My #1 complaint with the E53, and it is painful...
 

At the risks of ridicule :) Photo attached. I have never had an SUV, truck, and obviously a car, which would slam the top sharp edge of the front door into my thick skull as painfully as the E53 so easily does. :thumbup: 6 times over the years...and it hurts every time.

Ouch!

Feel better my man!

As they say, it's always the ones we love that hurt us the most :rofl:

The corner of the liftgate can get you like that too. The first car that used to do that to me was a Ford Tempo but it was lower it would get you in the ribs or maybe neck.


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My #1 complaint with the E53, and it is painful...
 

You could put a little line of clear silicone right on that corner you would not even see it and it would prevent a lot of pain. Put some tape on the body and lubricate the tape with some oil close the door squirts some silicone in there then spread it out flush into that hole you'll have a little safety cushion of silicone right on the corner.

Peel off the tape of course when you're done


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Mine keeps nailing me with the hatch lid. I lift the hatch and all is ok till I ignore it and start reaching in to get stuff then WHAM it comes down on me. Its the weather that's doing it. The struts are probably weak with age and the cold is making them even weaker.

:iagree: Rear hatch got the Mrs. a couple of days ago. Opened the hatch and it didn't go up assisted as much by the freezing struts.. Opened about 2 inches short and got her...

Lost count of how many times I've smacked my head into the corner of the lift gate!

Ouch, you have my sympathies.

At 6'8"... any and all lift gates are a threat to my cranium. Though, I find I hit the one of the e70 more than the e53 for some reason.

The hood beaned me on the head twice. I need new hood struts. My VW Jetta's rear door constantly hits me in the ribs if I stand too close because the rear edge of the door juts out so much.

My #1 complaint with the E53, and it is painful...
 

I've been hit by the door corner when somebody went to slam the door shut and I was too close.

@ crystal: is your E70 auto closing ? I think that may not open quite as high, other thought: color based; what color is E70 v E53.

You could use my tip above to add a rubber bumper on the corners, I'm going to do it to mine I'll upload pictures of course.

Back to the color: add some warning tape to the inside edge of the door, I'll be doing that as well. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9d90bb894.jpeg

Something like this stuff. Look at the inside edge of the doors how they have red tape to make them visible.

Make it Bright contrast so you will see in your peripheral vision.

One last thought: you can use some glow in the dark tape for at night but not sure how it would get charged. I think the danger tape would nearly eliminate hard banging.

@OP: thanks for bringing up this painful subject, I'm going to do the mods I mentioned and It will help reduce how often I bang my crainium (and reduce the pain when I do.

Other than closing the driver door of our X5 on my thumb a couple years ago, (WholyFookinMoly!), I haven't caught the door or back lift gate, yet...

Otoh, my CEO's new X1 has its doors' top points extending back rakishly, even more than the X5, and one has to dodge those during the pretzel maneuver to enter or exit.

Add in the 'foot kick' thing for the rear lift gate that seldom works, or that lift gate that closes like a guillotine when not expecting it, and I try to stick with my 'ol X5.

Hope the OP's head heals...
GL, mD

What I keep worrying about doing is having the power closing feature of the hatch do a number on my fingers one day. Looks like it would be quite painful if it happens.

Ive got real close a few times.

Yep, E70 is auto closing. I can't set it to the higher setting because my wife is only 4'11" (she SWEARS she is 5' :rofl:).

E70 is sapphire black vs. the imola on the e53. Hadn't thought about it but maybe that has something to do with it.

My #1 complaint with the E53, and it is painful...
 

I'm going to put some "danger tape" on the corners that bite. In the inside so only visible when open.

I've walked into the tailgate when it was down a few times. Better in the hip than in the head but yowch just as well

You must be tall......You should try the NEW X6M that door is a killer..........

My #1 complaint with the E53, and it is painful...
 

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a9072d41a6.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...ce79a37a41.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...868016edd9.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...7595f737a.jpeg


My dad was parked next to me I did his minivan also

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dd04aabb2.jpeg


I'm going to re so when my car is clean and it's warmer so the tape will confirm better to the curves

Not a bad idea.

That bottom edge is practically a knife blade into the thigh is no laughing matter


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Short as I am the hatch poses no risk to me if it stays up. When it decides to close on its own in cold weather it wouldn't matter if it had neon stripes, flashing lights and sirens.

But for tall people I could see that being handy I guess.

My #1 complaint with the E53, and it is painful...
 

The problem is the second case: you are used to clearing because it stays up completely so you never even look and bexIwe it's cold out it's a couple inches lower and BANG. You are probably correct on the neon sign comment so I'm thinking of adding silicone bumper


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Ermm no that's not what is happening. The lock is imbedding in the top of my head. Its closing on me. I am standing still when it happens. I am not running into the hatch the hatch closes on my head violently when the struts are weak from the cold. It stays up a few seconds or so and acts like its working right. I go to get something out of the back of the X5 and the hatch closes on my head.

Time for a couple of strut replacements... :thumbup:

Oh no doubt about that.

I just haven't had time to get new ones yet.

Second that. I thought it was just the hatch slightly low.


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Yep, I just have to help mine up when the temperatures are low or it won't go all the way up. Once it's up it stays there though...

Well, at least you know there is still oil in the struts... ;)