Can the car be left in "N"?

[bwilson4web]

Hi,

Recently I had a problem with our BMW i3-REx and I was asked if the car was in "N". My past experience suggests the car goes into "P" when powered down or opening the door.

In my case, the parking spot was on a reverse slope, head-in higher, and hit the "Park" button on the center console. If the car was in "N", it would have rolled backwards out of the spot. But I could have coasted to an empty spot, head-in, with the front tires on the curb. Sad to say, the car is in the shop pending repairs.

So I thought I'd ask the community if it can be left in "N" and not "READY"?

If so, how?

Regardless, it is best to have the rear wheels to where the tow truck can lift it. Had I rolled back into a spot with the rear wheels by the curb, it would have been ugly.

Thanks,
Bob Wilson

 

[jadnashuanh]

If the electronics work up to a point, you can put the car into neutral, but as far as I know, there is no way to leave it in N.

 

[I33t]

The Park button on the centre console is the electrically actuated parking brake, not a gear selection AFAIK? Or do you mean the automatic parking mechanism?

The gear selection is beside the steering wheel...

 

[LocutusB]

Yes, that is possible. You need it for automatic car wash. From the manual:

Before driving into a car wash
In order to ensure that the vehicle can roll in a
car wash, take the following steps:
1. Drive into the car wash.
2. Engage selector lever position N.
3. Remove foot from brake pedal.
4. Press the Start/Stop button.
In this way, operating readiness remains
switched on, and a Check-Control message
is displayed.
To activate drive readiness:
1. Depress the brake pedal.
2. Press the Start/Stop button.
Pressing the Start/Stop button without stepping
on the brake turns operating readiness
off.

 

[i3an]

Hmmmmm - I've gone through the car wash many times, but without going to step 4; I just leave it on and in neutral.
BTW, I also get entertained by a Pink Floyd-worthy sound & light show on the center screen as the outside sensors go bananas over the whirling and thrashing and squirting.

 

[gt1]

But can the car be actually left in N? I believe it will go to P as soon as the driver's door is opened.

 

[bwilson4web]

But can the car be actually left in N? I believe it will go to P as soon as the driver's door is opened.

That is my understanding too. Now if you buckle the seat-belt behind your back, it will stay in "READY" and "N".

Bob Wilson

 

[jadnashuanh]

The car will not stay in neutral when it is turned off. Yes, you can have it stay there as described while going through a car wash, but it's still essentially on. Turn it off, it goes into park. To get it into neutral requires at least some of the electronics to be powered on.

 

[i3an]

So, in order to spoof the car to stay in neutral one has to buckle the drivers seat belt behind you, leave the fob in the car and exit through the passenger door?

 

[bwilson4web]

So, in order to spoof the car to stay in neutral one has to buckle the drivers seat belt behind you, leave the fob in the car and exit through the passenger door?

I've used the driver side BUT this should be tested! SAFELY!

Bob Wilson

 

[gt1]

It should be a way to leave a car in N-for example for pushing it around or rotating the wheels during service. Either BMW is not telling us, or no one bothered to read the manual.

 

[stumbledotcom]

The manual has an additional caveat following the automatic car wash instructions that LocutusB posted.

"Selector level position P is engaged automatically:

• With operating readiness turned off.
• After approx. 15 minutes."

Opening the driver's door automatically turns off operating readiness (the light surrounding the Start/Stop button changes from blue to orange) so it's essentially the same as pressing the Stop button.

 

[jadnashuanh]

To switch to N, the car needs to essentially be powered. It does NOT stay in that state when you exit the car forever...in most circumstances, it automatically returns to P either immediately, or after the power-off delay. There might be a test computer command to return it to neutral, but I haven't heard of it, nor seen it.