[Mii]

To people experienced this issue while car in motion, one option is to record the video and ask dealer to send it to BMW and escalate as PUMA case. With that, BMW engineers will engage and investigate this situation. This is certainly a safety concern!

One can try to use car driving recording device and film toward the tailgate.

Also look into power liftgate button module, does it have a stuck button, or malfunction button that's being activated while car is in motion?

[BMWZ4]

Just back having spent about an hour trying to replicate the open hatch at speed. I tried just about every combo I could think of, including having to step on the brake as another member had suggested. I also tried leaving the hatch not quite closed/locked (and w/o the mat) and as soon as I pulled out, message on my instrument cluster saying hatch wasn't secure.

Vehicle details:

MY 2019 M40i, fully loaded, Build date Sept 6th, delivery Sept 29th. To date, no software, electrical or mechanical issues. Mileage as of today, 12,200KMs

[Dan_80]

Update 2/23. Today I test it and now know the reason. I let my wife slowly drive the car forward with all the doors locked. I use the kick open feature behind the car. The hatch opened, while the car is moving! I also have the key fob in my pocket. Did not test it without the key fob. So definitely, the hatch may open while the car is moving! I also made video recording and I think everyone with the comfort access can replicate this

I guess, on the highway, some small rocks triggered the kick open sensor and once triggered, it will open the car no matter the car is moving or not!

Originally Posted by BMWZ4

Just back having spent about an hour trying to replicate the open hatch at speed. I tried just about every combo I could think of, including having to step on the brake as another member had suggested. I also tried leaving the hatch not quite closed/locked (and w/o the mat) and as soon as I pulled out, message on my instrument cluster saying hatch wasn't secure.

Vehicle details:

MY 2019 M40i, fully loaded, Build date Sept 6th, delivery Sept 29th. To date, no software, electrical or mechanical issues. Mileage as of today, 12,200KMs

[MechX3M40i]

Originally Posted by Dan_80

Update 2/23. Today I test it and now know the reason. I let my wife slowly drive the car forward with all the doors locked. I use the kick open feature behind the car. The hatch opened, while the car is moving! I also have the key fob in my pocket. Did not test it without the key fob. So definitely, the hatch may open while the car is moving! I also made video recording and I think everyone with the comfort access can replicate this

I guess, on the highway, some small rocks triggered the kick open sensor and once triggered, it will open the car no matter the car is moving or not!

Great finding! Definitely failed safeguard and/or faulty kick sensor! Go to dealer and share the video! Good luck!

[BMWZ4]

Interesting find for sure, but under what conditon(s) would that happen or could happen? I'm pretty sure that rocks being kicked up wouldn't set off the kick sensor....I mean I GUESS it's possible once, but with any regularity?

I'd bet bmw pushes back on this, even with a video.

[titomi]

Also it's strange to me, that after it was opened no visual or sound warning was issued. Good luck with the dealer.

So we can say now, that all issues with the hatch are coming from the kick-to-open feature, right? I'm so glad I didn't opt for that.

[Dan_80]

When I kick open the trunk while the car is moving today, there is no sound warning, the back light flashes and then the trunk door widely opens.

They should have disabled that feature while the engine is on.

Originally Posted by titomi

Also it's strange to me, that after it was opened no visual or sound warning was issued. Good luck with the dealer.

So we can say now, that all issues with the hatch are coming from the kick-to-open feature, right? I'm so glad I didn't opt for that.

[MechX3M40i]

Originally Posted by Dan_80

When I kick open the trunk while the car is moving today, there is no sound warning, the back light flashes and then the trunk door widely opens.

They should have disabled that feature while the engine is on.

Agree with you, and hence I say the safeguard that's in place with our cars is not functioning correctly in your car.

[SteveX3M40i]

Hi,
The kick to open function only works if the key is with you at the back of the car!
You need to repeat your experiment with the key in the car or the key a good distance away from the car.
Otherwise you are not really repeating what could happen as you drive down the road with nobody outside!
A rock won’t have your car key in its pocket!
Cheers
Steve

[BMWZ4]

Originally Posted by SteveX3M40i

Hi,
The kick to open function only works if the key is with you at the back of the car!
You need to repeat your experiment with the key in the car or the key a good distance away from the car.
Otherwise you are not really repeating what could happen as you drive down the road with nobody outside!
A rock won't have your car key in its pocket!
Cheers
Steve

Yeah, that's my take on this as well. I would re-test again before showing that video to your dealer.

[Dan_80]

I will test again and update later. However

(1) The kick open feature should be disabled when the car is running, no matter there is a key near the back or not.

(2) When the car is moving at high speed, can the system still accurately detect whether the key is inside or outside the car? I do not know how the key fob detection system works, but 60 MPH basically means that the key is moving over 20 meters per second.

Anyway, I have reported to NHTSA and messaged the BMW corporate office. BMW definitely needs to issue a software update to make their car safe. We, as the consumer, should not be the one to test how their kick open sensor or key fob detection mechanisms work. If the hatch opens while the car is moving, they need to fix it. It should never happen in any conditions.

Like many car recalls, the incident may only happen with some random combination of events. Most people may never experience it through the lifetime of the vehicle. For this hatch opening issue, I am sure a software update will fix it. I do not want to pay thousands for the convenience package and found it unsafe to use.

Originally Posted by SteveX3M40i

Hi,
The kick to open function only works if the key is with you at the back of the car!
You need to repeat your experiment with the key in the car or the key a good distance away from the car.
Otherwise you are not really repeating what could happen as you drive down the road with nobody outside!
A rock won’t have your car key in its pocket!
Cheers
Steve

[johnnj]

I wonder if coding the car to only allow trunk open if the doors are unlocked would also prevent this from happening. Or, if the software fault would also ignore that like OP was able to get it to ignore the rule about opening when the car is in motion in his test.

[PerryGunn]

Originally Posted by Dan_80

I will test again and update later. However
(2) When the car is moving at high speed, can the system still accurately detect whether the key is inside or outside the car? I do not know how the key fob detection system works, but 60 MPH basically means that the key is moving over 20 meters per second.

Doesn't matter - the key may be moving at 20 m/s but so are the sensors that detect the key, the relative velocity between parts of the system is zero....

In any case, the signals between key & sensor move at (as close as dammit) the speed of light (just under 300,000,000 m/s) so 20 m/s is insignificant....

[Mocon]

to the people who have tested their car and cannot duplicate the trunk issue-maybe your car is okay and does not have the problem-all these different owners from different parts of the world are not inventing this issue-I get amazed at resistance to believe car owners defective vehicles

[BMWZ4]

Originally Posted by Mocon

to the people who have tested their car and cannot duplicate the trunk issue-maybe your car is okay and does not have the problem-all these different owners from different parts of the world are not inventing this issue-I get amazed at resistance to believe car owners defective vehicles

Geezus...it's not resistance. It's about asking questions to try and determine possible causes, maybe to try and determine if widespread or isolated. No more no less.

[titomi]

Right. If someone posts, that he didn't encounter this issue, that doesn't mean he don't believe to poster with the problem. We are not at the dealerships here saying "within specs, not replaceable, function as designed, ...."

[Rhidium]

I'd say disable when car is any position other than park.

[allen3ybq]

OP did you have the doors set as auto lock after driving off? If not do that it might simply solved issue. I tested on my 19 X3 M40i with comfort access today. I pushed tailgate opening button at speed 0 but in D the car showed warning sign "to open tailgate put in Park/unlock doors".

[Dan_80]

No I did not use that feature. In my car, i also cannot open the tail gate with the push button while car is in motion. However, the hatch can be opened with the kick open feature when car is moving and all doors locked. The person that does the "kick" needs to have key fob in pocket. Without key fob, the hatch won't open.

I think in the highway, the system somehow thought the fob was behind the car, and something triggered the kick open feature.

Originally Posted by allen3ybq

OP did you have the doors set as auto lock after driving off? If not do that it might simply solved issue. I tested on my 19 X3 M40i with comfort access today. I pushed tailgate opening button at speed 0 but in D the car showed warning sign "to open tailgate put in Park/unlock doors".

[XXX3]

OP: Thanks for posting the update. I have not experienced the rear hatch opening while in motion. I also handle that fob v-e-r-y carefully while car is in garage.

[MechX3M40i]

Originally Posted by Dan_80

No I did not use that feature. In my car, i also cannot open the tail gate with the push button while car is in motion. However, the hatch can be opened with the kick open feature when car is moving and all doors locked. The person that does the "kick" needs to have key fob in pocket. Without key fob, the hatch won't open.

I think in the highway, the system somehow thought the fob was behind the car, and something triggered the kick open feature.

If you want to check, try having the key fob on the driver's seat or cupholder (instead of your pocket) and see if the kick open can be triggered when the car is in slow motion. I read in the manual today that the effective range of the key fob to kick sensor is 5 ft.

[RichM50d]

Originally Posted by titomi

Also it's strange to me, that after it was opened no visual or sound warning was issued. Good luck with the dealer.

So we can say now, that all issues with the hatch are coming from the kick-to-open feature, right? I'm so glad I didn't opt for that.

Me too!