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03 on, E61 Glass tailgate release and repair, how to

48K views 19 replies 15 participants last post by  dirtbag 
#1 ·
This is my method for getting the upper tailgate open on an E61 5 Series. I have also made an electrical emergency release.

Hope this may be of use and save a little frustration if yu are attemping the repair yourself. Sorry if it repeats anything already posted :)
 

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#5 ·
Or, a bodger's repair if the glass keep popping open. Just pop the top of the switch assembly (using a knife) as per the last bit of the how to do it bit above (see word doc) and destroy the switch by pulling the plastic circuit borad looking thing out with some pliers, and pop the cover back on. You wont be able to open your glass unless you replace the whole switch but I never knew I could until it started going wrong so I won't miss it. No warning lights on dash and wiper and tailgate release work as normal.
Hurrah!
 
#7 ·
Just wanted to say thanks for the guide. In particular the point on shorting out the switch to make the glass open. While it didn't work for me, I was able to pull the tape out and dig at the seal until I could see the connecting wires.

All it took was a screwdriver to complete the circuit and pop!

I liked the idea of installing your own panic switch inside too.

Not 100% sure about losing the wire guides however. How did you manage to get yours apart?

All n all a good guide with lots init and it sure helped me. Cheers!

NF
 
#8 ·
Quite easy to pull the guides apart. I destroyed the little plastic rivet things as it was hard to push the pins through on them. I just used side cutters to cut the heads off. Only thing I would say is it is totally imperative to have the glass fully open if you remove the securing bolts. Have a helper hold the glass in this position. Failure to stick to this point could result in damage to car or loss of fingers! In the position the springs are relaxed, they are under tension when it's closed.
The wire guides are a rubbish design which is why I took them off. Admittedly not so pretty without them but the wires can bend a lot less if they are free in the gap. The guides accelarate the damage to the wires!
 
#9 ·
How to open tailgate glass

You dont need to use the 9v battery trick or smash glass.
Find the unlock actuator mounted on the side of tailgate wiper motor bracket. you will see the 2 mounting bolts and also a hole, place a small eletrical screw driver in the hole and wiggle it about glass will open, if it doesnt you are using to large a diameter screwdriver.

With it opened opened you can now remove it and also remove plastic cover. Inside you will find a small motor and worm gear driving the unlock cam. Also in there is a micro switch (which failed on mine). To test opeartion you need to push down with a screwdriver to put it in the locked postion then rotate the worm gear and it will unlock, by watching it you will see how it works. Watch out for springs flying out be they are easy to refit. Apply 12v I used battery charger to check electricaly. I had the microswitch fault in my unit also the unlock switch by the wiper blade and bad tailgate wiring.
 
#10 ·
I had the same issue with the micro switch as well as lots (like just about all of them) of broken wires in the glass left and right looms.

Two hot tips, use proper fabric loom tape, it is sooo much better than insulation tape and secondly the lock mechanism is the same as the the one used on the Rover 75 and buying the rover part is much cheaper than the BMW part, I managed to get a new one for £20

The other thing to watch out for is the microswitch is a double pole switch that switches to pin 3 ground so it is a pain to bypass without confusing the car and preventing the wipers from working or avoiding draining the battery. It in doubt for a short term fix connect the wire from pin 2 to pin 3 and cut the wire from pin 1
 
#12 ·
I spent more time than I would have hoped would be needed working on this over the weekend - by following the guide at the head of the thread, I managed to open the glass. Nevertheless, I am still no further forward as to understanding the source of the fault that prevented the glass from opening in the first place.

1) Thinking it was the switch, I opened this up and dug out the membrane until the contacts were exposed. Shorting these seemed to work OK, but subsequently failed to operate the solenoid. A meter showed 7.5v across the switch leads.
2) Having opened the glass the hard way, I revisited the switch contacts and now with access to the underneath of the glass, tried shorting them. Again with 7.5v reading across them, the glass popped OK.

Does anyone have any idea of what voltage should be on the switch contacts? Also, does anyone have a full wiring diagram for this circuit so that I can stand a better chance of making sense of what I am seeing? The intermittent failure would normally suggest damaged wires, but with 7.5v on the switch contacts when the glass opens OK and fails stubbornly, I am confused.
Thanks in advance.
 
#13 ·
http://wds.spaghetticoder.org/en/svg...0884.svg?m=e60

http://wds.spaghetticoder.org/en/svg...0891.svg?m=e60

You will need to load Adobe SVG to read it

Almost certainly a broken wire in the right glass loom, the tailgate loom is also suseptable to damage on the left of the main tailgate. It took me about 6 hours to replace all the broken wires on mine but it worth doing a proper job once than half a job 5 times. The voltage will be less than 12v because the signal has to go through a noise suppressor

The most important things to gleen from that guide are

1. Remove the glass completely (when glass is up or the hinges will take your fingers off)
2. Undo the whole loom from each side both on the glass and the tailgate. Pull both wiring looms (glass and tailgate on each side) all the way through the roof speaker gap (undo the rubber bellows) to expose as much of the two looms as possible, strip back all the fabric tape and clean with acetone
3. Replace any wire that is either broken, has damaged/crack insultation or feels too bendy and so has broken wires inside along the full length of the wire
4. When rebinding the looms, use only the proper fabric tape, insultaion tape is too stiff and won't last
5. Whilst Kwempe didn't, I recommend keeping the metal guide channels but you will need to buy new plastic expansion rivets part #61116945528 (http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=NJ52&mospid=47760&btnr=61_2043&hg=61&fg=15)

btw to get the loom off the tailgate you need to pop out the reg plate lights by pushing them right and prize down and out, the tailgate lift switch just prys out and wires push through a hole. You also need to take the tailgate side covers off, but be gentle they are a awkward fit.

It is a pig dog job, but if done properly will never need doing again.

PM me if you need anymore words of wisdom :thumbsup

Finally it could be a dodgy lock mechanism for the glass, if it is I have a spare which I will sell for £20
 
#14 ·
Many thanks for the detailed reply. Given that it is just the tailgate glass, I am inclined to leave it be until something more important fails.
If the wires are failing due to a design problem, what do you consider will prevent the same fate awaiting your repaired wires in the fullness of time?
 
#16 ·
E61 rear glass hatch issues

Does anyone know the part number of the metal bracket that holds the wiper mechanism and lock mechanism that is attached by one nut to the actual glass hatch itself. Due to the fact that my rear glass switch had a metal insert/collar in the centre of the whole plastic assembly, which had corroded itself to the central axle assembly that houses the wiper motor shaft, i had to damage this bracket to extricate it from the hatch assembly. I have attched a photo where you can see the metal collar still attached to the central axel assy.
 

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#17 ·
Does anyone know the part number of the metal bracket that holds the wiper mechanism and lock mechanism that is attached by one nut to the actual glass hatch itself. Due to the fact that my rear glass switch had a metal insert/collar in the centre of the whole plastic assembly, which had corroded itself to the central axle assembly that houses the wiper motor shaft, i had to damage this bracket to extricate it from the hatch assembly. I have attched a photo where you can see the metal collar still attached to the central axel assy.
You can find part numbers on this site! Just go back and enter your car details.
Part groups | BMW 3' E91 320d N47 Europe
 
#19 ·
How to open stuck upper tailgate glass on an E61. Alternative quick-fix.

If the release button has stopped working it is still possible to open the glass by coding the car to open the glass when pressing the Tailgate button in driver's footwell.
The fix involves having access to coding tools. Buy one yourself or maybe you know someone who has one.
I fixed a friends car in 10 minutes, with my iPhone and a Carly iPhone Wifi GEN 2 adapter for BMW.
iPhone Wifi GEN 2 adapter for BMW Adapter and Retrofits BMW iOS
BMW Coding with Carly for BMW
This is a very well made product that can save BMW owners a lot of money.

Brg
Bjørn
 
#20 ·
Hi great guide which I followed most of.

I have a rear offside fog light out and my glass button is not working. (MOT next week)
So my glass wasn't working, so I managed to open the glass manually without breaking or tearing the trim away by using blocks of wood all the way around each time an edge came away to hold it open.
On the guide, it mentioned about applying heat to move the plastic over the bottom latch, I did (with some elbow grease) manage to get it over the top, this gave me loadsa room !
Removing the insulation, I managed to get an average sized arm through the gap holding a screwdriver to release using the oval hole. (Didn't need to use a long wire or coat hanger). I have left the blocks in place for now so that I can shut the boot and still use the car.

I got to the wires, and on the right side (right) and leading downwards I found a severed red and yellow wire (would this be the fog light?) , on the right side (left) going upwards, I see a severed brown wire.
All the other wires are okay, but not holding much hope.

Is there away via the speakers to pull out the one broken wire separately , or do I have to cut all of them ?

Thanks in advance
 
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