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      09-15-2012, 09:23 AM   #1
strokeoluck
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Why did BMW leave a hole here?

Thought I would be smart and put my garage door opener in the little compartment behind my right elbow. While driving this morning, and hitting the brakes, I heard the opener hit the front door of the compartment. No big deal I thought, it's just gently rattling around in there and I'll velcro it somewhere later this morning. Get home, open the little door and I see the opener has dropped INTO a HOLE between the two hinges at the front/bottom of this area. I try to stick my big fingers in there and grab it, and of course I wind up pushing it further down (this hole is like a freaking black hole! ).

Now it's so far down there that I can barely even feel it. It feels like it slipped a bit towards the driver's side. I removed the two screws that hold that lower leather panel in place (that covers the SOS button) and tried to reach up in there to push it back up - no luck, can't feel it. Tried putting some gum on a flex stick but no luck there either.

Why BMW put a hole this big in a compartment that can only hold little things, I'll never understand. Regardless, does anyone have any ideas on how to get this thing out? I tried to point out where the hole is on the attached pic. Sorry for the horrible quality, not very good at editing photos on our desktop (should have used my laptop).

On a somewhat related note, I was playing with the three buttons on the lower left side of my rearview mirror (to the left of the big red ambulance bulb ), and it looks like THESE are the garage door buttons?! I don't recall reading about those in my manual, will have to check again. Hopefully that's what they are. If so, maybe I can just kiss that garage door opener goodbye without crying over it. Thanks.
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      09-15-2012, 10:33 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by strokeoluck View Post

Why BMW put a hole this big in a compartment that can only hold little things, I'll never understand. Regardless, does anyone have any ideas on how to get this thing out? I tried to point out where the hole is on the attached pic. Sorry for the horrible quality, not very good at editing photos on our desktop (should have used my laptop).

On a somewhat related note, I was playing with the three buttons on the lower left side of my rearview mirror (to the left of the big red ambulance bulb ), and it looks like THESE are the garage door buttons?! I don't recall reading about those in my manual, will have to check again. Hopefully that's what they are. If so, maybe I can just kiss that garage door opener goodbye without crying over it. Thanks.
BMW covered the hole with #6 in the Pic below (PN 51467051879 and $7.68 in REALOEM so probably pretty cheap) Sorry you lost it down there before you noticed but maybe you can get it covered without future issues.
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If you have a rear view mirror with homelink here is a .pdf that should enable you to get it working.
HomeLink_Programming_Guide.pdf

If not heres a link to the original DaveZ GDO DIY -
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=226233

I did this and next to the Gap-tech Power Top Remote + its one of my favorite mods. The little panel you have to cut into to install the Home link is about $8.00 if you screw it up. So no stress there.
Good luck
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Last edited by BruceJ; 09-15-2012 at 11:44 AM..
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      09-15-2012, 11:15 AM   #3
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yeah I drop shit in there all the time. you can easily pull out the thing in the next hole (17?) to grab stuff out.
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      09-15-2012, 04:02 PM   #4
strokeoluck
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle View Post
yeah I drop shit in there all the time. you can easily pull out the thing in the next hole (17?) to grab stuff out.
That looks like the plate that holds the "SOS" button/s in place, is that accurate?
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      09-15-2012, 10:01 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by strokeoluck View Post
That looks like the plate that holds the "SOS" button/s in place, is that accurate?
yeah, in the Ms. It pops out, pulling up and towards the front of the car. Grabbing the "back" edge
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      09-15-2012, 10:10 PM   #6
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Ok, I'll give it a shot. Thanks.
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      09-16-2012, 01:08 PM   #7
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You could try what I did for a garage opener.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showpost...3&postcount=21

I basically followed the thread this link is from, but changed the location.

Looks like it was factory installed.
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      09-16-2012, 04:26 PM   #8
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And this is why I don't change my own oil.

Tried removing that plastic piece around the SOS button, and wound up (gently) marring up some of the leather around that piece trying to get it out. That thing feels like there are some pins or something holding it in place that I just couldn't pry out - or at least I felt I would break the plastic ring piece before it popped out. Then I decided to try and put a screwdriver down in the hole, but first wrapped the end of the screwdriver in duct tape to make it sticky. While fishing around in there I wound up knocking off the little metal clip that controls the bulb inside that hatch area. So now the light stays on in there and I can't turn it off. Tried pulling the fuse, but it also controls the courtesy lights near the rearview mirror. Looks like I'm going to just have to let it burn out on its own (???), although I'm sure it will also drain the battery so I'll need to jump that at some point.

I'm so tired of dealing with this thing that I decided to leave the darn garage door opener in the black hole. I found a spare and synced it up with HomeLink built into the mirror (gosh, wish I had done that FIRST!)

Good news is that every year or two I need some screwed up task to remind me that I am NOT very handy. And this was that annual reminder. Fortunately a relatively cheap reminder.
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      09-16-2012, 09:51 PM   #9
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Take the oddments tray light bulb out, then you won't have to worry about draining your battery.
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      09-16-2012, 09:57 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bignosejim View Post
Take the oddments tray light bulb out, then you won't have to worry about draining your battery.
How? That space is so darn tiny and I couldn't see an easy way to pop the plastic cover off to get at the bulb. I was afraid of breaking something else.
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      09-16-2012, 10:12 PM   #11
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The rectangle light bulb cover can be pried out then you will see the light bulb. It shouldn't offer too much resistance.
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      09-16-2012, 10:15 PM   #12
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Ok, I'll give it a shot. Thank you! Still shaking my head over how BMW designed this little contraption area.
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      09-16-2012, 10:50 PM   #13
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Here's the TIS for it. Truth be told, I need to try to figure out how to get mine to light up!

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      09-16-2012, 10:52 PM   #14
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Sounds like you also broke the tab on the glove box door, hence the light staying on.

As the others have said my guess if your the second owner is that at some point someone removed the little lid that keeps things from falling under the center piece, it's not part of the SOS button at all. I've had mine apart many times and that lid just sits their and it's tricky puting it all back together so I bet someone just left it off.

Oops never mind noticed you knew that already .... It's not metal though it's plastic and brakes off super easy.

The switch is also a very breakable part as well.... Use caution around that area lol
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      09-16-2012, 11:10 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by -c- View Post
Sounds like you also broke the tab on the glove box door, hence the light staying on.
Yup, I broke it. And the light stays on. It's 11 p.m. here in MN but I'm wrapping up some office work and will head out to the garage shortly to see if I can get that bulb cover off. I'll have to handle the light bulb with welder's gloves!
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      09-17-2012, 03:00 AM   #16
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I had a similar problem in my car. Instead something hit the switch in that hole and broke off the metal tab on the switch. Then something else got stuck in there and pushed the switch sideways ripping off the plastic part the switch sits on. As far as I know there is no saving it at that point, so I pulled the switch out. A few inches down the wire on that switch there is a connector, disconnect this and the light will go out.
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      09-17-2012, 02:59 PM   #17
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At about midnight I went out to the car and was able to pop the light out of that cubby hole. I unplugged it from the wire and let it sit on my workbench since it was pretty hot. Will pop it back in tonight without re-attaching it to the wire. So I think I'm all set there. I'm thinking of just laying some black electrical tape over that hole to cover it up.

Thanks again for all your help!
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      09-25-2012, 09:03 PM   #18
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I just had an experience with this same hole!! I had my USB power adapter stored in the "oddment" compartment and, just like your garage door opener, it slid into the gap between the hinge and compartment. I opened the compartment door, didn't see the USB device, and, when I closed the door, the little plastic tab that shuts the compartment light switch off, pressed down on the USB thing, broke, and went flying into the car. Still can't find the broken tab. If I do, I'll try to glue it back in place and hope for the best. A new door if that doesn't work out I suppose.
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      09-27-2012, 12:06 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roffle Waffle View Post
yeah, in the Ms. It pops out, pulling up and towards the front of the car. Grabbing the "back" edge
Awesome. I need to try this.

I 'lost' my IS300 FOB key down in there and gave up. I haven't had remote access to my DD for a little while now due to me postponing removing the center console --I've been using the mechanic/valet key. I tried fishing in there with a coat hanger and a rare earth magnet on the end...but it is at an odd angle and hard to work your way into the hole (not to mention whatever else is in there). Mine has a little flap that covers 'the hole', but it is hinged so if it's not in the down position the hole is open.
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      12-02-2012, 04:56 PM   #20
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I was just wondering what piece number 6 was for... Good to know, now to see if I can get it to actually stick where it is supposed to go.
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      12-02-2012, 06:17 PM   #21
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That piece is hard to put in properly. Trying to get it in the right way I snapped a little tab off that it supposed to snap it into position in the back. Not a very sturdy design IMO. This little piece breaking easily is probably why so many people dont have that part in their car anymore. Luckily they're cheap enough that you can order a couple of them just in case.
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