Trunk is popping open ...

topdown99 · 07-01-2016, 01:46 PM

Hey everyone,

'new to me' 2006 330i with 87k miles... I bought it about 2 months ago and it has suddenly developed an interesting behavior.

Starting last Thursday, as I was leaving work, my trunk popped open (dash light indicating trunk open, trunk and I had to stop and physically shut the trunk) 5 or 6 times. finally it stopped popping open and I was able to drive home (about an hour with traffic) but when I pulled into my neighborhood, bingo, it popped open again before I got to the house.

To complicate it even more, I needed to get back into the car an hour or two later and when I hit the door unlock button, single short press, it unlocked the driver door and popped open the trunk at the same time... which was a first.

So, I grabbed my owners manual, switched the trunk lock switch in the glovebox to remove the trunk from the central locking system, shut the trunk and that solved the problem... but now I cant get into the trunk without using the key in the fob.

My time with the owners manual looking for some missed/hidden setting proved fruitless as I cant find any setting that would cause such behavior (either the driver door/trunk or the random trunk opening with no button presses).

So, I am left with... questions.

since the trunk does not open when the car is off and/or no buttons are pressed... do I have a bad keyfob? I only have 1 or I would test with the secondary.

Just hoping someone, somewhere has had similar experiences and may have a solution?

Thanks in advance!
-Ryan

kkasson · 07-01-2016, 07:59 PM

Sounds like it might be an electrical short somewhere...perhaps try removing the trunk release button and see if it still happens?

Take a look here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...eplacement.htm

If you go about halfway down (Figure 9) to where they start working on the interior, there are a couple screws to remove and you can unplug the trunk release button. It sounds like either the button or something else along that circuit is shorting out and opening it.

Wolf 335 · 07-01-2016, 08:05 PM

You may have a damaged wire in the small rubber grommet, that connects the lid to the body.

I've had a simmilar issue on my 5, and once i opened the rubber piece i saw 3 wires broken from continuous bending

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topdown99 · 07-05-2016, 01:53 PM

Thanks guys... I turned the switch in the glovebox back to unlocked (to add the trunk to the central locking) and everything seemed to be working correctly again.

Then randomly while I was in the garage, I heard the trunk pop. That one I cant tell if it was something hitting the button in my pocket or if it was the same problem as before.

As soon as I can, I'll open that little boot and take a look and I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and go to BMW and get a new key fob, worst case scenario, I'll have 2 fobs like I should have to begin with.

after that, I'll start chasing the electrical to see if I can find a short.

Thanks again!

MightyMouseTech · 07-05-2016, 02:24 PM

Just sounds like a bad remote. Hide the one remote you are using far away from the car, and use the second remote. See if it still happens.

Edit: Just noticed you only have one.

Wolf 335 · 07-05-2016, 02:47 PM

First thing I would do is inspect those wires in the rubber piece.

New keys are not cheap.

zoppp · 07-05-2016, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolf 335

First thing I would do is inspect those wires in the rubber piece.

New keys are not cheap.

+1 the wires back there like to break. My car thought that my trunk was open. When I checked the wires I saw the trunk sensor wire completely broken off. Got some new wire and soldered the two broken ends back together.

topdown99 · 07-06-2016, 02:50 PM

I'll open that up tonight when I get home and check the wires

The 330 sat in the driveway all weekend undriven and this morning, the trunk stayed shut/closed... including when I hit door unlock key (where previously that was popping the trunk)

So, I'm not sure what to think at this point.

07-01-2016, 01:46 PM	#1
topdown99 Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: SW Washington iTrader: (0)	Trunk is popping open ... Hey everyone, 'new to me' 2006 330i with 87k miles... I bought it about 2 months ago and it has suddenly developed an interesting behavior. Starting last Thursday, as I was leaving work, my trunk popped open (dash light indicating trunk open, trunk and I had to stop and physically shut the trunk) 5 or 6 times. finally it stopped popping open and I was able to drive home (about an hour with traffic) but when I pulled into my neighborhood, bingo, it popped open again before I got to the house. To complicate it even more, I needed to get back into the car an hour or two later and when I hit the door unlock button, single short press, it unlocked the driver door and popped open the trunk at the same time... which was a first. So, I grabbed my owners manual, switched the trunk lock switch in the glovebox to remove the trunk from the central locking system, shut the trunk and that solved the problem... but now I cant get into the trunk without using the key in the fob. My time with the owners manual looking for some missed/hidden setting proved fruitless as I cant find any setting that would cause such behavior (either the driver door/trunk or the random trunk opening with no button presses). So, I am left with... questions. since the trunk does not open when the car is off and/or no buttons are pressed... do I have a bad keyfob? I only have 1 or I would test with the secondary. Just hoping someone, somewhere has had similar experiences and may have a solution? Thanks in advance! -Ryan
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07-01-2016, 07:59 PM	#2
kkasson Lieutenant 190 Rep 589 Posts Drives: 07 BMW 328i, 08 BMW 528i Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: CA iTrader: (0)	Sounds like it might be an electrical short somewhere...perhaps try removing the trunk release button and see if it still happens? Take a look here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/BMW/tech...eplacement.htm If you go about halfway down (Figure 9) to where they start working on the interior, there are a couple screws to remove and you can unplug the trunk release button. It sounds like either the button or something else along that circuit is shorting out and opening it.
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07-01-2016, 08:05 PM	#3
Wolf 335 Brigadier General 2565 Rep 3,663 Posts Drives: 2007 E92 335i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	You may have a damaged wire in the small rubber grommet, that connects the lid to the body. I've had a simmilar issue on my 5, and once i opened the rubber piece i saw 3 wires broken from continuous bending Last edited by Wolf 335; 07-01-2016 at 08:14 PM..
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07-05-2016, 01:53 PM	#4
topdown99 Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: SW Washington iTrader: (0)	Thanks guys... I turned the switch in the glovebox back to unlocked (to add the trunk to the central locking) and everything seemed to be working correctly again. Then randomly while I was in the garage, I heard the trunk pop. That one I cant tell if it was something hitting the button in my pocket or if it was the same problem as before. As soon as I can, I'll open that little boot and take a look and I think I'm just going to bite the bullet and go to BMW and get a new key fob, worst case scenario, I'll have 2 fobs like I should have to begin with. after that, I'll start chasing the electrical to see if I can find a short. Thanks again!
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07-05-2016, 02:24 PM	#5
MightyMouseTech Major General 4355 Rep 6,196 Posts Drives: 13 135i 6MT LeMans Blue MSport Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Ottawa, Canada iTrader: (0)	Just sounds like a bad remote. Hide the one remote you are using far away from the car, and use the second remote. See if it still happens. Edit: Just noticed you only have one.
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07-05-2016, 02:47 PM	#6
Wolf 335 Brigadier General 2565 Rep 3,663 Posts Drives: 2007 E92 335i Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	First thing I would do is inspect those wires in the rubber piece. New keys are not cheap.
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07-06-2016, 02:50 PM	#8
topdown99 Registered 0 Rep 4 Posts Drives: 2006 330i Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: SW Washington iTrader: (0)	I'll open that up tonight when I get home and check the wires The 330 sat in the driveway all weekend undriven and this morning, the trunk stayed shut/closed... including when I hit door unlock key (where previously that was popping the trunk) So, I'm not sure what to think at this point.
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