Introduced in model year 2009 to the United States, the F01 seven-series from BMW is a state-of-the-art luxury vehicle that is still in production. BMW considers this one of their flagship vehicles, and have poured a lot of time and resources into its research and development. However, even the finest luxury cars can still have their problems. In this case, owners may encounter parking brake or auto hold malfunctions.
Owners of the 2009 version, as well as some newer models, have experienced a problem in which the parking brake will not disengage. The button on the control panel will not work, nor will the manual disengage button located in the trunk. Some owners have actually had to have their Bimmer towed because it was immovable. In some rare cases, the parking brake will automatically engage without the driver’s knowledge when they put it in Park. They may park the vehicle on a slope or even flat surface, and when they return the parking brake is on.
Another problem is with the Auto Hold feature. Sometimes when a driver releases the brake pedal, the Auto Hold will engage and keep the car from moving, or will “grab” it and make it jerk. Sometimes the brake pedal will freeze, or the car will not shift into Drive. Owners have turned their vehicle off and then restarted and the problem is temporarily resolved. But this is not a long-term solution.
If your F01 or F02 BMW Seven Series is experiencing parking brake or auto-hold malfunctions, you should visit a specialized German auto maintenance mechanic at your earliest convenience. They will have the proper tools and know-how to get your Bimmer running in showroom condition.
Search for a local, independent BMW repair shop with BMW mechanics that have dealer-level expertise at a fraction of the expense.