Preventing My Dog From Unlocking an X5

[simoncpw]

No 1 here... my car is 05/2002. "ENDED", right?

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Which one are you referring to (p/n ?) as out of production?

[X5 Meister]

Correct, but then they came out with a new version and it is listed right below it. P/N 51-47-7-126-507. Best price I've seen for it is here:
getBMWparts.com powered by Tischer BMW - Your #1 Source for all OEM BMW Parts/Accessories!

Originally Posted by simoncpw

No 1 here... my car is 05/2002. "ENDED", right?

[simoncpw]

Really? And I thought the "From 08/2003" means it's only for cars with the production date from 08/2003 onwards?!

So btw, can I the old still Roller Blind (2) with the newer retractable Roller Blind (15)?

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

Correct, but then they came out with a new version and it is listed right below it. P/N 51-47-7-126-507. Best price I've seen for it is here:
getBMWparts.com powered by Tischer BMW - Your #1 Source for all OEM BMW Parts/Accessories!

[X5 Meister]

No, the date is when that part was implemented. Parts are continually being updated and superceded. Go to realoem, punch in the last 7 of your vin and you'll see that it will come up as a valid part for your car.

I don't understand your 2nd line.

Originally Posted by simoncpw

Really? And I thought the "From 08/2003" means it's only for cars with the production date from 08/2003 onwards?!

So btw, can I the old still Roller Blind (2) with the newer retractable Roller Blind (15)?

[simoncpw]

Thank you for the clarification. Learning something new everyday for me

I meant I have currently have the old style roller blind for the cargo area (no.2 from here), can I replace it with newer style that retracts automatically (no. 15 from here)?

Originally Posted by X5 Meister

No, the date is when that part was implemented. Parts are continually being updated and superceded. Go to realoem, punch in the last 7 of your vin and you'll see that it will come up as a valid part for your car.

I don't understand your 2nd line.

[X5 Meister]

To first point. No problem.

To 2nd question, yes you can:
http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...formation.html

[Quicksilver]

Surprised no one has said "why not leave the dog at home??..

Originally Posted by doebtown

So X5 (E53) owners are undoubtedly aware that the master lock/unlock button is on the center console between the cup holders and the gear selector. The button that activates the hazard lights is adjacent.

MY problem is that when we go somewhere and leave our little doggie inside the car, he inadvertently steps on these buttons. At BEST, this results in him turning on the hazard lights (which is bad ENOUGH, though, 'cause he COULD be in there long enough to run the battery down). At WORST, he turns on the hazard lights AND unlocks the doors . . . drawing attention to the car AND preventing would-be evil-doers from entering the car.

Any ideas on how to solve this problem? Our best solution so far is to lay the owner's manual over the buttons when we leave him in the car. This problem, of course, hopes that he doesn't accidentally kick the book OFF the buttons.

We would be open to ANY kinds of ideas that people have . . . especially people who might have addressed this problem themselves. I thank you and so does the dog, whose much-loved car rides are being curtailed until we have a solution to this issue!

[doebtown]

Thanks to all for your replies.

Responding first to what is 100% the most important aspect of this thread: the well-being of my dog. I appreciate everybody's concern about the manner in which I treat my dog. Rest assured, though, that while we DO leave him in the car--sometimes for quite awhile--he is NEVER in a place where his health (or even his comfort, for that matter) are at risk. This question would NEVER be a problem on even a SLIGHTLY warm day 'cause I would never leave him in the car on a slightly warm day. I live in New York City so--believe ME--my X5 is larger than my apartment and the little guy is more comfortable waiting for me in the car than he would be at home.

As to the actual PROBLEM, I guess a net is a good solution. But that means that he always has to be in the trunk. That means that he can't sit on my wife's lap or stick his head out the window and love the wind in his hair . . . that won't work!--part of the joy of having a CAR is watching our little friend enjoy the X5 WITH us.

It IS interesting to know that the unlock button will not unlock the doors if the key fob is used to engage the locks. It STILL leaves open the issue, though, of how I prevent the little dude from engaging the HAZARD lights in the same way.

The suggestion that I deactivate the switches by going in and disconnecting the wires is INTERESTING, but . . . well--obviously--then I can't turn on the Hazard lights if/when I DO need them. That's no good.

We considered sliding the armrest forward, too. But it doesn't come forward ENOUGH. If you haven't put it together, yet, this is a pretty small dog we're talking about, here (he's a cute little terrier!--I'll put a picture of him on a road trip with us at the bottom of this message) . . . his little paws can get places a bigger dog couldn't.

So I'm back to some kind of a prophylactic preventative method. I was ACTUALLY thinking about getting underneath the console and mounting a couple of magnets on the underside of the trim. I could THEN put a fitted piece of sheet metal right over the switches. The magnets would hold it in place (assuming, of course, that they're strong enough) and not be visible when the system is not in place (as ANOTHER solution like Velcro would be, which would be pretty ugly--but then AGAIN, I have Velcro strips on my windshield where the EasyPass goes, so maybe I've ALREADY walked down that ugly-road).

The OTHER solution that we're kicking around is to come up with some sort of a contraption that would STRADDLE the entire console. Like a "C" shaped something or other that couldn't be kicked off. I GUESS I would make it out of wood just 'cause I'm not crafty enough to manufacture something that would have to fit so precisely out of any other material. This, however, would be a big, bulky thing to cart around until I was ready to leave the dog in the car (unless I put hinges on it, or something, so that it could fold down). AND it--much more than the dog himself--would be likely to scratch the finishes of the X5.

I was in Home Depot over the weekend and I saw a can of household insulation foam and I had visions of a custom MOLDED switch cover that could use the shape of the switches themselves to hold it in place--line it with some kind of non-slip rubber and I'd be in good shape (who knows^--maybe there's even a MARKET out there for this thing . . . I could mass produce it and pay for my NEXT X5 with the proceeds!).

Let me know if any of this brainstorming makes any of you think of something that might be good. And thanks again for your thoughts so far.

[X5 Meister]

Personally I think your best option would be to get the rear seat liner and for safety a dog harness which you can always unclip if you want to hold him/her.

[Weasel]

And if not that then just a small rug over the console, like one of the woven ones folded up and layed over the console. That could be stored in the seat back pocket or rear floorboard etc.