Boot not opening on 1series

@thatopie you are not giving us enough information. We need to know if the tailgate does not open with the key fob, the interior button, or the rear emblem badge. Or if it is only one of those that does not work.

If it does not work with any of them it is most likely an electrical problem. In order to open the hatch you would need to:

• Fold down the rear seats and crawl into the trunk area.
• Look at the interior plastic trim near the bottom center of the tailgate (right above where the latch mechanism sits).
• You will see a small square or rectangular plastic cover cap. Pry this cap off with a screwdriver.
• Inside the hole, you will see a small metal lever, catch, or cable end. Push or pull this catch with the screwdriver to manually actuate the lock. The hatch should now pop open.

Once opened you can start inspecting why it does not work. Start with the wiring since the wires running from the body to the tailgate flex every time you open the boot :-). Over time, the wires can become brittle and break. Open the hatch and look at the rubber boots at the top hinges. Pull the rubber boot back and check the wires inside. If you see broken wires or exposed copper you will need to splice and repair the broken wires.

If the wires are intact (or if a broken wire shorted out the system), check the fuses. The tailgate latch is powered by the Rear Electronics Module (REM), located behind the carpet lining on the right side of the trunk. Since you did not give us the model year, check the fuse diagram for your specific year on something like this site. For example, on a 2018 you would need to check Fuse #107 in the fuse box in the luggage compartment

Water damage is very common in the BMW badge mechanism. If the key fob opens the hatch but pressing the BMW badge does nothing, the microswitch inside the badge has failed. You can unbolt the emblem mechanism from the inside of the tailgate and test the switch pins with a multimeter for continuity when pressed.

If the wiring is good and the fuses are intact, the motor inside the latch assembly may have burned out or the gears may have stripped. Unplug the connector at the latch mechanism and test for 12V while a helper presses the key fob release button. If you are getting 12V to the connector but the latch does not move, the actuator has failed and needs to be replaced.

Let us know what you find out.