car dead, trunk won't open, very odd situation -SOLVED!!!
 

very unusual and complicated situation: today my e60 lost all electricity for asplit second as I just started driving, but everything came right back on.A minute later, as I hit a pothole and mycar jerked, everything died, all electronics, so I came to a stop in the middleof the road and pushed it to the nearest gas station.

Here is where it becomes complicated: my trunk lock broke, meaning I can't openthe trunk mechanically with a key.Itopens only electronically via the button underneath the trunk, or the buttoninside the salon.As all of theelectrics are out, those buttons don't work.So it's impossible to get to the battery to check if a connection cameloose.It's impossible to get to thefuse box inside the trunk to see if one of the fuses are blown.

I have tried jump starting the battery through a 2nd vehiclevia electrical connectors under the hood. Nothing.I have tried sendinga strong current through those under the hood terminals, by a separate carcharger and starter, while holding the trunk button on the key and also tryingthe button under the trunk.Nothing.This last one hasworked for me just recently when I disconnected the battery to reset the car,and accidentally closed the trunk, as it was about to rain.I sent a strong jump start current to theterminals under the hood and it opened the trunk back then, but it didn't thistime, so that tells me that something else is the problem.

Battery is only couple of months old. I didn't register it,but neither did I register the previously battery replacement that lasted me 5years or so. I drove the car yesterdayalso and didn't do any work on it since then, so battery could not havedischarged overnight.

I tried to remove the back seat to get to the trunk, butthat's impossible, as I found out there are two latches you have to prop openfrom inside of the trunk to remove the back seat, so it's a catch 22.

I gave up and towed it to my mechanic, who is puzzled how heis going to get inside of the trunk. Any ideas?The only way I seeto do it is to cut through the foldable middle armrest section of the backseat, then try to get to those latches to remove the back seat, and then haveaccess to the battery and fuses.I do99% of my work on cars on my own, butgot too much going on right now and decided to let the mechanic look at it, ifhe can figure out a way to get inside the trunk without cutting through theseat.Has anyone come acrossthis?It's a very rare situation....howunlucky to have the key portion of the lock break, and how irresponsible of meto forget to fix it after last time I had to open the trunk in a similarsituation.

The only thing I can think about is the rear seat pass through. Open it up and find the trunk release and pull it

in order to remove the rear seat (back portion), you need to move 2 latches from inside of the trunk. The only way I can think to do this without completely destroying the rear seat is to flip the middle hand rest section down, and drill a hole through the wall there.... here's another problem, from what I recall, my trunk release doesn't work either, maybe it has something to do with the lock not opening with the key. I doubt anyone has a magic solution. If only my mechanic would get the electrical to work for a split second, trunk would open, but something tells me the problem is bigger, since sending a strong electrical current to under the hood terminals didn't work this time. I'll let you guys know how he fixed it, keeping fingers crossed.

That sucks ... but, when you already know that every way to get in the trunk is broken, except the electrical method ... and you don't fix it, guess you run this risk.


I would focus on the lock. Call a locksmith and see if they can help.

My 525i has a center opening into the boot through the rear seat
I dont know if your car has this feature? But I can take some pictures when o get home

If you feel behind the center rear seat rear you will find a handle
When pushed the center rear seat will fall down allowing entrance into the boot area

It is small but you can crawl through

can you please post a picture of what you mean? My back seat has a center armrest that folds down but I don't see how I can get to the trunk without removing the back seat.




Update: I called a locksmith, he said to take to the dealer..I guess he didn't want to mess with it. I went out to the mechanic's, they tried running a strong current to the hood terminals, like I did before, to open the trunk, but nothing. I decided to test if both battery terminals are connected on the battery, so I connected a trickle charger to the hood terminals, and was able to decipher that battery is connected, because I got a solid charging light on the trickle charger. If the battery would not have been connected, I would have a blinking light. Then I proceeded to charge the battery to full charge via a standard 10 amp charger. It didn't revive the car. Tried running multiple engine starting 12 volt currents. Nothing. I tried pulling up on the rear backrest as hard as I possibly could, but it didn't come off those latches. Mechanic is puzzled, will try to think of something and ask around. In the meantime, I decided to go out there tomorrow and drill out the middle section behind the folding backrest, so I could get my arm through it and get to the latches to get the back seat out. Then I will have access to the fuses. I am praying that some large fuse that controls all electronics is blown and all I have to do is to replace it. If all fuses are in tact, and the battery is good, I can't possibly imagine what went wrong, and I will hold a funeral for my 2004 BMW 5 series that has served me well over years and looks and feels like brand new, with only 225,000 miles on it. I don't want to bash German cars, but this will be my last one. I can't say it gave me any major problems, but I've had too many little issues over the years that I've been able to fix mostly myself, other than a bad engine gasket. I've already been driving it's successor for almost 2 years, a 2017 Mustang GT, and happy with it, but I was hoping to keep driving the BMW mostly during winter and to keep miles down on the Mustang.

I am puzzled about this issue. I thought all the E60s had the pass through from the rear seat. Pull the arm rest down and there will be a plastic trim it's a key hole. Slide the handle down and pull. You have access to the trunk. Did the 04 not have this? My 12/04 did.

Here is the photos from my 525i

I'm understanding better know. The option was called "ski pass through". Not all cars were equipped with it.