[csupernova]

same thing happened to me before, you have to turn the key hard (at some point I thought I might break the key) to unlock the trunk.

[Faredo]

Originally Posted by JYohay

they stopped having those after 2009
someone said there is a sketchy way of jumping the car from the glove box fuse box

got this from this thread
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=690147

1) 2008 models and before actually have key lock on the trunk - it's hidden above the license frame. This would have been great, but I have a 2009, so I don't have one.

2) Some models have a trunk pass through which would allow access through which you could pull the manual release within the trunk using a coat hangar or something. My doesn't. (I also spent some time trying to remove the seat backs, but I don't think I could have gotten them out without breaking something because the latches held them in place so securely.)

3) You can apply power to the car from the engine area -there's a big red + and a ground point nearby. Once power is on the car just push the trunk release in the driver's footwell. This is almost certain to work for most everyone. I'm not sure why it didn't work for me, but I'm guessing it has something to do with the fact that the battery was completely removed and the cable were lying loose. That was strike three - I felt like I was out.

4) The only solution that worked for me was to run down the wiring diagrams and locate the "central locking drive, trunk lid" that's the solonoid that actually releases the trunk. Most of the effort was getting the information - the job itself was actually pretty easy. Here it is:

a) Take out the two torx screws just below the glovebox on the left and right to remove the panel below the glovebox. Disconnect the power socket and the light which are attached to the panel.

b) Below the fusebox there is a big flat horizontal junction box (Junction Box A4010). You can spot it easily because there are two big connectors going into it facing you. There is a flat wide connector plugging into the BACKSIDE of this same junction box. There are about a dozen small wires going into it and one big brown ground. This is the one you need to get to. (Connector X14270) Ideally, you'd want to disconnect this, but I could not manage to get it out from that position.

c) Identify the small wire which is gray with a stripe of green (it looks mostly gray). If you get the connector out, this is pin 12. It's the only grey/green wire in the bunch though.

d) You need to very briefly apply 12 volts to this lead to pop the trunk. I did it the ugly way - I very carefully razored off some of the insulation to expose it. Then I just attached some leads to my new battery. I stuck the ground lead into brown wire connector for the power socket I had disconnected when I removed the glove box panel. Then I just brushed the positive lead against the exposed pin 12 wire. The trunk popped instantly.


Now that I know what to do, I'll bet I could do this in 10 minutes. It's really just two screws to remove the pane and knowing which wire to power. I hope no one ends up in such a stupid situation, but if they do I hope this helps.

You sir. Are a life saver

[N54Society]

My battery was outside of the car and the car is a 2010 335i M-Sport with warm weather package (this matters). No folding seats. No ski hole. Trunk closed.

I hooked up a 3A charger to the engine posts...nothing. Then I tried a 10A charger and used my keys to pop the trunk like I always do...worked!

Just thought I'd pass that along. Someone suggested the charger method as I had the razor in hand ready to slice that little gray wire lol. I tried the 3A earlier in the day and incorrectly assumed it wasn't possible.

[Schmidty335i]

I need some help, I unhooked my battery terminals while working on the wiring under my hood and the wind was blowing so I closed my trunk. later when I wanted to get in I realized I had no key hole. so the first thing I tried was a jump box under the hood. It did nothing, next I got my jeep and tried jumper cables. it also didn't work, I am thinking it is because I have the positive terminals disconnected as well.

I have the folding seats in my car but the latches are located in the trunk. I popped off the plastic that is behind the fold down arm rest to only find a hard piece of metal. so that route was a no go as well.

finally after reading this post I decided to apply 12 volts to the gray and green wire on Connector X14270. i have located the connector but i can not for the life of me get it to disconnect. i would shave off a little insulation to apply power but i do not see a mostly grey wire with a green stripe either. i see the big brown one and a bunch of mostly green ones. i know its suppose to be pin 12. does anyone know how the numbering of the pins would be read while looking at from the passenger floor?

or does anyone else have any other ideas that could help me i would really appreciate it. by the way my car is a 2012 335i.

Thank you for any information.

[ctuna]

So you didn't find the big thread

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=986670

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/

[Fritzer]

My 2011 E90 does NOT have a keyhole.

OP you should try jumping it from the terminals in the engine bay.

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by Fritzer

My 2011 E90 does NOT have a keyhole.

OP you should try jumping it from the terminals in the engine bay.

Neither does his. He said he had tried to jump from the engine bay. Positive terminal being off really didn't help the situation.

[thomaswang573@gmail.com]

Originally Posted by TacoChris

So first of all BMW are a bunch of stupid german aholes for getting rid of the trunk keyhole. Now, am I screwed??? already tried removing the upper portion of the backseats, but that will not happen because I did not unlatch the tops from inside the trunk. There is no more ski pass throughs on this car. I cant think of anything else except for getting a hole saw and drilling a hole behind the rear fold down console, then reaching a hook in and grabbing the emergency release handle on the decklid. Any other, more logical ideas???
Maybe if I get jumper cables and hook my other car to this car via the underhood cable connections, does that draw enough power from the donor car?

o

we just need the BMW ista software to find the electric diagram for the lock control line .then supply the battery power and the ground.at last the trunk

[ctuna]

Yep its described in the links provided there is even a Ytube
of how to do it.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=986670
see entry 14 in the above. Some one said a 9 volt battery or a 6 volt
is enough .

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/

https://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/at...9&d=1539905743

same diagrams are in the above document as the ista database.

I think its dangerous to have disconnected cable in the trunk and apply
power from the front depending on which cables are disconnected
you could start a fire.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by Schmidty335i

...I decided to apply 12 volts to the gray and green wire on Connector X14270.
i have located the connector but i can not for the life of me get it to disconnect...car is a 2012 335i.

Yes, Pin #12 of X14270, Gray/Green wire is what you want, per TIS:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...tlputs/hjwIqu6

Connector View of X14270:
https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...i-cou/CStzhRdQ

Slide Latch on X14270: Slide outboard per this Bentley Procedure:

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by ctuna

...I think its dangerous to have disconnected cable in the trunk and apply power from the front depending on which cables are disconnected you could start a fire.

If you hook 10A charger to Jumpstart terminals under hood and press trunk release button, if it doesn't open on first try, AND you have the Positive (B+) battery terminal off, it is likely that the terminal is contacting ground, which IS a fire hazard. So under those conditions, adding MORE POWER/AMPs is NOT the advised procedure.

Anyone have any thoughts on WHY charger, 6A to 10A, connected to Jumpstart Terminals should NOT work, provided B+ terminal/cable is NOT contacting ground? It seems to me, 12V+ should flow from Jumpstart Terminal to Positive battery terminal, and then flow through fusible link in Rear Power Distribution Panel to the cable that runs forward to the JB, providing power to the JBE to release the boot lid when button pressed.

ONLY thing I can see preventing that is Positive terminal contacting ground as stated above. Different concepts???

Of course if 12V+ is ONLY applied to Pin #12 of X14270 (with power supply grounded to chassis), that is a direct powering of the boot latch/ release where it does NOT matter if the positive terminal is contacting/ resting on the chassis.

I think Schmidty will likely be able to do the latter (power to Pin #12) and find that his Positive Terminal is resting on the battery well, with a mark where applying power to the Jumpstart Terminal "scorched" the chassis.

George

[mastarron]

I have an lci e92 328 2011, it does NOT have a key for the trunk. Luckily I only disconnected the negative terminal of the battery. My friend gave me a jump and was able to open the trunk.

This is such a dumb design flaw... battery in the trunk... no key... in order to fold seats down it has to be done from the trunk. The middle plastic leads to nothing(i tried opening it, it just feels like im breaking it, i got it half open, there was no clearance). Cant believe they were stupid enough to do this!

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by mastarron

I have an lci e92 328 2011, it does NOT have a key for the trunk. Luckily I only disconnected the negative terminal of the battery. My friend gave me a jump and was able to open the trunk. This is such a dumb design flaw... battery in the trunk... no key... in order to fold seats down it has to be done from the trunk. The middle plastic leads to nothing(i tried opening it, it just feels like im breaking it, i got it half open, there was no clearance). Cant believe they were stupid enough to do this!

Reality/Perspective Check:
Perhaps the Germans who designed this system are smart enough to "think ahead" about what will happen if they close the trunk with the battery terminals disconnected, and the Positive Teminal contacting Ground. If one is "too busy to think," the problem is NOT that he is "too busy."

Perhaps they don't consider this "a dumb design flaw." In the US, we have gotten used to the government trying to require everything to be "idiot-proofed," to protect people who don't take the time to think (air bags & warning gongs to protect people who don't see why they should fasten a seat belt). Then there's the type who wore their motorcycle helmet on their knee instead of their head 'cuz the helmet law didn't say WHERE you had to wear it.

LESSON LEARNED?

When you disconnect the battery terminals, do NOT let the positive terminal or any B+ part of the Rear Power Distribution Panel touch Ground. Lay it on a towel, blanket, etc.

Better yet, do NOT lock/latch the trunk with battery disconnected. Notice the rain gutters if changing battery outside. If you just tie the trunk lid in "nearly-closed" position, no water is going to get into trunk unless you're changing your battery in a hurricane. You're NOT going to run the battery down if you leave the trunk open.

NOT a personal attack, just a suggestion to re-examine concepts. The Design IS what it IS so WE need to adapt. I don't think BMW is going to recall 10-year-old vehicles to install a trunk key.

George

[ctuna]

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=986670
probably this same thread is already posted somewhere as
a reference.
My friends Porsche also has this problem.
Leave it sit battery goes dead can't actuate electrical latches.
O and bring back the dipstick.
Adapt or not buy this product anymore then someone
else will have to adapt.
4 recalls runflat tires and an Engine can be taken out buy the
accessory belt breaking.

[Efthreeoh]

Anytime I work with the battery, I just stick a thick rag in the trunk latch, which prevents the trunk from locking closed. Simple.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Anytime I work with the battery, I just stick a thick rag in the trunk latch, which prevents the trunk from locking closed. Simple.

Works for you 'cuz you think. Others would keep slamming the lid and cursing: "Why the xxxx doen't this thing latch?"

[mastarron]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

Reality/Perspective Check:
Perhaps the Germans who designed this system are smart enough to "think ahead" about what will happen if they close the trunk with the battery terminals disconnected, and the Positive Teminal contacting Ground. If one is "too busy to think," the problem is NOT that he is "too busy."

Perhaps they don't consider this "a dumb design flaw." In the US, we have gotten used to the government trying to require everything to be "idiot-proofed," to protect people who don't take the time to think (air bags & warning gongs to protect people who don't see why they should fasten a seat belt). Then there's the type who wore their motorcycle helmet on their knee instead of their head 'cuz the helmet law didn't say WHERE you had to wear it.

LESSON LEARNED?

When you disconnect the battery terminals, do NOT let the positive terminal or any B+ part of the Rear Power Distribution Panel touch Ground. Lay it on a towel, blanket, etc.

Better yet, do NOT lock/latch the trunk with battery disconnected. Notice the rain gutters if changing battery outside. If you just tie the trunk lid in "nearly-closed" position, no water is going to get into trunk unless you're changing your battery in a hurricane. You're NOT going to run the battery down if you leave the trunk open.

NOT a personal attack, just a suggestion to re-examine concepts. The Design IS what it IS so WE need to adapt. I don't think BMW is going to recall 10-year-old vehicles to install a trunk key.

George

Im not saying to do a recall, Im just saying its a very stupid design. To me it looks like it was designed to get the driver locked out so he can tow the car to the dealer and have them charge for the work. No other reason, they had earlier e90 models with the key in the trunk, then they got rid of it.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Originally Posted by mastarron

Im not saying to do a recall, Im just saying its a very stupid design. To me it looks like it was designed to get the driver locked out so he can tow the car to the dealer and have them charge for the work. No other reason, they had earlier e90 models with the key in the trunk, then they got rid of it.

Car companies save money in really weird ways. The tiniest manufacturing change can lead to millions of dollars saved. Since the trunk can be popped open with another battery connected to the front of the car, they probably saw little reason to keep the key hole.

Whenever you disconnect the battery, tie a small towel inside the trunk latch. It'll never be at risk of closing.

Originally Posted by Bavarian Tech

Hooking up power to the Jumper start under the hood wont do shit, since the battery is connected...need a complete circuit for any electronic to work..

My battery was completely removed when I did this and it worked.

[Serf27]

If you swap an LCI trunk into a non LCI car, you can transfer your key lock if you drill a hole for it into the LCI trunk. I didn’t do this when I swapped my trunk. Fingers crossed I never deal with a disconnected battery and closed trunk lol.

Anyone wanting a keyhole in their LCI, I suppose you could get a donor at latch system with key and install it.

[E92inAZ]

It's a stupid design and I think it just never occurred to BMW that anyone besides a trained technician would be turning wrenches on their cars in controlled environments. The guy with a used 3 series trying to do work on his ride with only street parking who has to run up to his 3rd floor apartment to grab something or to poop needs to be able to put his tools in his ride and close everything at some point!!

[ENIN3D]

I just went through this, I have a 2011 e90 as well, and it does NOT have a key hole. I went through the handle on the outside of the trunk, its just clips that hold it in place. pop it out and there is a wire that is attached to the emergency release latch. you can pull it and it'll open the trunk. for future instances, I've rigged up a string to pull from the rear seats incase my battery proposes another issue. hope this helps. there is a thread I followed on here somewhere. ill see if I can find it again.

[cronus]

Originally Posted by Serf27

If you swap an LCI trunk into a non LCI car, you can transfer your key lock if you drill a hole for it into the LCI trunk. I didn’t do this when I swapped my trunk. Fingers crossed I never deal with a disconnected battery and closed trunk lol.

Anyone wanting a keyhole in their LCI, I suppose you could get a donor at latch system with key and install it.

Early LCIs have the trunk key lock. My 10/08 build has it along with nets on the back of the front seats and all 4 tie-down hooks in the trunk.