[Celos]

Originally Posted by biterror

Yes, the red LED on the parking brake switch is lit. The car also engages P automatically.

This is also how auto-hold works when turning off the vehicle in my 2023 45e.

I expected the vehicle to have a setting to automatically engage the parking brake when shifting into park, but I haven't found one. It's actually on my list of things to ask a genius at some point.

Since I can't find a setting, I use the auto-hold function to do the same thing.

I have found some situations — such as earlier today when I was hitching up my trailer — where auto-hold is incredibly irritating. But in day-to-day use, I like it more than I'd expected to.

[jad03060]

If you're really subtle on the accelerator pedal, auto hold doesn't require much to move even a very small amount at low speed.

[Celos]

Originally Posted by jad03060

If you're really subtle on the accelerator pedal, auto hold doesn't require much to move even a very small amount at low speed.

Agreed, but when backing up to hitch the trailer, crawling doesn't always work. You need to be able to stop-start-stop-start to get to the right spot, as rolling into the trailer hitch puts a nice dent in the back of your car. (Ask my previous vehicle how I know this...)

[Tejas1836]

Originally Posted by Celos

Agreed, but when backing up to hitch the trailer, crawling doesn't always work. You need to be able to stop-start-stop-start to get to the right spot, as rolling into the trailer hitch puts a nice dent in the back of your car. (Ask my previous vehicle how I know this...)

This

[eelnoraa]

Really, I found the crawl is actual a lot easiler when backing into a trailer. Let go of break, car rolls back. step on brake, car stop. Foot always on one paddle. Brake hole is OK in 45e, because all backup are done in EV even if car in sport mode. In ICE SUV I have before, the start of rolling is never as graceful with AutoH, both directions.

[Celos]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

Brake hold is OK in 45e, because all backup are done in EV even if car in sport mode.

That has not been my experience. I was moving my trailer yesterday, with the state of charge at - -%. Even in reverse the car had the ICE engine running. Car was in hybrid mode.

[theblackfalcon]

Originally Posted by DonKeedic

I want to see the video when your wife turns around and realizes her car is missing!

Lol. The school didn't send me that one. That would have been quite amusing.

[theblackfalcon]

Originally Posted by Guy Fleegman

Those of us who have been driving for decades are used to moving the gearshift to engage Park. Pushing a button is unfamiliar. It's a conscious act and unsurprising if someone just reflexively moves the shifter into N after a lifetime of getting to P that way.

My car probably chimed when I opened the door with N engaged, but my car chimes all the time and it's the same chime whether the temperature is 37 degrees or someone's about to smash into me.

Good suggestion about the display of the current gear. For something so important the default isn't prominent enough. I will change that ASAP.

Agreed on all of above. Before this occurred. When BMW send me the post purchase survey I actually commented that the center drive felt cluttered and confusing and was not intuitive. With so many electronics running even after you hit stop it is sometimes confusing if the car is still running or not.

[theblackfalcon]

Originally Posted by NoTorqueSteer

This exact thing happened to my dad. He swore he put it into park and got out of the vehicle which sat in place long enough for him to walk to the gate to open it up (He was dropping off his RV). The X5 started rolling behind him and it smashed him against the chain link fence. He was lucky he had his phone in him because he couldn't get it off of him and no one is permanently at the lot.

When I got there I jumped in and it was in neutral not park. Got the vehicle moved off of him and by that time the ambulance was there and took him to the hospital where he needed surgery on a massive hemoglobin that formed on his leg.

I am guessing both your dad and my wife probably somehow put the car in Nuetral without realizing it. It goes to a design defect on BMW that this seems to be a problem that is confusing multiple individuals. This wouldn't happen if there was a P... D... N... R... on the center control.

[JMKBMWX5e]

I will say this thread has made me start actually pushing the “start/stop” to turn off the car and engage the parking break along with pushing the teeny tiny “P” button. Before I would just push P, get out of the car and walk away.

[eelnoraa]

I just tested my 45e, if I just open the driver door with seat belt unbuckled, while car is still in D, it will put it self to park, then shut car off. But if I shift into N, unbuckle seat belt, open driver door, the car will still shut off, but gear remain in N. I wonder what kind of logic is that.

[Tejas1836]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

I just tested my 45e, if I just open the driver door with seat belt unbuckled, while car is still in D, it will put it self to park, then shut car off. But if I shift into N, unbuckle seat belt, open driver door, the car will still shut off, but gear remain in N. I wonder what kind of logic is that.

Does the parking brake, in either of those scenarios, auto ON?
Thanks

[Scientifix]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

I just tested my 45e, if I just open the driver door with seat belt unbuckled, while car is still in D, it will put it self to park, then shut car off. But if I shift into N, unbuckle seat belt, open driver door, the car will still shut off, but gear remain in N. I wonder what kind of logic is that.

I think that makes sense. If you want to put your car in neutral when you are towing your car without a dolly. Or you just want to push the car physically from behind. In these cases you need to put the car in neutral and get out of the car. So it makes sense it stays in neutral.

[gqgambler]

My observations:
Looks like your wife spent a bit of time in the car when she pulled up to school, what was she doing? Could she have been distracted? I notice she was wearing what looks like scrubs, she a physician/nurse that worked overnight and could have been fatigued? Could she have placed in neutral or reverse by accident? You say its a flat surface, so I wonder if reverse may have been selected as the car almost immediately begins to move backwards once your wife is in frame and out of the car. Also possible to have selected neutral and there is more than an incline that realized in front to the school. Did you go back to the same spot and test it out?
I don't think anyone would test this, but does the X5 go into park atomically following the detection of a crash and the vehicle not moving? Another possibility was opening the door after the crash may have shifted the vehicle into park.

[biterror]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

I just tested my 45e, if I just open the driver door with seat belt unbuckled, while car is still in D, it will put it self to park, then shut car off. But if I shift into N, unbuckle seat belt, open driver door, the car will still shut off, but gear remain in N. I wonder what kind of logic is that.

I don't know about the logic, but why would anyone shift into N when parking? Can't see any logic in that, either

[sparrky]

Glad no one got hurt. Sorry this happened.

I don’t have much to add other than the “P” button on the shifter, is in a stupid position.

My prior BMW’s had it on the top of the shifter. It took me a few weeks, I guess working from home I don’t drive that much, to get used to the location of the “P” button on the back of the shifter.

[Guy Fleegman]

Originally Posted by biterror

I don't know about the logic, but why would anyone shift into N when parking? Can't see any logic in that, either

Nobody would do that intentionally unless they want to push the car for some reason. (I did it to check that the car would roll freely, as required for car washes, etc.)

The issue is INADVERTENTLY putting it in N. For a car that has so many checks and balances against driver error and dumb decisions, this is far too easy to do.

[theblackfalcon]

Originally Posted by Guy Fleegman

Nobody would do that intentionally unless they want to push the car for some reason. (I did it to check that the car would roll freely, as required for car washes, etc.)

The issue is INADVERTENTLY putting it in N. For a car that has so many checks and balances against driver error and dumb decisions, this is far too easy to do.

There should be a specific mode you put the car in for "pushing the car over the cliff when not in the driver seat". The car is smart enough to know that no one is in the seat, and it is rolling away, and the rest of the car is complicated enough to confuse or distract from the current status. I have tried several times. Hitting the park button over the weekend without the parking brake engaged and can't get it to roll in P.

[theblackfalcon]

Note the part about BMW x5's in the middle of this article and confusion and easy software fix.

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/nbc-5-re...-risk/2700333/

[theblackfalcon]

Another article... about BMW's...'s but with a recall.

https://www.bmwblog.com/2012/11/01/e...second-recall/

“If the driver exits the vehicle with the transmission in Neutral and the parking brake is not applied, the vehicle may roll away. Unattended rollaway incidents often result in a crash or cause injury to pedestrians attempting to stop or enter the vehicle or to other bystanders in the path of the vehicle."

Sound familiar?

[jiggie]

Originally Posted by theblackfalcon

Lol. The school didn't send me that one. That would have been quite amusing.

Fortunately (based on the videos) it sounds like no one was hurt and everyone was OK, but that must have been super stressful.

[jiggie]

Originally Posted by eelnoraa

I just tested my 45e, if I just open the driver door with seat belt unbuckled, while car is still in D, it will put it self to park, then shut car off. But if I shift into N, unbuckle seat belt, open driver door, the car will still shut off, but gear remain in N. I wonder what kind of logic is that.

More than likely towing related.