BMW E31 Emergency Boot Opening Procedure

While fiddling with the actuator and latch, I had a look at the emergency opening procedure and how it worked. As the actuator and latch is in the body of the car and the handle and lock is in the boot there is a mechanical link between the two for use in emergencies such as when the battery goes flat or the actuator completely fails. Here's how it works:

Put the key in the lock and turn anti-clockwise by 45-degrees:

Let the key return and then remove the key from the lock - press the button upwards:

When the lock is pressed upwards, this shaft moves downwards from this position:

To this position:

This shaft bypasses the actuator and releases the latch via this contact point:

You can test the emergency operation at any time - using the emergency procedure does not use the actuator so the test is valid even if everything is working correctly - it's a good idea to test the procedure while you don't need it just to make sure it works!

All done, time for a cup of tea


HOME