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318i Touring boot hatch wont open

16K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  kiwiPatterson 
#1 ·
Hi, first post so I thank you all in advance for any help offered.

I have just bought a 2001 318i Touring, lovely motor but.... I can't get the glass hatch in the boot lid to open, I think this is called a convenience window, this wouldn't be an issue other than I need to access the rear sprayer to reconnect the pipe...

I have had a look through the fuses and all seems in order, short of taking out the entire boot locking mech what should I do...

Or.... am I just being a muppet and missing something obvious.
 
#4 ·
I guess that would work.... if there were a key hole....

doesn't help really does it, I need to open the window to access the sprayer mech. Thanks anyway.... I think, maybe...not.
The little bit of sarcasm at the end doesn't help. We're not that familiar with touring vehicles and according RealOEM, it seems to be sold in Europe only.

Is this what your vehicle is? To clarify, which part are you having problems opening? The window or the entire trunk lid? The glass window is sealed in.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.do?model=AP31&mospid=47661&hg=41&fg=60

 
#11 ·
I had the opposite problem with my Touring; the glass popped open all the time by itself. I played around with the window lock mechanism, adjusting the striker, etc., but it turned out to be a short in the button under the wiper.

With the opposite condition, a window lock failed closed, I don't see how you can get to it to replace it if you had to.

Here's the page from TIS Spaghetticoder on removing the window lock:
http://tis.spaghetticoder.org/s/view.pl?1/05/56/18

Piece of cake...but it says to first remove the trim panel inside the hatch:
http://tis.spaghetticoder.org/s/view.pl?1/05/45/68

You can't do Step #1 because it's covered by the stuck-closed glass. I suppose you could hack a hole in the plastic trim panel to access the window lock mechanism, but there has to be a better way if you have a known bad lock. This situation has to have happened before.

Obviously, non-destructively searching for electrical gremlins is the first thing, as others have mentioned. Perhaps there's a point down below the D pillar where you can access an electrical connector and see if the car's lock module is sending +12V to release the window lock when it's supposed to.
 
#12 ·
Hi not sure if you have found a solution, i came across your post as i also have had the same problem for over a year and have searched the internet on all forums and had found no solution. I have even thought about breaking the glass.

Anyway, i hit the jackpot last night and came across this (thinking about it all of my google searches were for e46...possibly to specific)

http://forums.5series.net/e61-touring-discussion-4/how-open-tailgate-window-no-power-98217/page3/

I thought it only right to share my find to many e46's who are still praying for a sollution.

Follow this link, it explains how their is a manual over ride that if you have a long tool you can access and it pops the glass section open :)

Going to try it on mine, just waiting on replacement part to come in first.

Good luck.
 
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