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Help. my 2013 X5 stuck in park on a car carrier!!

23K views 48 replies 13 participants last post by  blue dragon 
#1 ·
Getting the car shipped. Battery completely dead as per the driver. How do I override the park manually so I can roll of this beast of the truck?
 
#3 ·
I'd jump the car on the carrier, then deal with it.

Also, I'd caution you that if you get involved with helping unload, and something goes wrong, you may find that this is your problem.

GL

A
 
#6 ·
Call roadside assist......its free and you will be covered if something happens
 
#8 ·
car carrier as in one of those multi car carrier rigs that they use to transport new cars in on the highway? You'd think that those guys would be carrying some sort of portable battery jumpers for that purpose. I agree though, definitely should not try to roll it off. And AU is right, the release is under the cup holder using the release tool.
 
#9 ·
Wonder what's up with the OP??

If it is a new car, it may not technically belong to him until the carrier off loads it to him. Might be the dealerships' problem until then.

OP- be very careful when you take delivery. Note EVERYTHING on the bill of lading the driver will make you sign.. EVERYTHING. "Dead Battery", "Shift release opened and taken apart", any and all scratches, dings, scuffs, dirt, etc, "excessive dirt preventing inspection of the cars condition' is a good one, if true.

GL

A
 
#10 · (Edited)
Agree with Ard here. I would not touch it.

But for other occasions, just lift the cup holders rubber then on the left cup holder you have this big plastic screw cap. Remove it then you will see this square hole. Go back in the trunk, take the emergency release tool (like a T-shaped plastic with a square end, red color). Stick it in the hole, push down and turn to the left(?) I think. It will only turn one way so whichever way it is. It will stay locked in the position, forcing the transmission into neutral.
I learnt this the hard way when mine was flooded during Sandy and needed to get it out of the garage. Getting another 35d tomorrow.
 
#34 ·
Agree with Ard here. I would not touch it.

But for other occasions, just lift the cup holders rubber then on the left cup holder you have this big plastic screw cap. Remove it then you will see this square hole. Go back in the trunk, take the emergency release tool (like a T-shaped plastic with a square end, red color). Stick it in the hole, push down and turn to the left(?) I think. It will only turn one way so whichever way it is. It will stay locked in the position, forcing the transmission into neutral.
I learnt this the hard way when mine was flooded during Sandy and needed to get it out of the garage. Getting another 35d tomorrow.
That won't work with the 8 speed transmission. There is a bolt under the car that has to be loosened. I learned this the hard way when the computer failed in my 2011 X5.
 
#16 ·
#15 ·
quite the Restoration Project!
 
#17 ·
so far changed all the fluids. spark plugs, hand turned the motor. Took the carpets out washed dried with industrial grade fan and of course dehumidifier. Cars were not running at the time and no water visually got into engine, brake, power steering windshield reservoirs. pressure washed the engine bays, undercarriage, air dried them etc.
water was below seat level. Will keep posted how it goes. BTW ordered power distribution units(fuse boxes) from Germany.
Power distribution units will need to be registered with the ecu as per the tech(will deal with it at a later point after replacement).
Any suggestions are always welcome.
 
#18 ·
Any suggestions are always welcome.
If these flood cars will make it to the market later, I'll hold back on coding/test suggestions until the vins are published.

I am sure the 'tech' gave you the correct suggestions re: 'fuse box needs replacing'....but to educate us, just how did water damage this part?
 
#20 ·
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These flood cars will not make it to the public as the title clearly says so. I am not a car dealer. I own a lot of automobiles and motorcycles, and these were bought as a project, and the deal was at a throw away price(15K).
I plan to drive them as long as I can(My cars typically have very few mileage because of the number). BTW I am a physician with hobby in these things. Our cars used to get flooded every year growing up in India!!
 
#29 · (Edited)
Cool.

What is bad with the fuse box?

I am concerned you had a tech give you a 'throw away', "yeah, those fuse boxes are bad" and you've ordered parts that dont need replacing.... what are the current symptoms, what have you checked/replaced?

I'd make an inventory of modules, sensors and connectors that were in salt water. Then figure out which you can clean, and which may need more attention...

A

PS $25k and 17k? You can replace a lot of parts for that.... :)
 
#39 · (Edited)
It looked like those were the prices you paid. For the difference between that and the price a salvage title but running is worth you can buy a lot of parts.

OP knows little about modern cars and nothing about BMWs. There is no "shop manual" published for these cars.... you can purchase online access to the BMW system.

I cannot tell from the picture of the fuse box, but the critical issue is simple: what it LOOKS like is secondary (or tertiary) to how it FUNCTIONS. If traces are burned/melted, then you have a problem. If the If those relays are fouled internally, corroded, then you have a problem.

One major issue would be "did a short circuit at a location below the water line cause a malfunction in a module that was elsewhere?" Without a BMW programming system and access to the BMW schematics, this will be one heck of a challenge.

There is a very good reason these cars sell for so cheap- yes, there is the obvious 'title says flood' issue...but there is the very real issue of "i cannot get it working".

Sometimes it is advantageous to be absolutely clueless as to the difficulty or danger of an undertaking- sometimes.

GL

A

PS Do you know how the BMW used the various 'busses' for communication? i-bus, k-bus, etc? And how, if these are damaged somewhere on the vehicle, or corrosion gradually causes the signal to degrade, the communication of data will be corrupted...and things wont work...and all the test tools in the world will be useless, becuase they all assume the bus works and you are looking for a defective module. Couple that with a bad module or two, and you have a brick. Like I said, sometimes better not to know.
 
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