Manual boot release.

mrwkuk · Post by **mrwkuk** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 6:17 pm

Does the G29 have a way of manually releasing the boot lid in the event of an electrical failure?

Given the fuses and battery are both inside the boot itself, if either of them go it seems like a bad design not to be able to open it mechanically or via a physical key.

kevwoods12 · Post by **kevwoods12** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 6:50 pm

There’s a button on the keyfob? Or did you mean a release button on the door bottom, like the Supra. My 2023 20i doesn’t have that

mrwkuk · Post by **mrwkuk** » Wed Jul 05, 2023 9:25 pm

I mean a "physical" release that doesnt require power. If there is an electrical problem (dead battery, blown fuse, etc) how do you open the boot to fix it as the battery and fusebox is in the boot itself?

On my smart roadster there was a hidden flap in the carpet behind the seats, and if you pop it open theres a little pull-cord that releases the boot without needing any electrical input.

PSQ777 · Post by **PSQ777** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 12:39 pm

This is an interesting one. Reading the manual it says that there is a release button in the door storage. On my car it's just a blanking plate. I checked both doors. I found a thread elsewhere that says only LHD cars have this button. Very strange. The manual also states that for emergency unlocking you can pull the handle in the boot. I can't find this.

kevwoods12 · Post by **kevwoods12** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:12 pm

PSQ777 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 12:39 pm This is an interesting one. Reading the manual it says that there is a release button in the door storage. On my car it's just a blanking plate. I checked both doors. I found a thread elsewhere that that says only LHD cars have this button. Very strange. The manual also states that for emergency unlocking you can pull the handle in the boot. I can't find this.

That’s how mine is. It’s also where the boot release button is on the Supra. IIRC the internal handle in the back is an American thing. It wouldn’t be much use anyway, how would you reach it?

ori · Post by **ori** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 1:58 pm

Good question. Would be useful to know.
Personally, I’m calling bmw assist if I have a dead battery.

mrwkuk · Post by **mrwkuk** » Thu Jul 06, 2023 5:33 pm

PSQ777 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 06, 2023 12:39 pm This is an interesting one. Reading the manual it says that there is a release button in the door storage. On my car it's just a blanking plate. I checked both doors. I found a thread elsewhere that says only LHD cars have this button. Very strange. The manual also states that for emergency unlocking you can pull the handle in the boot. I can't find this.

Yeh mine is RHD so has the blank there too. But this would probably just be an electronic relese, given the in-door location, so would suffer the same fate in an electrical failure.

I am just trying to head off the pain in the, albeit very slim, chance the car is completely incapacitated, and there are things in the boot we need.

Like for an extreme example if we had an accident that damaged, or disconnected, the battery while on holiday in a cold country. All our clothes, and the medical pack, sit in the boot. So if we needed something to wrap up while we waited for emergency vehicles or whatever the ability to still get in the boot could be potentially life saving.

mrwkuk · Post by **mrwkuk** » Fri Jul 07, 2023 1:30 am

So i just thought of a far more likely scenario. If you want to do any work on the electrical parts of the car (dashboard etc), most of the guides say "disconnect the battery first".

So you open the boot, disconnect the battery, then instinctively close the boot... now what ?

There has to be an override somewhere, surely? Or am i missing something blindingly obvious?

davidprice · Post by **davidprice** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 6:52 pm

Easy solution to the disconnected battery and closed boot scenario.
Simply open the ‘through load’ flap into the boot and send a small child into the boot to re connect the battery.
Problem solved - simples !

mrwkuk · Post by **mrwkuk** » Mon Jul 10, 2023 7:15 pm

davidprice wrote: ↑Mon Jul 10, 2023 6:52 pm Easy solution to the disconnected battery and closed boot scenario.
Simply open the ‘through load’ flap into the boot and send a small child into the boot to re connect the battery.
Problem solved - simples !

I know thats tongue in cheek, but unfortunately the "through load" flap is an option that my car doesnt have. Part of the comfort pack i believe. Although if theres a way to retrofit it, that would be cool.

I am still surprised there isnt an obvious solution to this issue though. Short of trailering the car to the nearest BMW dealer and have them pull the car apart from the outside to get to it.

I imagine you can get around a dead battery connecting jump leads under the bonnet but that doesnt solve things in the event of an electrical issue with the latch, or a fuse blowing.

To be clear, i dont expect this is likely to happen any time soon. Its a 4 year old car. I just think that electrical systems should always have a physical backup in case of failure, and I am surprised a German car doesnt have something like that.

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