X5 4.8i - A case of too much technology?

[Ejay]

Let me say this first, I LOVE MY 2007 X5 4.8i - Black Sapphire with Black Nev Perf Leather, Burl Walnut and Tinted windows and aero pkg and all available trim. It is a beautiful beast and I just cant seem to wipe the sh**ty grin from my face every time I drive it. But....


If the X5 experiences a TOTAL POWER FAILURE, all the technology in the X5 complicates things BIG TIME!

1. Towing the car becomes a nightmare because you will need a plastic tool stowed in the rear trunk bin to disengage the transmission and electric parking brake. However, your access to this tool is the electric powered hatch which becomes inoperable without power! There doesn't appear to be a manual override for the rear hatch locks.
2. How do you tow this vehicle without disengaging the transmission or the electric park brakes? By the way tried this several times and the transmission kept slipping back into "P" from "N" every time I removed the plastic tool. Maybe because it was my first time. To disengage the electric park brake, required removal of a panel in the trunk and pulling on a lil screw with the plastic tool. Wasnt sure I did it right. :eek:
3. Well in my case, the tow truck drivers left after an hour IN MY DRIVEWAY after we both failed to get it ready to be towed. The dealer service foreman finally came and eventually picked it up .
4. Lo and behold, the glove compartment becomes locked. The little dash button becomes useless and the clam shell doors are sealed SHUT! So reaching the manual in such an emergency for troubleshooting is out of the question.
5. With total power failure, forget about BMW Assist SOS button. Better have a cell phone, the toll free number and your vehicle identification number handy or you are SOL. By the way, how does the vehicle recovery service work if the vehicle is moved (towed) and the battery disabled? Hmmm I wonder!
6. I cant help being thankful that this all happened in the comfort and safety of my driveway. If this had happened on a cold winter nite, in unsafe environment, or If my wife was driving alone and had to deal with this scenario, Darn, I dont even want to think about it, makes me very worried.

I know one thing, when it comes back from the dealer I will make preparations for the next time the power dies. I will retrieve that pastic tool from the rear bin and store either in the drivers door bin or center armrest bin. And boy, like a fire drill, I will practice and teach my spouse how to use it in case of emergency.

If your or your spouse drives this vehicle or any other technologically advanced vehicle with the electric gizmos, be proactive and plan for such a scenario when the vehicle is totally disabled and nothing works.

This was an eye opener.

But, I still love my X5 and miss it even though its been in service less than a day!