.
Agreed. I have one that has a grabber end on it also that would easily secure the key ring.
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      06-21-2014, 09:04 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Candide13 View Post
We need details..
This
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      06-21-2014, 11:47 AM   #10
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If you already have a key ring attached , possibly a hanger, duct tape, & some Macgyver skills !
Get a telescopic magnet tool is probably your best bet. (unless you can find a snake scope/camera to really see where it is) Try to get get as much as possible while fishing around in there.

When You here a ' clink" (magnet grabbing something , possibly your key) You want to have better advantage to spot it as your reeling it to you. slowly methodically. What you don't want to end up doing is, pushing it in further while feeding in the tool! Other wise its really going to be fishing in the dark. Best of luck. hope this helps.

If only had a flexible, telescopic, camera/ flashlight/+tools like magnet cheaper than your key
Or like i do

Last edited by Eur0Tech; 06-21-2014 at 08:42 PM.. Reason: clarifying
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      06-21-2014, 12:13 PM   #11
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Seriously, just do some slightly hard accelerations to force the keyfob backwards and hopefully out of the vent.
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      06-21-2014, 01:16 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tinman831 View Post
Seriously, just do some slightly hard accelerations to force the keyfob backwards and hopefully out of the vent.
Put a kid in the back seat trying to catch it.
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      06-21-2014, 01:20 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD View Post
Put a kid in the back seat trying to catch it.
Just make sure he's wearing a helmet.
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      06-21-2014, 01:31 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tinman831 View Post
Just make sure he's wearing a helmet.
Get one that already requires one.
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      06-21-2014, 01:49 PM   #15
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If it were me, I'd try the telescoping magnet first, ruler with wad of duct tape sticky side out second. If that fails, and you're remotely mechanically inclined, remove the seat.

Having done this on other cars like GT3, it's no big deal. I can't say I've done this to my M, but wouldn't hesitate a moment. You should be able to slide the seat forward, unscrew two torx, back two more and have access under the seat. $.02
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      06-21-2014, 02:43 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Otacon132 View Post
Long story short, I believe I lost my key fob under my passenger seats air vent.

Even if I took off the seat, somehow found out how to remove the carpet, how can I possibly recover it?
Flexible Mechanical fingers can grab them.
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      06-21-2014, 02:58 PM   #17
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      06-22-2014, 02:02 AM   #18
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I learn now things every day.
I didn't even know it had passenger seat vent. I will be honest, I don't even know how to set the radio station.

<--- I will do that!
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      06-23-2014, 07:45 PM   #19
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Harbor Freight has a telescoping camera tool for like $50. That plus their $3 grabbing tool may just do the trick. I'm sure you can always find more uses for the telescoping camera tool late on too...
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      06-24-2014, 09:46 AM   #20
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I had the similar issue with my old E90 330i. In my case a lighter went inside the vent under driver seat. I admit this is not so problematic as key fob, but similarly annoying. The knocking in the vent was driving me nuts!

This is how I solved the issue: I took a wire and made a small hook at the end. Then I went to deserted road. I accelerated hard from stand still to move the lighter as far back (to the exit) of the vent as possible. After that I stopped really gently.
Latter I used the wire and and hooked it out of the vent.

Thanks for reminding me I need to put some net on the vents to prevent this happening on my M3
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      06-25-2014, 05:30 PM   #21
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Theres a lot of good advice on here, I need to figure this out before I lose Mt spare key - I'll work on it this weekend.

And as for the keyring, there isn't one on the key fob :/ its literally just the key fob that fell down there.

I'm hoping the magnetic grabber works because its unclicked from the actually metal key
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      06-27-2014, 12:53 AM   #22
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Hopefully you have comfort access.
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