Well have you disconnected your battery and accidentally closed the trunk, and now can’t open the trunk?
Then you’re not alone, One of my friends Greg also made the same mistake a while ago. He had closed the trunk with his battery disconnected. Then he called me to find out how to open the BMW trunk with the battery disconnected.
And I gave him some step by step indications, and he unlocked the trunk in under 15-20 minutes.
So, if this is the same case with you, then you don’t need to worry at all because in this blog we’ll discuss this topic with step by step process.
There are multiple ways you can open your trunk when the battery is disconnected, and I’m gonna share all the possible ways here. So, let’s get into that.
Brief About This Issue
BMW is a premium luxury class vehicle, and it relies on electric systems for its various systems functions. And the trunk is one of them, which is operated by electricity from the battery.
If you disconnect the battery it will cause the trunk to not open.
Depending on the model and year the battery is located in the trunk or under the rear seat. And, if you disconnect the battery and close the trunk it will need to be open manually.
Also Read: 2002 BMW E46: The Ultimate Driving Machine Review
The Step-by-Step Process
To open the trunk when the BMW battery is disconnected, you will have some manual options you can try out.
Some steps will be different depending on your particular model and year, but the process will be the same for all the models.
So, let’s get into these processes one by one.
Method 1: Use The Mechanical Key
- Locate The Key: Locate the mechanical key in your key fob.
- Find The Keyhole in Trunk: Now find the keyhole which should be located near the trunk handle or license plate area.
- Open The Trunk: Now turn the key counterclockwise to unlock and open the trunk.
Method 2: Use The Emergency Release Lever
Depending on your BMW model, there should be an emergency release lever inside your trunk, which can be used to open the trunk manually.
But you gotta work your body for this one.
- Remove The Back Seat: In most cases, you can simply just release the center back seat by easily pulling that down.
- Crawl Down: Now after releasing the rear seat, just crawl down to the trunk, and you can access the emergency release lever located near the trunk latch.
- Open The Trunk: When you find the latch just pull the latch, and you’ll be able to open the trunk.
Method 3: Manual Jump Start
If the above methods don’t work for you, then this method should solve your problem.
To perform this process you’d need a portable Jump starter box or a 12V battery (or another vehicle) and Jumper cables. Let’s get into the process:-
- Open The Hood: First pop up your vehicle’s hood using the hood latch inside your car.
- Locate The Positive Terminal: Now locate the positive terminal in the engine bay section which should be covered by a red plastic cover (shown in the picture below).
- Connect Positive & Negative Cable: The Positive (red) jumper cable would be connected to the positive terminal (by removing the red cover) & connect the negative (black) cable to any metal part of the BMW body. (Bmw usually marks the negative terminal)
- Turn On The External Power: Connect & Turn on the jump starter box, if you’re using another car’s power then connect and turn the other vehicle.
- Open The Trunk: Now the battery provides power and you can open the trunk with the trunk release button on the key fob or from the inside of the car.
This process should solve your problem. My friend also used this method with a portable jump starter box.
Now after opening the trunk first disconnect the jump starter battery or any other power sources, then connect your vehicle’s battery.
Also Read: 5 Causes of BMW sunroof won’t close (With Solutions)
Method 4: Seek Professional Help
Well with all the steps given above you should be able to open the trunk with a disconnected battery.
But if you don’t have time or any interest in DIY work, then you should consult with your BMW dealership or any local BMW-certified auto shop.
They will perform the exact steps and solve the issue for you in no time.
Preventing Future Incidents
To prevent the same issue from happening shortly you should take some steps.
If you’re disconnecting the battery & working on something.
Then put a thick towel covering the trunk latch or in between the trunk.
By taking this simple step you could possibly save much more work & stress.
Conclusion
BMW is an absolute performance beast, but sometimes these types of issues can ruin your day if you don’t know the basic DIY skills.
Now you know the manual ways to open the trunk, without any professional assistance.
Skills like opening the trunk with a disconnected battery can surely save your day, especially in emergencies.
Many BMW models & years don’t have a manual keyhole in the trunk, then you gotta use the other two methods.
Image Credit: Dr. Raj’s Blog, RWcarbon
