My keyfob broke and I lost the internals. How is it to reprogram one for 2005 g35x sedan?
I found one KBRTN001 JOGWF. Just wondering how the programming is and now I can’t lock the car anymore without the alarm going off when I use the key to unlock it.

 

"Intelligent Key", right? Did you lose the mechanical key that was inside your original I-key? (Did it get run over?) The end of that "slide-out" key has a chip in it which your car should recognize when you use it to unlock the door disabling the alarm. So what key are you using to unlock and start the car?

I know the dealer can "add" a key to your car's memory, and I think many locksmiths also have the capability now. The new fob has to be the correct year and model so the car can see it. But just be aware there are 3 systems involved: the mechanical "cut" key which can turn the door and ignition cylinders, the battery powered part of the I-Key which is supposed to communicate with the car via radio to unlock and start, and the NATS chip which is supposed to allow you to operate the car when your fob battery dies...

 

I still have the key that was inside it. I dropped the fob part and lost all the internals somewhere. The key can open the door and start it but the alarm doesn’t stop when it starts. I have a second key but it doesn’t turn the ignition at all. The car is pre owned and I have only owned it for a month or two

 

Also the radio was swapped for tablet touchscreen

 

The i-key fob needs to be programmed at the dealership probably. It was a very niche system for the V35 and there's a good chance your local locksmiths won't be able to program it but you should call around and ask because it will be cheaper than the dealership.

Also make sure you're buying the correct fob, it's not the same fob as the V36 chassis 2007+ cars. It was a fob that was ONLY used in 2005-2006 sedan and 2005-2007 coupe. You can usually tell them apart from the 2007+ because they will be 2x more expensive.

 

Okay so do I actually need the ikey fob or can I just get a regular lock unlock one and call it done?

 

It depends on what equipment your car has, if it was originally equipped with the intelligent key system then you need an iKey fob. You cannot just take a non-ikey fob and use it unless that's what the car came with.

 

That's why my first question: "Intelligent Key", right? I think '05/'06 were the transition years and some models had "Remote Keyless Entry" and some had the I-key. If your car has a "push to unlock" button on the driver's door handle and an external button to open the trunk then that's I-key. If not, then it was originally the Remote Keyless Entry version.

Since you've described still having the fob's "internal key" then that sounds like an I-key fob. I guess it's possible the previous owner may have had that physical key cut to match the cylinder.... But even if that's the case your car should recognize the RFID chip embedded in that physical key and disable the alarm. The car may need to "relearn" that chip and that may be something a locksmith can do. That's the NATS or Vehicle Immobilizer System.

You can read up on it here:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-man...F2005%2Fbl.pdf
Below that display window "Click here to download a copy".

 

The early model intelligent key you don't have to put the key into the ignition on the dash, there is a **** on the steering column you twist to start the car without the key. iKey didn't use an RFID key, all that data was stored in the fob itself.

As for being able to lock the car without setting off the alarm you can always manually push the lock ***** on each door, that won't arm the security system. Pressing the lock button or using the key in the door to auto-lock all doors will arm the system.

Basically anytime you use the BCM to trigger all door locks you are arming the system. Another way to defeat the alarm system but still enable you to use the door lock button is to unplug the switch for the hood, the system cannot arm at all if it doesn't see the doors, hood, and trunk have all been latched. It monitors the pressure switch for the doors, hood, trunk switch is built into the latching mechanism so you can't just unplug that one, door switches will make the door open light on the dash stay on all the time, hood switch is the easiest way.

 

Our '05 and '06 Gs had a "push and turn" ignition switch. Pushing it queried the iKey in your pocket and if it responded you could turn the ignition. If the fob was not present then the ignition switch could not be turned. There was also a small trapdoor on that switch in which you could insert the mechanical key from the FOB. There was no "dock" like in later years, that came with the pushbutton start.

But I thought that original iKey's mechanical key also had an embedded chip for the NATS system, no? Been a while since we had those cars so I could be wrong.

 

Yeah you're probably right since there is no button to hold the fob to, there probably is an RFID in that physical key. It's such an uncommon system it's one of those few things I haven't been able to REALLY take apart, I've only ever worked on one G35 that had the first gen iKey.