Dead key battery AND dead car battery AND parked in a funny place

[realbk76]

In a bit of a pickle. 2014 M135i F20 (automatic).

Both key fobs had a dead battery. I’ve just replaced them with new CR2450’s (Duracell instead of the Sony they came with, but doubt that’s an issue). But still neither key works remotely.

Pretty sure the car battery is dead as well, as I have not driven it in about 3 months and last time I drove it it was low, but I did take it for a 2hr drive or so at the time. I would have expected the key battery replacement to work, but it didn’t and I suspect that could be because the car battery is dead as well. Also the red flashing alarm indicator on the inside of the car is no longer flashing.

Questions:

1. If I open the door with the metal key, will the alarm go off? (Last time I used it I locked it with the remote, and I’ve read that if you lock with remote and open with key, the alarm will trigger).

2. If the alarm does go off, how would I turn it off? As I don’t think my remote fobs are working (with the new batteries).

3. If I can open the door with the metal key, and the alarm doesn’t go off, can I cable-start the car with just the metal key? It’s a Start/Stop ignition. I’ve read that you can start the car by placing the key next to the steering wheel and hitting the button (but only if the car battery is working I guess).

I’m also in a very awkward parking spot, where the bonnet is parked snugly under a big metal immovable storage box (in an underground car park), so I can’t open the bonnet. So this raises my final question:

4. If I can open the door with the metal key, without triggering the alarm, how can I disable the parking brake (its an automatic) So I can roll the car backwards by a few feet in order to open the bonnet and connect cables for a cable start?

Any help massively appreciated!

Cheers
B

[MarcoZandrini]

The battery in the car is likely dead. The alarm won’t go off. Jump start the engine by using the jumper post located under the red plastic cover under the hood. Use the engine for ground. Buy a new battery. Drive the car like you sole it on the motorway. Bimmers (beemers in the UK) don’t like to sit for long. The BMW goddesses grow restless and lose interest. A nice 3 hour drive with a tank of fresh high octane petrol will awaken them. They’ll sing for you.

[realbk76]

Drive the car like you sole it on the motorway

This I can arrange ��

So if the car battery is dead, does that mean even a working key fob wouldn’t work to open the doors?

[MarcoZandrini]

Yup! The fob merely sends a signal via a radio frequency that tells the car to lock or unlock the doors. If the car’s battery is dead the car won’t see the signal.

[realbk76]

Thanks, I thought maybe that there might be separate battery units.

Found this video for removing the parking brake, its for a 3 series but hoping it’ll work on the 135i...

https://youtu.be/Dz-IxLpWiNc

[realbk76]

Thanks, I thought maybe that there might be separate battery units.

Found this video for removing the parking brake, its for a 3 series but hoping it’ll work on the 135i...

https://youtu.be/Dz-IxLpWiNc

Fail on the parking brake. The housing for my gear lever on my F20 m135i 2014 looks nothing like the one in the video And Google isn’t helping me much.

Here’s what mine looks like:

84DA135D-9EEF-4498-9562-5A83109E7552.jpgBD5A002E-227C-444B-8D7E-42F27CEA33B3.jpg

Anyone know how to release the parking brake on this?

I couldn’t see anything obvious in there, but I’m not very good with this kind of thing. I Vaguely remember a tow truck mechanic struggling with this about 4 years ago, but I can’t remember what he did.

I need to roll the car backwards by about 3 feet so I can open the bonnet to connect jump leads.

[MarcoZandrini]

Gott im Himmel! Is that one of those electronic parking brakes? Go to www.newtis.info and enter the last 7 characters of your car’s VIN. Hit enter and bookmark the page. Section 34 is the brake section. Now, as your parking brake is electronic you may have to go to vehicle electrical system which is section 61. newtis is BMW’s official technical information system.

[realbk76]

Thanks, shall refer to that in the future.

The breakdown guy came and sorted me out by sliding two plastic slip mats under the rear wheels, then roping me up onto his tow bar before literally sliding the car back a few feet... enough to open my bonnet and get the cables attached.

Order is restored!

Thanks for your help MarcoZandrini, whoever you are! :-)