HELP!! E89 Park Sensor - Help I'm stuck in France!!

[sgreen503]

Hey guys, a desperate appeal here.
I travelled to France yesterday from the UK (Eurotunnel) with the intention to drive from France to Spain, and meet a friend in Madrid.
Essentally what has happened is that I travelled around 300km from Calais to Rouen, parked my car in the underground hotel car park for the night and this morning, the car will not start. I have a pretty good idea it's the handbrake brake sensor ((P)). It will not realease.
Now the light for the ((P)) sensor was randomly flickering on and off whilst driving yesterday. And yesterday it HAMMERED it down all day. And I mean HAMMERED!! Torrential rain all day. I can't help but think water has gotten into a sensor somewhere and overnight it's buggered the electrics. Thought it might be the battery, so tested this with a fully charged brand new Jump Pack yesterday. Connected it up, same as before.
Someone tried rocking the car whilst I flicked the P Brake on and off but nothing. It's stuck on the red LED. I've disconnected the battery for at least 20 minutes to see if it would reset. Nothing. Same as before.
I'd hate to leave the car here and have to hire a new one for the rest of the journey. A, it's gonna cost a fortune. And B, I want to do this journey in the Z4. It's the main reason I'm doing this trip, one which I did last year with no issues.
Guys, any practical advice appreciated. I have a few tools on me but trying to discuss this with someone who doesn't speak the same language is gonna be nightmare. So if there's anyone who thinks they might have a temporary solution (read a few discussion boards and sounds like it might need a software uopdate) I would be forever in your debt.
Many thanks all
Steve - BMW Z4 2009 (E89) 85,000 Miles

 

[Pondrew]

The car not starting shouldn't be related to any e-brake issue. There is no interlock on the E89 to prevent it starting if the handbrake is not applied.
If it is a mechanical or electrical issue with the handbrake, you can manually wind the motors back and disconnect them electrically, but that involves removing both rear calipers and discs, so not easy at the side of the road.

Good luck!

 

[pvr]

If it doesn’t start, doesn’t the gearbox think it is in gear rather than P or N?

I don’t know how you get it out of that though, I assume moving the leaver around doesn’t free that up

 

[sgreen503]

Hi no changing gear doesn't work. Reverse the same. UPDATE ***** Just been down to grab some luggage AND THE CAR WONT UNLOCK. Absolutley nothing. Boot wont open. Doors wont unlock. It couldn't be the key could it? And no unfortunately I don't have the physical key just the fob.
This is one b*****d of a day....

 

[Pondrew]

Hi no changing gear doesn't work. Reverse the same. UPDATE ***** Just been down to grab some luggage AND THE CAR WONT UNLOCK. Absolutley nothing. Boot wont open. Doors wont unlock. It couldn't be the key could it? And no unfortunately I don't have the physical key just the fob.
This is one b*****d of a day....

Is the physical key not inside the fob? It should be.
If not then you may be screwed for now! Sorry.

 

[Pondrew]

If it doesn’t start, doesn’t the gearbox think it is in gear rather than P or N?

How do you know it's an auto?

OP...is it?

 

[Silverstar]

Hi no changing gear doesn't work. Reverse the same. UPDATE ***** Just been down to grab some luggage AND THE CAR WONT UNLOCK. Absolutley nothing. Boot wont open. Doors wont unlock. It couldn't be the key could it? And no unfortunately I don't have the physical key just the fob.
This is one b*****d of a day....

If the car is totally dead and you can't open the doors, this to me sounds like a dead battery. Your remote key fob has a physical metal key built in which you can use to unlock the car door on the drivers side. If you look at the back of the fob you will see a ribbed button on the top, press it and pull and the physical key will come out.

 

[pvr]

If it doesn’t start, doesn’t the gearbox think it is in gear rather than P or N?

How do you know it's an auto?

OP...is it?

I assumed as otherwise you would have tried to jump start it, bypassing starter and battery

 

[Nanu]

Hi no changing gear doesn't work. Reverse the same. UPDATE ***** Just been down to grab some luggage AND THE CAR WONT UNLOCK. Absolutley nothing. Boot wont open. Doors wont unlock. It couldn't be the key could it? And no unfortunately I don't have the physical key just the fob.
This is one b*****d of a day....

Is the physical key not inside the fob? It should be.
If not then you may be screwed for now! Sorry.

From memory there is a physical key which forms part of the fob. Hope this or someone can help

 

[B21]

Yup looks like battery failure (or its connections) leading to EPB issues..

So it’s a new battery and maybe a firmware flash on the EPB ECU…

As Nanu says physical key should unlock the door..but if it’s not been used may need coaxing with WD40…

Pisser..

 

[sgreen503]

Not sure where I sent the last post but it's lost somewhere..
Anyway, the previous owner had snapped off the physical key. This is gonna be a bugger to fix, let alone finding someone to do it. I'll get onto EU breakdown cover tomorrow...3 week holiday ruined on Day 2..

 

[Stash36]

Nightmare mate, feel for you. Can you get the spare key couriered to you, and just a daft thought, after you disconnectd the battery, did you connect it properly? ie. Might the cable have come off?

 

[MikeyH]

Could it be something as simple as a jammed starter motor?

 

[sgreen503]

Thanks Stash36, and guess what, no spare key. As for the battery being correctly put back on, a guy at the hotel who knows a fair bit about cars and used to run his own garage re-attached the battery while I was in the front seat. I bloody well hope he put it back on securely. But that would make sense. I mean for the fob to suddenly stop working is a bit odd, especially as we'd been working on the battery.....
There is a BMW garage not far away, but with the breaks jammed on and it being in a low ceilinged underground car park I have no idea how they would even get it onto a trailer. I'll give an update tomorrow for those that are interested.
Thanks for the suggestion MikeyH, it could be that but the initial problem was that the Park Brake wouldn't release this morning, let alone start. So I think they should start with that and the battery and work from there. Not that they can actually get into it of course.
Thanks for all the help so far guys it really is appreciated, update to follow....

 

[Nictrix]

I think your main problem now will be trying to get into the boot if the car is locked and the battery hasnt been connected properly.
Dont suppose your car has comfort access with a replaceable battery in the keyfob?

 

[sgreen503]

Yeah I'm gonna head down to the carpark and try bouncing up and down on the boot and clicking the fob just in case I can get a minispark to unlock it. Nictrix the fob is a sealed unit so I doubt I should go poking around with it, with my luck I may add to the problems but thanks for the suggestion mate

 

[MikeyH]

Feel for you, horrible thing to happen. Perhaps the garage will be able to put some dollies under the back wheels and tow the car out behind another car.

 

[MikeyH]

Yeah I'm gonna head down to the carpark and try bouncing up and down on the boot and clicking the fob just in case I can get a minispark to unlock it. Nictrix the fob is a sealed unit so I doubt I should go poking around with it, with my luck I may add to the problems but thanks for the suggestion mate

Do you have an electric toothbrush, I’ve seen on here that the key can be charged up by resting it in the place the toothbrush sits. No, this is not a joke.

 

[javis20]

Can you pop the front grill out and get your hand up there to pull the lever to open the bonnet. Then you can hook up a battery charger or booster/

 

[enuff_zed]

Yeah I'm gonna head down to the carpark and try bouncing up and down on the boot and clicking the fob just in case I can get a minispark to unlock it. Nictrix the fob is a sealed unit so I doubt I should go poking around with it, with my luck I may add to the problems but thanks for the suggestion mate

Do you have an electric toothbrush, I’ve seen on here that the key can be charged up by resting it in the place the toothbrush sits. No, this is not a joke.

I think the issue is the car battery not the key one