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How do you remove the front door panels in an '89 325iC? This car is hardly ever driven and the door lock system is freezing up from non-use, binding, ???
I'd like to remove the door panel to see if I can free it up. Right now it's stuck and won't lock the doors.
unscrew the lock and put down the window. take off the plastic bezel around the door handle and if you have a crank window take that off. the door handle has to come off too, there are three screws, two are visible on the underside, the third is at the very top under the mirror switch (drivers side) or the plastic cap (passenger side). after all the screws are out, start at a corner and begin carefully popping off the plastic clips. make sure not to break them. thats basically it.
its pretty much like that on all cars. make sure all the screws are out and any trim pieces and controls (windows/locks) then start at a corner and pop it off.
concerning the lock bolt, they tend to go after 60k miles, especially on the drivers side. happened in my first E30, but i never got it fixed and just used the trunk or passenger side to lock it. i believe there is a cylinder repair kit available from BMW.
unscrew the lock and put down the window. take off the plastic bezel around the door handle and if you have a crank window take that off. the door handle has to come off too, there are three screws, two are visible on the underside, the third is at the very top under the mirror switch (drivers side) or the plastic cap (passenger side). after all the screws are out, start at a corner and begin carefully popping off the plastic clips. make sure not to break them. thats basically it.
its pretty much like that on all cars. make sure all the screws are out and any trim pieces and controls (windows/locks) then start at a corner and pop it off.
concerning the lock bolt, they tend to go after 60k miles, especially on the drivers side. happened in my first E30, but i never got it fixed and just used the trunk or passenger side to lock it. i believe there is a cylinder repair kit available from BMW.
Thanks for the info. What kind of tool works best to pop off the panel? Wide, flat blade screw driver?
The passenger door lock won't work either. I go thru this all the time and it seems to be because the locks aren't used or it's binding. BMW looked at it a while back as I was going to do the cylinder repair route. They said it was fine. However every since they said it's fine it's really only fine if I've been using the car. I've really got to sell it. We don't use it and after putting a lot of money into the car someone needs to enjoy it.
I've never removed the door handle to do this...you only have to remove the door handle bezel...lock knob, then pull out the power window switch..undo the screw in there and the two underneath the arm rest...then start un clipping the panel from the bottom and lift up
__________________ Kyle Sutherland
1995 BMW 540i/6: The Calypso Beast Vid 0-70ish 1987 BMW 325es: Face & Butt Lifted/M50tu Swapped*Sold* 1985 VW Scirocco: Too many mods, money pit*Sold* E34 Plate Filler Wanted!
I've never removed the door handle to do this...you only have to remove the door handle bezel...lock knob, then pull out the power window switch..undo the screw in there and the two underneath the arm rest...then start un clipping the panel from the bottom and lift up
Ok, remove the door handle bezel, unscrew that tubular lock know that sits next to the glass on top of the panel on the non-hinge side, take out the screws under the arm rest... then start prying the panel off at the bottom and lift up. Up as in towards the top of the door or up as in away from the door itself? Know what I mean?
My power window switch in on the center console. Nothing on the door except the interior door handle.
I was able to get the door lock working from the inside this afternoon, but the key still won't work the lock.
sorry for the confusion, i didnt mean take out the door handle. it was actually supposed to say arm rest, not door handle. haha, i said door handle then described the 3 screws.
BMW E30 DIY (Do It Yourself) has a good read on the door locks, I did mine last year and ended up replacing (from salvage) the central controller and drivers side servo), then I replaced the tumblers in the drivers side door lock cylinder (kit from BMW and then re-key). i had almost the same issue you have and now all is working correctly.
sorry for the confusion, i didnt mean take out the door handle. it was actually supposed to say arm rest, not door handle. haha, i said door handle then described the 3 screws.
sorry, wrong wording.
No problem, thanks for the help and for clearing it up before I rip the panel off.
BMW E30 DIY (Do It Yourself) has a good read on the door locks, I did mine last year and ended up replacing (from salvage) the central controller and drivers side servo), then I replaced the tumblers in the drivers side door lock cylinder (kit from BMW and then re-key). i had almost the same issue you have and now all is working correctly.
I don't find it there. Is it under a heading that doesn't have anything to do with doors or keys or am I just too literacy challenged to read it properly? Can you give me a finer pointer in a more direct link please? Thanks.
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