[nazali]

How do you do a the neutral override on the 20 2's ?
I've seen different youtube video's
if you can't start the car or the car is dead, will it pop into N from park even with ignition, no power, how about no power
any ideas? manual doesnt really say,
I know you lift up the gearbox surround, and either put a key and then a screwdriver
txs

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by nazali

How do you do a the neutral override on the 20 2's ?
I've seen different youtube video's
if you can't start the car or the car is dead, will it pop into N from park even with ignition, no power, how about no power
any ideas? manual doesnt really say,
I know you lift up the gearbox surround, and either put a key and then a screwdriver
txs

[nazali]

no I mean something like this ?

or does this not work with our car's

[msej449]

Yes, you can use the shift to put the car into 'real' neutral e.g. for pushing/towing when it's stuck or developed a fault. This is described in the Owners Manual - search for 'EMERGENCY UNLOCKING, TRANSMISSION LOCK'. This works on my M235i. But you need to have the ignition active.

If your car has dead electrics then this won't work because the transmission will be dead. So your only alternative is the mechanical method described in the first video. So if you have a full electrics failure while out and about, n most cases, this'll mean getting a pickup truck with a hoist to lift the car in situ onto a flatbed for it to be done at a workshop prior to diagnosing the root cause of the electrical outage. I can't imagine that most owners are going to be able to effect the mechanical unlock in a public car park or on a public road.

Is your problem that you've had an electrical fault and you want to move the car into your garage to do some analysis and possible repair? Or is it that it's had an electrical failure and you intend it to go to a garage? If the latter, then you'll need a flatbed recovery truck with a hoist to load it up and transport it. Or is it just general interest in what to do if the electrics fail on an auto?

[nazali]

Great reply,

The reason for asking (part of my battery issues on another thread) I usually park my car engine facing the garage door. In case I need to jump start from our other car at the jump points would need to roll the car back maybe 6"-a foot, in order to get my car close enough to jump it. of course I don't have a battery pack.

But also thought if out an about if I need to push it to the side of the road or something.

I'm guessing I may have "some kinda power" not total loss, and yes I was thinking of the YT video I saw above, maybe I'll have a look on the weekend to see if that is there

and yes this
"Or is it just general interest in what to do if the electrics fail on an auto?"

Originally Posted by msej449

Yes, you can use the shift to put the car into 'real' neutral e.g. for pushing/towing when it's stuck or developed a fault. This is described in the Owners Manual - search for 'EMERGENCY UNLOCKING, TRANSMISSION LOCK'. This works on my M235i. But you need to have the ignition active.

If your car has dead electrics then this won't work because the transmission will be dead. So your only alternative is the mechanical method described in the first video. So if you have a full electrics failure while out and about, n most cases, this'll mean getting a pickup truck with a hoist to lift the car in situ onto a flatbed for it to be done at a workshop prior to diagnosing the root cause of the electrical outage. I can't imagine that most owners are going to be able to effect the mechanical unlock in a public car park or on a public road.

Is your problem that you've had an electrical fault and you want to move the car into your garage to do some analysis and possible repair? Or is it that it's had an electrical failure and you intend it to go to a garage? If the latter, then you'll need a flatbed recovery truck with a hoist to load it up and transport it. Or is it just general interest in what to do if the electrics fail on an auto?

[nazali]

yes I saw on the door jamb, can't be towed, must be hoisted

[pikcachu]

Originally Posted by nazali

no I mean something like this ?

or does this not work with our car's

No... you can't... only if you can turn ignition on

[msej449]

There's a thread on the UK 2 Series Forum called Can you tow an automatic? which has some more detail and a video. But this is all focused on towing a 2 up onto a flatbed or out of soft terrain/snow, just a short distance.

Key thing I didn't emphasise and I know you've picked up on is that this is only for towing a short distance i.e. if you're stuck, or onto a flatbed. The manual and video is emphatic you can't tow the car any distance.

Notwithstanding that, it's certainly worth practicing - I for one don't find the unlocking sequence intuitive, and if you did get stuck or suffered a non-electrical problem, you might want to move the car in a hurry. Which wouldn't be the time to be working thru the manual.

Quite a lot of UK breakdown trucks have a tilting flat bed, and the car is towed the short distance onto it on temporary ramps, and then the ramps are removed and the bed is levelled for transit. So here, it's a useful process to be aware of.

One thing I found really weird when I practiced it was that I was so used to the car automatically locking-up the transmission in [D] on a slope, it still came as a surprise when it started rolling backwards of its own volition. Even 'though I knew it was going to happen.