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Automatic Tailgate Opening?

5K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  psquared 
#1 ·
I've just put down a deposit on a 2AT, but didn't think to check whether or not it had a feature. 99% of the time I am parallel parked, so the amount of space I have to open the tailgate is limited, and so I was wondering does the boot automatically stop when it senses something, or will I end up pranging the car behind? Never thought to consider this as I have never owned a car with this feature so it would be much appreciated if someone could provide a bit of insight.

Thanks
 
#2 ·
You can adjust the max opening height but the hatch does come out quite a way when opening. As far as I am aware there is nothing to prevent it touching something you are parked close to but I have never risked trying to find out! I have inadvertently made a passenger standing close to the back of the car jump when I have operated the release switch on the inside of the drivers door. In practice I doubt you will have a problem if you use the external release button mounted above the number plate as you will easily see if there is room.
 
#3 ·
When we had the 2AT we soon discovered when in the garage if you pressed the driver's door switch the back door would fully open and only stopped when it "hit" the top wooden beam, needless to add my other half adjusted the opening height to prevent it happening again. As suggested given the circumstances better to open from the external handle or if applicable using your foot but controlling the speed the door opens.

dorsetred :cool2:
 
#4 ·
I see, I usually have a hard time trying to open my 1 Series' boot in tight spaces so I'll see how I will cope with the 2AT :lol2:

Also, how do I know if I have the ability to open it with my foot? As far as I know, all I have is comfort access - the spec nor the dealer mentioned anything about the foot but I guess it'll be a bonus if it does have it.
 
#5 ·
I may be wrong but thought this was part of comfort access. I don't find it that good. It does work but sometimes only after a number of attempts and feeling quite silly kicking my foot under the back bumper. It has responded to my dog going under the back of the car and also reaching deep into the boot area I have accidentally triggered it to close (it does detect any obstruction so not really a problem though a bit of a surprise!)

On my car I have the switch on the drivers door, the open/close on the key fob and the external release on the hatch. Oh and there are buttons to close the hatch on the bottom of the hatch. So plenty of choice but mainly I use the drivers door button or the external release on the hatch. Fortunately I rarely need to parallel park and I normally bay park by driving in. This avoids someone parking so close behind that you need to move the car forward before you can open the hatch or get a supermarket trolley near the car.
 
#6 ·
Not sure if it helps much, but my experience with Mrs X's F45 is that if I reverse until the parking sensor indicator first goes red and then stop, I'm guaranteed to have enough room to open the boot even if there's a wall behind me. If you're reversing up to the front end of another car you could definitely get closer. In practice, I think the only way you wouldn't have room to open the boot is if you're close enough to prevent the other car getting out.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the help guys, I've just picked up the new 2AT and found out that I could get much closer to other cars than I had originally thought. I must admit, I may or may not have almost soiled myself the first time opening it whilst parallel parked! :lol2:

Oh, and I have also found out that I do indeed have the foot-under-the-bumper opening ability too!

But what I have noticed, is that strangely the car doesn't come with a rear wiper nor rear washer jets? Didn't realise this until the journey home when I wanted to give the rear window a quick clean to make it clearer but after fiddling with the stalkers, nothing worked. Does anyone have a solution to keeping the dirt off the rear window?
 
#8 ·
Have you checked the rear screen as on mine the rear wiper washer is situated at the top under the spoiler and is only visible if you look for it. It is activated by turning the end part of the wiper stalk.
 
#9 ·
Nope I haven't checked that area, if I'm at all honest. But I've now just gone through the manual and read up the section on it (page 74 for reference) but it seems strange. From what I am interpreting from the diagram, I have to turn/twist the stalk?
 
#10 ·
You are correct in that the rear wiper is "parked" under the rear window spoiler when not in use, operation is indeed when twisting the wiper stalk but I suggest you read the manual and ideally also log onto the BMW site to enable you to read the manual on-line.

dorsetred :cool2:
 
#11 ·
Thanks for that, I've never realised that it was even possible to twist the entire stalk before! I thought that it was the same motion as my old E87 (pull for front jets, push for rear jets)

I will sign up for that, thanks for letting me know :D
 
#12 ·
After having my 2AT for a few weeks now, I have absolutely fallen in love with it.

But I've found that I could never get the foot under the bumper to work. I've found that for the tailgate to open, I would first need to unlock the car (e.g. unlocking via the door handle) then waggling my foot for it to work. Surely this defeats the principle of it? Unless I'm just stupid and missing a setting in the menu?
 
#13 ·
You have to be quick. It's designed not to open if a dog or a cat walks under it while you are nearby with key in your pocket. Literally an air kick under bumper and remove feet clear , all under a second. You will need to practice a bit but it does work although I need two tries.
 
#14 ·
It might be designed not to open if a dog walks under it but my dog has clearly failed to read that part of the handbook. He has probably opened it more often than I have with waving my foot.
 
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