How To Turn Off The BMW Alarm System?

Do you own a BMW and need to figure out how to disable the alarm system? As a BMW owner, it’s important to understand how to properly arm and disarm your vehicle’s alarm for convenience and security.

You may need to temporarily or fully deactivate the alarm in certain situations, like transporting the car or leaving a pet inside. But randomly pressing buttons in a panic often results in headaches and confusion.

This comprehensive guide will walk through the ins and outs of the BMW alarm system. You’ll learn how to turn off sensors, unlock the doors, and reset the alarm whether you have an older or newer model BMW.

An Introduction to BMW Alarm Systems

Modern BMW vehicles come equipped with sophisticated anti-theft alarm systems right from the factory. These include:

Interior motion sensors to detect movement inside the cabin
Tilt sensors to detect attempts to tow or lift the vehicle
Door, hood, and trunk sensors that trigger the alarm if opened
Key fob panic button to sound siren
indicator lights and siren

The goal of the BMW alarm system is to deter potential thieves and prevent vehicle theft. It arms and disarms automatically when you lock/unlock the car with the key fob or door locks.

But there are many legitimate situations when you’ll want to disable the alarm temporarily, like when washing the car or having it transported on a trailer.

So understanding how to turn off sensors, unlock the doors, and override the alarm without triggering it becomes important.

How the BMW Alarm System Works

When functioning normally, the BMW alarm system operates as follows:

The alarm automatically arms when you lock the doors and turns off when unlocked.
The indicator light flashes quickly when armed and turned off when disarmed.
Pressing the panic button on the key fob will sound the alarm. To deactivate, unlock the car.
Opening any door, the hood or trunk while armed will trigger the alarm.
Motion or tilting the car will also trigger the alarm if those interior sensors are armed.
Unlocking the car with the key fob or door lock turns the alarm off.
On some models, the trunk can be opened separately while keeping the rest of the system armed.

Familiarize yourself with the key fob functions and indicator light signals to understand the status of your BMW alarm system.

Temporarily Disabling BMW Alarm Sensors

In certain situations, you want to turn off the motion and tilt sensors in your BMW alarm system while keeping the rest of the car locked up. Examples include:

Transporting the car on a trailer or ferry where motion is expected
Leaving pets unattended inside the vehicle
Parked in a crowded lot where bumping could trigger the alarm

Luckily BMW allows sensors to be disabled:

Using the Key Fob

Press the lock button once to arm the alarm normally
Press the lock button a second time within 10 seconds
The indicator light will flash rapidly for 2 seconds then remain on steady

This sequence turns off the interior motion and tilt sensors while keeping the doors locked and perimeter sensors active.

To reactivate the sensors, you’ll need to manually unlock and re-lock the vehicle normally. Verbally warning transporters about the alarm won’t cut it.

Through iDrive Settings

For newer BMW models with iDrive:

Go to Settings -> Vehicle -> Alarm system
Toggle the Interior Motion Sensor to Off

This menu allows you to disable sensors temporarily or permanently.

Unlocking Your BMW Without Triggering the Alarm

When armed, the BMW alarm is designed to activate when the doors are unlocked unexpectedly with the metal key or door lock. Here’s how to unlock while avoiding a blaring siren:

Use Comfort Access

If your BMW has Comfort Access, simply grabbing the door handle will unlock it without sounding the alarm. The key fob just needs to be in your pocket.

Unlock Just the Trunk

On some models, pressing the trunk button on the key fob lets you access just the trunk without disarming the rest of the car. Once closed, the trunk will re-arm.

Manual Door Locking

Use the interior lock switches to manually lock the doors while open, close the doors, then place the key in the door to lock it without triggering the alarm.

This leaves the car securely locked without an active alarm.

Disconnecting the Battery Disables the BMW Alarm

A more drastic approach to fully disabling a BMW alarm is to disconnect the battery. This cuts all power to the vehicle and shuts down any electrical systems, including the alarm.

However, once the battery is reconnected you’ll need to reset the car’s electronics. And any stored memory will be wiped, like radio presets, drive modes, and window positions.

Still, if you don’t want to mess with key sequences, disconnecting the battery guarantees the alarm will be off. Just be ready to spend some time resetting the car when it’s reconnected.

Alternative BMW Alarm Deactivation Methods

In addition to standard ways of turning off a BMW alarm, there are a few other lesser-known methods:

Coding Out Sensors – Using coding software like NCS Expert or BimmerCode, you can program the alarm system to deactivate motion or tilt sensors automatically.
Removing Modules – The motion sensor module can simply be taken out of some models to disable it. This requires interior disassembly.
Taping Sensors – Covering or blocking the motion sensor vents with tape may prevent unwanted triggering, though this isn’t guaranteed.

Note that making permanent changes like coding out sensors or removing modules will require scanning and resetting the car’s computer system afterward.

How to Reactivate Your BMW Alarm System

If you’ve disabled the interior motion or tilt sensors for transport or other reasons, you’ll need to reactivate them to restore full security.

For Key Fob Method:

Manually unlock the doors
Lock the car again normally with the key fob

This will re-arm the alarm system completely.

For iDrive or Coding Disable:

Turn the sensors back on through the iDrive menu or reverse any coding changes.
Scan the car’s computer system with BMW diagnostic software to reset the alarm programming.

Resetting BMW Electronics After Battery Disconnection

When the battery is disconnected then reconnected, you’ll need to reset the BMW’s electrical systems before everything will work normally again.

This process usually includes:

Re-entering the radio presets
Recalibrating the power windows
Resetting the sunroof positions
Programming comfort settings like seat position memory
Synchronizing the remote key fobs
Establishing a connection to the telematics system

Check your owner’s manual for the full electronic reset procedure after disconnecting the battery. Expect it to take 10-15 minutes.

Troubleshooting BMW Alarm Issues

If your BMW alarm is behaving strangely, there are ways to diagnose issues:

False Alarms

Sensors that are too sensitive may falsely trigger the alarm when you don’t expect it. Adjust sensor thresholds with diagnostic software.

Indicator Light Signals

A blinking indicator light when locking means a sensor is still active. Check that doors, hood and trunk are fully closed.

Siren Stays On

If the alarm siren won’t stop, try pressing the unlock button or turning the ignition on. Also check the key fob battery.

Key Fob Not Disarming

Try pressing the unlock button multiple times. Move closer to the vehicle. Or place the key in the door lock.

Follow indicator light codes and have the BMW serviced if alarms persist.

Customizing Your BMW Alarm Settings

You can customize BMW alarm settings like:

Adjusting sensor sensitivity thresholds
Adding a confirmation honk when arming
Only unlocking the driver door on the first key press
Auto re-locking doors after a certain time
Picking siren sounds and volume

Adjust settings through the iDrive menu under Vehicle Settings, with diagnostic software, or other methods depending on the model and year.

Knowing how to tweak the alarm to your preferences will make you more confident locking up and leaving your BMW.

When You Should Disable the BMW Alarm Sensors

There are good reasons to temporarily disable your BMW’s tilt and motion alarm sensors in certain situations:

Transporting the vehicle – on a trailer or ferry where motion is expected
Getting car washed – automated washing equipment can jostle the car
Leaving pets inside – dog’s movements could trigger the alarm
Crowded parking – doors bumped by other cars could set off alarm
Servicing or repairs – mechanics moving the car will need alarm off

Also turn off sensors if you frequently experience false alarms or a hyper-sensitive system.

Just be sure to reactivate them afterward for full security.

The Tradeoffs of Disabling Your BMW Alarm System

While it’s handy to be able to turn off your BMW’s alarm sensors for transport or washing, there are some compromises:

Leaving the car unlocked increases risk of theft and break-ins
Manually operated car washes can’t trigger an active alarm
Valet attendants may accidentally trigger the alarm
Forgetting to re-arm sensors reduces protection against thieves

You’ll need to balance convenience and temporary needs with consistent vehicle security when selectively disabling components of the alarm system.

Conclusion

Now that you know the ins and outs of how to turn off your BMW alarm system, you can confidently disable it when needed without headaches.

Understanding how to arm, disarm, reactivate sensors, and reset electronics will help you fully control your BMW vehicle’s security system.

While complex, these tips will prevent panic and frustrations that come from an owner unfamiliar with their car’s alarm system. Just be sure to re-arm it fully whenever possible.

And if issues persist or you want to customize settings, don’t hesitate to utilize professional BMW service and diagnostics. They can help resolve alarm faults or tailor it exactly to your needs.

With the right knowledge, you’ll stay secure and in control of your BMW alarm.