Tow bar

I was a bit concerned when I bought the x3 with an electric tow bar, and my concern has now materialised. It is stuck out, and won't retract, just a couple of clicks when you press the button, and a warning message to say it is not locked.
Any ideas please other than spending £100s at tthe dealers.

 

This site is brilliant. No sooner had I sent tne above, went out to the x3, tried the button, which was now showing green, and away went the towbar.It seems that to solve your problems just post. My roller shutter garage door gets cross-hobbled sometimes, and you have to give that time to sort itself out.

 

Sorry Discusb T My electric towbar will not come out to play and so this post must surely test your theory of the mystical powers of BMWlander.

In the meantime, anyone know what I can do to excite my towbar so it pops out when I press the button?

 

Is the light on the switch illuminated? If not have you got the ignition turned off? It won't work with the ignition on if I remember correctly and definitely won't work with the engine running.

 

There is a green light before I press the switch then when the switch is pressed the tow bar tries to move but seems stuck and the light turns red.
I then have to turn the ignition off and leave it a while and then the next press it tries again and returns the light to green.
Whilst the light is red I also get a warning signal etc on the dash.
I've tried it with the ignition on and off but it still won't pop.
The hand book says ignition must be on and I have used it in the past but not for a year or so.
I suspect it is tripping out perhaps because its meeting some resistance perhaps rust from lack of use. I thought maybe someone might know of a release trick or something.

 

Yes with that description I think your suspicions are going to be correct unfortunately.
Can you try and pull the bar down while someone else presses the button and see if you can overcome it that way maybe? If not I'd be tempted to have the bumper off and try and get to the pivot to get some WD40 or something on it but that depends how confident you are taking it off. It might be possible to get into without the bumper off. Worth a try before replacing it.

 

I found that I had mis-read the instructions, the ignition (mine's a diesel) has to be on, I thought that it had to be off. It will remain on for perhaps up to 2 mins after switching off. The manual also says that to re-set, close and open the tailgate and switch the ignition on.

 

Yeah I think someone on the button and someone pulling the tow bar is worth a try before either taking the bumper off or involving a garage.
I don't use it often and only remembered I'd got it when last week I was asked to tow someone stranded in sand dunes. Embarrassingly I couldn't help and an ancient Landy took the glory.

 

When I ordered my car the only available towbar option was the fully automatic electric one. I would have much preferred a manual detachable one, like I had on my old E39 and which proved totally reliable. Within a few months of new my F10 I had a few instances where the 'bar would come out, almost fully, but not locking fully out, then retract again. After two or three attempts it would latch out properly. I was reluctant to take it back (under warranty) for an intermittent fault that probably wouldn't happen for the dealer! Fortunately, it has been OK for the last 12 months or so and it is still under warranty so I can still get it fixed if it recurs. My dread is being marooned with a caravan that I can't move. I think the only option for repair is a full replacement, but Land Rover, who use the same make of 'bar, sell spare parts to repair the motor/gearbox.

 

I found a thread on http://forum.bmw5.co.uk about the towbar. It has been found that a small plastic gear inside the mechanism wears/breaks, and a forum member in Estonia started making them in steel, and will sell.

 

Great work gents. Will check them out.
thanks

 

Right well I've tried the two man approach and no joy, it is stuck fast. It does try to move and it doesn't make any grinding noises such as a damaged cog might so I suspect rusted bearings or similar.
So I plan to remove the bumper and cautiously dismantle the gubbins having first obtained the replacement metal wheel for the gears.
Whether it is the plastic wheel thingy broken or not I might as well replace it to prevent a further failure.
Any help or advice on how to remove the bumper and how to dismantle the motor / gear assembly would be very appreciated.

Singvogel, do you have an online link for Land Rover spares as I've had no joy tracking them down yet.
I'm also gonna contact the bloke on the link from DiscusbT so thanks for that.
I will give an update in due course.

 

Thanks

 

You could try contacting Westfalia. I think they supply oem to BMW & Land Rover. I think they are not allowed ((by BMW) to supply BMW towbar spares but not sure whether they sell LR spares. Suspect some parts of the gearbox mechanism may be common. Otherwise may have to try LR dealer. Hopefully, a friendly one may help you identify the parts.

 

I got no joy from LR. Tried loads of parts places etc..
I've now got the metal gear piece made by a enterprising bloke in Estonia so gonna have a go at repairing it my self in a few weeks after my hols.
I don't actually use it which is probably the problem but I do like everything to work and it would have come in handy the other week for rescuing someone from a sand dune.
I will post an update for anyone interested with pics and notes when / if I get it going.