[JackE]

When parking up the radio went off, unusual as i5 usually stays on till the door is opened. Turned the engine off and tried to get out and couldn't. The button on the drivers was up, the others down but the door would not open. Everything was off, nothing worked. Picked up the fob and pressed open nothing happened, trapped inside. How does one get out without electrics? Pressed fob to lock and then to open and all went to normal, but why? Help please.

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by JackE

When parking up the radio went off, unusual as i5 usually stays on till the door is opened. Turned the engine off and tried to get out and couldn't. The button on the drivers was up, the others down but the door would not open. Everything was off, nothing worked. Picked up the fob and pressed open nothing happened, trapped inside. How does one get out without electrics? Pressed fob to lock and then to open and all went to normal, but why? Help please.

Reads like some software glitch would be my WAG.

Another WAG is because there is no mechanical linkage between the door handle and the door latch there is no fall back.

Have read reports/stories of other EV owners experiencing being unable to open the car door to get out and under somewhat otherwise normal circumstances. But sometimes an accident is involved. And worst I came across is someone trapped in a burning EV and unable to get out and died as a result.

You might touch base with an authorized service center for your I5 and ask what to do when/if faced with a similar problem in the future.

[Raimo5]

Get a glass breaker ... and a hacksaw, if your windows are laminated.

Pretty sure all BMW's have cable operated door handles. Even 7 series that has automatic doors have cable-based backups.

[thebmw]

This is one of the many reasons I'm not going to get an electric car anytime soon.

Here's an interesting story. I consulted with some of Ford's leading engineers on the Mach-E before it was released. I pointed out the fact that if the battery is completely dead, there's no way to get in the car. Amazingly, they had not thought of this potential issue. I recently heard that this issue may not have been fixed after all.

[Tyronne]

Good thing you were able to get out. Sounds like it glitched out, my 530i behaves the same way sometimes with the radio still playing after I have opened my door and being in park.

[RockCrusher]

Just an follow up of sorts...

Regarding a software glitch the other day went to back my M8 into the garage and as soon as I shifted into R got a warning the back up system/camera was not functional. (I didn't have the presence of mind to take a pic of the console screen.)

Tried what I could from behind the wheel but nothing worked.

Managed to park the car in the garage without the help of the rear view camera.

Locked the car. Closed the garage. Went inside and got online and did some searching. Encountered others who had experienced similar back up system symptoms and read what others had done. Printed some of the things.

Went back to the car. Pulled the car out of the garage and in an out of way place put the transmission in R. Back up system/camera worked fine.

Been working fine every since.

Apparently just a software glitch.