Cant Get My Drivers Door Open!!

[Simon_C]

Went out to car thismorning unlocked but drivers door failed to unlock even if you put key in and try and turn to unlock nothing happens went inside car from passengers side to try and open from inside as i pull handle lock lifts but does not open and when you release handle lock returns to locked position again!! If you try to lift lock it springs straight back down again as soon as you release your grip!Has anybody had this prob and got the method of repair!

[M_E_]

Could be several things. A bad drivers side door lock, a bad relay or even a weak battery. Can you unlock everything from the drivers door, including the trunk? Does it lock & unlock from the passengers door? You have lots of trouble shooting to do yet before anyone here can help pinpoint the problem. I also see you're in the UK. That may make things from rhe USA cars we know. May be worth a call to the dealer.

[carguy13]

can you turn the car on?

it could be a battery issue, but i would think its the lock actuator...or whatever the actual lock mechanism is called. the piece inside the door.

i'm still an amatuer mechanic, but there is my two cents...

[jayturk99]

Happened to me once and I had someone open the door as I unlocked it from the trunk. Once they opened the day the problem seemed to have gone away.

[Simon_C]

The Battery is fine everything works fine apart from Drivers door refusing to open,Ive tryed key in trunk and passengers door to trigger drivers door to open!When key is turned in drivers door nothing happens it does not ativate other locks as if the door is totaly dead!! Where would i find the relay for the door?Is there any manual way of opening the door apart from the handles!Is there anyway of removing the door card with out opening the door?(Without damaging it.)
Any advise greatly recieved..

[Abdursa]

Ok.Well to me it looks like your tailpiece for the lock barrel is broken.The car is double locked.You cant open it from the inside.You will have to drill the barrel.A replacement barrel should be available from a spares outlet or the agents.

Step1.Take a screwdriver and insert it in the keyway and lever the silver facecap off
the barrel.The silver facecap is what you see when you are looking at the front
of the barrel.The reason for taking it out is that a drillbit will not penetrate the
facecap.

Step2. Use a 5-6mm drillbit and start drilling at the top centre of the barrel until you
go right through the barrel.You will feel the drill break free once you are through.
Do not use too much force.Do not use a big drillbit as these barrels are designed
to break on the inside at the centre,thereby causing the barrel to spin when you
drilling which will waste your time.

Step3. Use a 5-6mm drillbit and drill at the bottom centre of the barrel until you go
right through barrel.

Step4. Once you have drilled the top and bottom sections right through,the barrel
will break in two and the circlip which holds the barrel in at the back, will be
displaced.Take a long nose plier and pull the two pieces of the barrel out.

Step5. Take a torch and look into the hole.You will see the broken tailpiece.There might
be a spring in front of the tailpiece.Just move it out of the way with a
screwdriver and it will fall off.Insert the long nose plier in and grab the tailpiece
and turn it clockwise.The door will unlock.

That is it!

[Abdursa]

Hey,I tried the earlier method on a E46.Not sure if it will work on E36.

Another method will be to test for power coming to the door motor.If theres
no power coming through when any of the locks are turned open,then its a wiring problem.

You can manually power the door motor at the right kick panel where the
door grommet is.

[bimmerfeel]

sheesh!! I checked other forums and, while a lot of posts with this exact problem, almost NO solutions offered!!?

but you might check this one out FWIW:
maybe the door pin is sticking......more - The BMW 3 Series (E36) Forum

[carguy13]

i think it's time for the sawzall...