[visor]

Can't believe it, but that's most likely where I've lost a pair of keys since they slipped out of my pocket under the seat. Couldn't find them anywhere... not under the mat, nor in the seat rails, nor anywhere!

And I still occasionally hear a rattle or two from under there when I make a fast turn.

So, any one with same experience? Any ideas how to get them out?

Magnet on a stick is what I've seen from other posts with similar experience...

[G30 B58]

saw this same thing in the M3/4 forum.

[3onDubs]

Take some creatine and find a big parking lot, then lift your car and shake it upside down. I'd give it like 2 or 3 good shakes.

[ghost_rus]

Lol good luck with that

[petro]

I'm surprised this is still an issue, the vents have no grille and allow items in. This was an issue all the way back to the E30 I owned. Although it appears that the glove box nolonger eats things, which is a bonus.

[DD335i]

Originally Posted by 3onDubs

Take some creatine and find a big parking lot, then lift your car and shake it upside down. I'd give it like 2 or 3 good shakes.

:

[chiefneil]

Find a 2 year old, raise the seat up all the way, and send them in after the keys.

Worked for me when my 2 year old dropped her toy under the airplane seat.

[openwheelracing]

BMW secretly designed it so that you are forced to pay for another key fob. Those Germans, I tell you. VW is a fine example.

[petro]

Originally Posted by openwheelracing

BMW secretly designed it so that you are forced to pay for another key fob. Those Germans, I tell you. VW is a fine example.

And the reprograming because comfort access thinks the key is still in the car...

[thehobbit]

Happened to me, but with 2 AAA batteries: hear the rattle while turning, but can't find nothing. Until I insert my finger into the vent, and found them.
Simply pull the vent, It will come out fairly simple, then remove the keys.

[rking117]

the real question is will the vehicle crank without the key in the car? That shoul dbe one sure fire test to know they are still in the vehicle or not.

[Orion4]

I had a annoying rattle in the drivers area on my 13 335i that I just couldn't chase down. Finally when i was in for a normal service appt, I mentioned to the service rep. They pulled out $7.25 worth of change from those vents. Undocumented feature- Auto savings account.

[visor]

So, with a bit of ingenuity with a strong magnet taped to the pronged end of an electrical extension cord, I was able to get the key out from about 6 inches inside the dang vent, along with $3 worth of coins...

Fortunately the key ring was attracted by the magnet because the keys were certainly not.

So, I had them keys in my hands for not more than 5 secs when I decided to throw them down onto the bench seat so that I could take some pics of the vent ... and well waddayaknow! Yep you guessed it, they bounced right into that little hole where the latch anchor is for attaching baby car seats! (see second pic)

I immediately got the magnet working again (after much swearing first and not knowing whether to laugh or cry) but it only made it go deeper behind and under the seat. In the end, after lifting up the bench seat to get the keys, it took 15 mins in total... half of it spent in each hole...

[cjack]

Dude!!!

[visor]

Actually, thinking about it a bit, BMW shouldn't have designed the vent flush with the floor. They should have put a 1/2 to 3/4 inch high lip on it so that nothing can slide in there.

For my own sanity and to prevent future misadventures, I'll just tape some black electrical tape at the bottom for now.

[SteveEvans]

Originally Posted by visor

So, with a bit of ingenuity with a strong magnet taped to the pronged end of an electrical extension cord, I was able to get the key out from about 6 inches inside the dang vent, along with $3 worth of coins...

I note with interest that the design of your air vent is a slight improvement over the stupid design on my E92 M3 (2012 LCI).

That has a gap in the middle which allowed a T20 torx bit to roll down under the sub-woofer. I wondered where it had gone until I heard the rattle when driving!



It was tricky to measure under the seat, but I managed to design and 3D print a pair of grills.



Hopefully I'll not need to take the seat out again...

Steve

[nozydog]

Originally Posted by visor

So, with a bit of ingenuity with a strong magnet taped to the pronged end of an electrical extension cord, I was able to get the key out from about 6 inches inside the dang vent, along with $3 worth of coins...

Fortunately the key ring was attracted by the magnet because the keys were certainly not.

So, I had them keys in my hands for not more than 5 secs when I decided to throw them down onto the bench seat so that I could take some pics of the vent ... and well waddayaknow! Yep you guessed it, they bounced right into that little hole where the latch anchor is for attaching baby car seats! (see second pic)

I immediately got the magnet working again (after much swearing first and not knowing whether to laugh or cry) but it only made it go deeper behind and under the seat. In the end, after lifting up the bench seat to get the keys, it took 15 mins in total... half of it spent in each hole...

Eeeew man your seat bench needs a vacuum!! Gives me the crawlies that does, what with my OCD and all..!!

[bri1042]

A friend dropped his lighter down there and I bought a (it's early and I'm trying to pull words out of my sleepy brain here) flexible metal thingy with a magnet and a flash light at the end of it from Fred Meyer (a western states Walmart-ish place) in the auto parts section. It only cost a few bucks. ...sorry about "Thingy"...I'm not awake and just wanted to let you folk that items that can help retrieve your keys, coins, and small explosive items are more easily obtained than one might think.

[otay]

Originally Posted by SteveEvans

I note with interest that the design of your air vent is a slight improvement over the stupid design on my E92 M3 (2012 LCI).

That has a gap in the middle which allowed a T20 torx bit to roll down under the sub-woofer. I wondered where it had gone until I heard the rattle when driving!



It was tricky to measure under the seat, but I managed to design and 3D print a pair of grills.



Hopefully I'll not need to take the seat out again...

Steve

Holy shizzle, that's awesome. First practical use of 3d printing I've seen. You should start a business...if it's cheap enough, I'll buy it.

[visor]

Originally Posted by SteveEvans

I note with interest that the design of your air vent is a slight improvement over the stupid design on my E92 M3 (2012 LCI).

That has a gap in the middle which allowed a T20 torx bit to roll down under the sub-woofer. I wondered where it had gone until I heard the rattle when driving!
...

Steve

Good job. Although a simple wire mesh would work easily too.

But most important advice:
the moment you notice that you dropped something (coins, keys, etc) under the seat, you should get it asap before it gets a chance to roll into that silly hole after a few aggressive turns.

[visor]

Originally Posted by nozydog

Eeeew man your seat bench needs a vacuum!! Gives me the crawlies that does, what with my OCD and all..!!

Lol... you would need to be hospitalized if you sat on my wife's car seat, as my kids are messier in her car with eating chips, cheerios, cookies, gummies, etc. over the last few years...

[jmg]

OMG I thought I was the only one who ever lost keys in that damn vent! Lost my wife's car keys in there. Had to fish it out with a hangar.