[atlai89]

okay cool was hard to replace the cable?

[yakev724]

Originally Posted by atlai89

okay cool was hard to replace the cable?

no, clips in at both ends. see post 8 for info and part nos.

[atlai89]

Originally Posted by yakev724

no, clips in at both ends. see post 8 for info and part nos.

still no luck completely decompressed lever and nothing. and im sure i cant replace those cables without the door opening rght?

[greenbokchoy]

My front passenger door too got stuck a few weeks ago with the same conditions. Door lock okay and fuses okay. Thanks to yakev for the write up on how to take apart the door panel while the door is still stuck shut. The hardest part is where the panel was wedged against the dash AND the tweeter housing. Muscle and finesse got it out. Ended up only breaking two clips.

My problem ended up not being the bowden cables. I was hoping it would be as I ordered all the parts. I tried compressing and decompressing the levers on both sides of the regulator but nothing would happen. Ended up finally having to take it into my independent shop. They got it open and said they had to replace the latch mechanism. My guy wouldn't tell me how they got it open, only citing that it was "industry secret". I suspect they picked the mechanism or just drilled and destroyed it. Ended up with a bill of about $250 to repair it.

Originally Posted by atlai89

still no luck completely decompressed lever and nothing. and im sure i cant replace those cables without the door opening rght?

[Dark_Knight_335]

Climb out the side window like the General Lee? Major style points too- win win! Sorry, I have nothing useful to contribute. Good luck!

[Meeni]

Originally Posted by iflyjetzzz

Your post is extremely hard to understand. Are you saying that the door locks work but the door won't open? When the lock actuators fail, the door locks won't work.
If that's the case, you've got a very common problem; door lock actuator malfunction. There's a technical service bulletin on this, SI B51 19 07.
See this link for more details: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=543952

I'd check the fuses first.

This TSB is a very widespread defect, and I'd bet on it as well. But as said above, checking the fuse is very cheap, so just follow that plan and then escalate to have service look if you have that TSB issue.

[ken1137]

First...Go Hawks ! Second, yeah I had my door actuators replaced on my 2007 328. The bad...it happened when I had two drunk friends in the car. They tried the general lee exit and both face planted into the grass

[Chrisruf911]

Originally Posted by Dark_Knight_335

Climb out the side window like the General Lee? Major style points too- win win! Sorry, I have nothing useful to contribute. Good luck!

Woah, woah, woah, you can't say General Lee. It's too politically incorrect these days smh. On a side note my passenger side handle screwed up today. Pulled the handle as it was unlocking and now it feels like it popped past the tension arm (outside handle sticks out 1/4 inch). I guess I'll tackle it tomorrow.

[jimmydblock]

Originally Posted by Chrisruf911

Woah, woah, woah, you can't say General Lee. It's too politically incorrect these days smh. On a side note my passenger side handle screwed up today. Pulled the handle as it was unlocking and now it feels like it popped past the tension arm (outside handle sticks out 1/4 inch). I guess I'll tackle it tomorrow.

I have a second car and if I didn't sleep after work would not have had it's back right window smashed out...U_u! I would of prevent such an action. I say ask if that to say...wow Chris your RIGHT...don't get locked up man. And to the others yes! My got dam car door opened manually twice last night ..or Tuesday after the movies...So pisssed!!! Sprayed PB blaster on the latch then later read that silicon based sprays will prematurely destroys! The f****ng actuator...which in my case.. still worked. Along with no burnt fuse. So... I'm sure for a new one in the future. But I think it's my cable thats the problem

I pull on both inside and outside..no actuator movement. Checked fuses .All GOOD. I noticed on the second manual open. Out off the thousands of tries with the manual open. It felt like when it locked. If I didn't turn it ALL the way it would not have opened...... It's a thing u only get with feeling the key in ya hand.... anyways. It's a cable I need? Right ppl?

[John ohmaygod jr]

I am having a problem as well, The only door that opens is the driver seat and the only way to open it is inserting the key manually into the handle and twisting it. The other doors do not open no matter what, I tried unlocking them from inside and the lock lever goes up and righ back down as soon as I let go of the handle from the inside. I press the unlock button from inside the car and nothing happens, I have no clue what it is. Since my car won't even fully unlock I had to open the gas tank manually from pulling a lever from the trunk so I could put gas. Please help me out because I have no clue where to start

[fazman]

Originally Posted by John ohmaygod jr

I am having a problem as well, The only door that opens is the driver seat and the only way to open it is inserting the key manually into the handle and twisting it. The other doors do not open no matter what, I tried unlocking them from inside and the lock lever goes up and righ back down as soon as I let go of the handle from the inside. I press the unlock button from inside the car and nothing happens, I have no clue what it is. Since my car won't even fully unlock I had to open the gas tank manually from pulling a lever from the trunk so I could put gas. Please help me out because I have no clue where to start

did you see post #4 in this thread?

[F30Mo16]

Reviving old post....

My rear driver door is stuck. I took out the rear seat and door panel to access the bowden cable and actuator. I tried everything that was said in this entire thread and I still can't get the door open. The lock goes up and down when using key as well. Its been stuck for like 8 months now

Any ideas of how to get the door open? Do I have to replace the actuator while the door is still stuck?

[gfunke2020]

Originally Posted by yakev724

I have a bit of an issue, front passenger side door. Neither the exterior or interior door handle open the door (currently shut with no way to open). I believe the problem is with the actuator. It locks and unlocks perfectly, and when locked, pulling the interior handle once unlocks it mechanically as well.

I was able to remove the door card from the inside, and feel that both lines (from exterior handle and interior handle) pull on the respective levers of the actuator mechanism successfully, so it's not the handles.

(Update: solved by replacing cable inside door, see post #8 below)

i was able to unlock the door without taking anything apart. Note - you'll still have to take the door card off to replace the broken actuator but you can at least have the door open while doing it. I just removed the small plastic round trim piece that surrounds the the actual lock knob that goes up when it's unlocked and down when it's locked. Just need a screw driver or pry tool and pried it up till it popped off. After that, just use needle nose pliers to pull up the lock knob and hold it there. While holding it up, click your fob unlock button and then try the handle. If that doesn't work, then click the lock button on your key fob once and pull the handle (all while holding the lock knob up). The latter worked for me several times in a row so it's repeatable and it only took a minute or so to do --- hope that helps

[DANB1234]

hi I'm having this problem 318 e90
door lock bounces up/down when trying to lock the car with fob If catch it just right pulling of the handle whilst trying to lock the car I can open the door.
I've taken the door card out, and can see a piece of white plastic cog is broken away from the up/down lock bar/button.
I don't think the actuator is broken just the small white cog that winds the knob up or down.
when I get a moment later ill read through the entire thread to see if it list my problem.
also when looking online at new actuators they don't show the particular cog I'm referencing above on any images i think its a separate piece.
any ideas?
visit breaker yard to steal the cog?

[jatt6615]

Had the door handles off to wrap it. Pulling the same thing OP described in post #8. still doesn't open. Help. Doors lock and unlock electronically and manually. The door itself won't open. [IMG][/IMG]

[malick elie]

plie some metal hangars and breach the seal from the top coner of the window then it's all up to you and the handle at tha point my dude

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by yakev724

Well that's the way it comes from BMW. The reasoning is that the part is used in nearly all of their models and some models use different screws to others. To make the one part work with everything, it's unthreaded.

I can find out what bit's needed if someone needs it. Just took it to my school's machine shop.

Someone resurrected this thread, so taking the opportunity to clarify that yes indeed the part comes with the bolt holes unthreaded. But they are self-threading. All you have to do is put the unit on the floor, hold it still with your foot (or use a vice if you have one) and run the bolt in with a driver. Don't overdo it - just get the bolt into the thing enough to thread the hole.

My sympathies to everyone that worked the actuator into place only to get frustrated that the bolts wouldn't go in, and then to get more frustrated upon finding out it was because the holes are not threaded!

[petebert]

My door won't open from the inside our outside. I believe the lock is operating, it moves up and when I lock and unlock.

I got the door panel off and I've been manually moving the lever circled in red but the door still won't open. I haven't tried unhooking the cable for the exterior handle yet, do I need to do that first? Or is it a different lever I need to move?

[Ali Joon]

Hi everyone,

I'm experiencing the same issue with my X3. I replaced the actuator, which I acquired from a similar car in an auto wrecker, and I removed it myself. However, after a week, the door is stuck shut again. The lock button is acting normally. it comes up with the first attempt of pulling the handles, but the door is not opening. Additionally, the lock knob is locking and unlocking via the fob.

Does anyone have any ideas?