How do you tow an e70 that is disabled

[PAX5]

Know all about towing a BMW on a flat bed, that's not the question.

Going on a 1,500 mi road trip ... Just in case, how do you get an e70 out of "Park" that is electrically completely disabled? Looked in the owners manual and could not find what to do in case of a complete electrical malfunction.

[Thirdy]

Originally Posted by basora

Know all about towing a BMW on a flat bed, that's not the question.

Going on a 1,500 mi road trip ... Just in case, how do you get an e70 out of "Park" that is electrically completely disabled? Looked in the owners manual and could not find what to do in case of a complete electrical malfunction.

open cupholder by the shifter. Remove the liner and you can see a "hole" where you have to insert the red plastic key and turn to release transmission from park to neutral.

[PAX5]

Originally Posted by Thirdy

open cupholder by the shifter. Remove the liner and you can see a "hole" where you have to insert the red plastic key and turn to release transmission from park to neutral.

I did not know that ...! You mean the "red plastic T-shape" hammer in the trunk?

[Thirdy]

Originally Posted by basora

I did not know that ...! You mean the "red plastic T-shape" hammer in the trunk?

yup

And that same key is also used to release the parking brake if it's engaged and you need to manually release it (leftside of trunk - you have to remove the side panel to access the key hole).

[PAX5]

Cool ... thank you!

[X-cellent]

The instructions are in the manual (I can't remember where)...the trick is that if, say the battery dies, you cannot get the T handle out of the trunk (electric hatch) nor get the manual out of the glove box (electric door).....I made a copy of the pages from the manual and took the handle and put them in the door pocket on the drivers side in my '08 4.8 as I was having lot's of electrical issues....

[Xtony]

Originally Posted by X-cellent

The instructions are in the manual (I can't remember where)...the trick is that if, say the battery dies, you cannot get the T handle out of the trunk (electric hatch) nor get the manual out of the glove box (electric door).....I made a copy of the pages from the manual and took the handle and put them in the door pocket on the drivers side in my '08 4.8 as I was having lot's of electrical issues....

Is the glove box latch really electric? It sure feels mechanical. I put my transmission release key in there after my alternator failed and I couldn't get the hatch open. You should have seen me contorting myself over the back seat, lifting the floor cover up, and grabbing the key while holding a flashlight with my teeth.

[X-cellent]

My '08 was electric...ask me how I know.....it's the craziest thing I've ever seen...the tow truck driver wanted to drag my truck out of the parking spot and onto the flatbed and I knew there must be some way to release tranny and parking brake with a flat battery....hooked up jumper cables to open glove box (BMW had sent him so he was towing it even if I got it started).

[rh71]

Originally Posted by X-cellent

The instructions are in the manual (I can't remember where)...the trick is that if, say the battery dies, you cannot get the T handle out of the trunk (electric hatch) nor get the manual out of the glove box (electric door).....I made a copy of the pages from the manual and took the handle and put them in the door pocket on the drivers side in my '08 4.8 as I was having lot's of electrical issues....

good advice about moving the red handle tool - quite an oversight (or indifference) by BMW putting that stuff in the trunk area with an electric tailgate.

[Xtony]

Originally Posted by rh71

good advice about moving the red handle tool - quite an oversight (or indifference) by BMW putting that stuff in the trunk area with an electric tailgate.

After the incident, I did find that there is a manual release for the tailgate hidden under a plastic cover on the inside of the tailgate. Cover pops off and there is a plastic handle that you pull to open the tailgate from the inside.