Being hamfisted and impatient I have a very poor track record with the nutty connector plugs that European cars use to hook up sensors etc. There seem to be a zillion varients, each with a totally unique and unintuitive locking device, and made of a plastic especially compounded for easy breaking.

Anyhow I've got to replace the coolant temperature sensor in my R56, and can't seem to the connector plug off of it. the sensor is aligned do the release mechanim is right up against the engine so I can't get a good enough look to figure out how it works. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

The connectors are in a tight spot. I like to use a 90 degree pick to release and disconnect the electrical connectors. We have a DIY on our site that can help under tech info tab > R56 articles > engine. If you need to know how to do anything else on your R56 be sure to check them out for help.

 

It final dawned on me that it would be easier to remove the sensor with the plug still on it, so there would be enough space to examine the plug and figure out how to release it. Then, when I put it back together, I rotated the sensor a bit from how the old one had been positioned, so the release is out in the open and easily reached with the indispensible 90% pick.