Dead battery and struggling to open the doors with the physical key

[LucioFerrao]

Apparently my 2018 BMW i3 has a dead auxiliary battery. I'm trying to jump start it but struggling to open the driver door with the physical key. The locking mechanism doesn't move even after turning the key 90 degrees counterclockwise. Any ideas on how to open the car? I thought the door had a physical unlocking mechanism... But I don't seem to be able to use it... Am I missing something?

 

[mojo]

Ok - so you've popped the plastic cover off the door handle and are using the key in the slot that is exposed when that is off? You don't say where you are, but I guess one possible hope is that it's very cold where you are and the lock mechanism has iced up? If not, I suspect that you may have to call on a main dealer to brutalise fix it...

 

[LucioFerrao]

Unfortunately it is a warm weather climate... It seems the key system needs energy to work... Either that or it is broken...

 

[alohart]

It seems the key system needs energy to work... Either that or it is broken...

No, the physical lock doesnʻt need electrical power to open. Iʻve stored our i3ʻs almost annually for 3 to 9 months each time. I disconnect the 12 V battery with the doors unlocked so the alarm doesnʻt sound. Then with no electrical power, I lock the driverʻs door with the physical key. When I take our i3 out of storage, the first thing I do is unlock the driverʻs door with the physical key.

I donʻt know whether there is a physical lock on the passengerʻs door as well. If so, try that. Maybe the driverʻs door lock is broken.

Be very careful reattaching the lock cover to the door handle. If itʻs not installed correctly, it will fall off and be lost. A replacement cover must be painted to match the carʻs paint which makes the replacement cover quite expensive.

 

[LucioFerrao]

There is no physical lock on the passenger side. I suspect the lock on the driver side is damaged for some reason. Is there any other way to enter the car without energy?

 

[EvanstonI3]

Call a towing service to see if they can use a SlimJim to unlock the door via the window in some way?
break a window?

 

[LucioFerrao]

I quit, tomorrow I will call a towing service...