Door stuck closed? Lock actuator broken? Here's the fix...

[m3f_kiamxsquid]

My driver's side door lock would not unlock electronically or by inserting the key. I went to the dealer and they said it was the actuator and replaced it but it didn't change anything. Now they say that the general module is sending a bad signal and that my door lock cylinder is stripped. I find it hard to believe that an actuator and the general module would both go bad but I forgot to ask for my broken actuator to see if it was really broken so I will never know. Do you think the actuator truely needed to be replaced or do you think they replaced the actuator and realized it wasn't working because of the general module?

[m3f_Seans m3]

Great write up Brandon



Did this today on my rear door. Your pics helped alot more than my bentley. Thx.

[m3f_Z3MCOUPE]

Great work and addition to our DIY's.

[m3f_Brandon318]

no prob

[m3f_Diesel///M3]

Awesome job! I have a slightly different issue. My rear driver's side door latch won't clasp the hook on the door jam. I assume this is a much easier fox than yours. Would you happen to know if what parts in the door would need replacing. Sorry to jack, but I gotta get this fixed. BTW my locks work fine, this is simply a mechanical issue I believe.

[m3f_cstern]

Its a slightly easier fix. I had the same problem. One door was tied to the other to keep it shut.... Anyway I picked up a door latch assembly off ebay for about $40. It included the actuator even though mine worked fine.



You will need to do most of that DIY. You will have to remove the window and the track for it to get the latch mechanism out of there. Its still a pain, but I managed to do it without and previous knowledge of this DIY in about an 1.5 hours. Its not too bad, but definitely an annoying problem to have.

[m3f_Diesel///M3]

By door latch assembly do you mean the door locking mechanism? Is it part # 51-21-1-977-113? I found this online for about $150 new. Do you happen to have a part # for the part you replaced?

[m3f_cstern]

I replaced number 9. Part number 51228122419 for left and ending in 20 for right.



Link on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DOOR-...item56334767e4



Less than $30 shipped.

[m3f_EasyEd]

Hello! Wife came home with "honey, the right rear door won't open"

Great post helping me out 6-7 years later.

Just noticed that you can replace the actuator thru the now empty door handle slot (if you have small enough hands!). So I hope I don't have to go thru the trouble of taking out the window!

Still have to put everything back together.

Actuator started working after I played with it(took it apart). But I don't trust it, and will replace it.

Thank you again for posting.



Ed

Now to go back to the ABS ASC gremlin.

[m3f_egebhardt]

nice write up. I can still pull lock knob up and down on my sedan right rear door but the remote is note actuating it? Is it the same problem? In the steps you describe where would I have to stop to change the actuator? At the point where the actuator is out right?

Yes. You have the same problem. Remove the old actuator. Put the new one in.

Great write up Brandon


It's a shame Coupes are 10x harder than that

It is not harder on a coupe. It is not necessary to remove the window on a coupe. Just remove the door panel.

Just noticed that you can replace the actuator thru the now empty door handle slot (if you have small enough hands!). So I hope I don't have to go thru the trouble of taking out the window!

Still have to put everything back together.

Actuator started working after I played with it(took it apart). But I don't trust it, and will replace it.

Do you have a sedan or a coupe? It may be necessary to remove the window on a sedan. I don't know yet. I have this exact problem but have not fixed it yet. My coupe had this problem and I did not have to remove the window.

[m3f_Brandon318]

Glad it helped! I love seeing old DIYs stand the test of time haha.

[m3f_berny2435]

I'll try and add a couple things to this DIY. Thank you for posting it. definitely helped.


I also looked at this DIY

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=131544


I was in the same position, rear door was stuck locked and the symptoms said that the lock actuator was faulty. It would randomly not unlock and then would stay locked for the longest time. I got really lucky and the rear passenger door randomly came unlocked by itself after staying locked for the longest time.


I ran into a couple issues

1.) the Head snapped off of the plastic screw holding the little white plastic lever for the door lock knob broke on me. I had to pry the white lever off of it. I first lubed it up with some penetrating oil and used a trim pry bar. L shaped.


2.) I thought I needed to take the door handle trim off, as well as the door handle free of the door, but that wasn't the case. I tried to get it off but it wasn't happending for me. Luckily, my patience (rare), paid off and I was able to wiggle the door lock assembly and the electrical actuator down and in a position where I didn't need to removed the window track or the door handle.

a.) just use a medium and a small flat head screw driver to pry the actuator off of the door lock assembly.

b.) wedge the door lock assembly down as far as you can basically

c.) pull the actuator with the wire connector still attached, out of the door

d.) replace. I had a hard time getting it back on the door lock assembly but after I lubed the connection with lithium grease, it made it easier.

[m3f_egebhardt]

Update:

I finally did this job on a sedan.

I had to remove the window on the sedan, and the rail too.

On top of it all, I the old actuator nearly fell out. The clip in the door was really loose.

I had to rig a way to keep the new actuator seated, otherwise it would pop out of place and not work.


Ultimately, this took me 8 hours because of the failure of Part#9 to hold the actuator in place.