Hi, new to the Forum and have searched but didnt find any info.

A friend has told me that the key to my 2002 500SL can tell all kinds of info on the car including the mileage, the last time the car was driven and the VIN for the ca!! Is any or all of that true?? I told him it was rubbish but maybe not? does anybody know what the key can tell you?

THanks

 

Interesting question and one I don't know the definitive answer too.

I would however expect only certain info to be present for security e.g. VIN. Mileage...I think not. However mileage is held in multiple locations to dissuade mileage tampering.

Most of the data required for security is negotiated between the key and the switch each time the key is used.

Would be interesting to know how use of duplicate key is handled.

Let us know if you discover more detail. I'm sure somebody will know.

Stuart.

 

rubbish... It can only tell you which key was in the ignition last. However if it is key track 1 or 2 it will hold such info as drivers seat position and climate control settings. As far as vin, keys are ordered by vin #. Milage is not stored in the key and there is no magic computer to pull such info out. If you would ever need a new key you would want to order duplicate keys 1 and 2 to keep things mentioned above. All other key tracks (3-8) do not hold such info. That information is of course depending on model, year, options and so on.However learning a duplicate key can take up to 4 hours. Depending on how much of the rolling codewas used.
For any of you getting ideas you needproof of ownership to recieve any keys. No proof no keys ordered and be prepared for some attitude if such information can not be varified or supplied even if you are the owner.

 

Maybe I didn't express myself very well but we are in agreement!! e.g. VIN. Mileage...I think not. My way of saying that VIN and Mileage are not held.

However JFI Mileage is "tamperproofed" by requiring "coding" between multiple units.

I've seen it stated on this forum that when fitting a new instrument pack mileage cannot be carried forward from one pack to another. This is INCORRECT.

Mileage may physically only be held in the pack but the pack looks around for other parts of the system to prevent a low mileage pack being taken from one car and placed in another to reduce the possibility of clocking. OK if you buy a new pack (expensive) you can set the mileage to whatever you like BUT you have to have the specialist equipment to code the pack.

Stuart

 

I've been told today by a bmw tech that their keys will hold the last information from the cluster such as mi. and i believe vin. Just thought you might find that intresting