Car won't lock or I dunno how to lock the car??

[itsBMWbaby]

I just bought a 92 BMW 3181 and found some problems....well buying a second hand car always brings up some problems, rite??.....sigh.......

These are the problems I found:
1. The abs light are on.....I dunno wheter the abs is broken or it's just the sensor....do u guys have any ideas?
2. I and a bunch of my friends can't figure it out how to lock the doors, this is funny, coz everytime I turn the key to the right, the locks go down, and go up again, I am just so confused abt tis.....is there any special trick to lock the doors or it's just plain broken..?

Other than those...BMW is just a sexy ass car isn't it??


VIVA BMW!!

[Wurzig-Drei]

I had that lock problem for a day, and i found out that my trunk lock was jammed, check that.

[thekid]

The ABS light is prolly a speed sensor. No big deal. The light will be sending a code, so get some one to check the code, and if it's a speed sensor you can just reset it and not worry.

[TeeUp]

i would suspect its either of the two front lock actuators. if they're not perfectly positioned, they kick out open when you close em. you might need to have them checked. the dealer is the best option but if they're too expensive, you can have it seen by any shop that installs central locking.

[TeeUp]

by the way, can you lock the door from from inside through your central lock switch? if it still kick the the locks open then, it should be one or both actuators (front doors only).

[itsBMWbaby]

thanks alot guys, I will try to get it all done soon after I get some money from my job, btw does anybody know the estimation of the cost I have to spend for fixing the actuator of the front doors?

[LordT]

i had a similar problem with the door lock, one of the doors might not be regestering as closed. When you open your door, there is a little button on the inside of where the door locks onto. hold it down and see if the door then locks and try it for all 4 doors, the door might just need adjusting.
p.s. my car is still in progress.

[itsBMWbaby]

I dont quite understand which little button do u mean?

[G-Man]

Ah, the 318i.

I have had a '92 since new (which I am now selling, sorry to see it go).

Lock problem: I had this a number of years ago (actually, it is doing it again). My problem was that when I locked the door, the locks immediately unlocked by them selves. If you immediately relock, it would stay locked. This is the car telling you something is amiss. The cause on my car, which is pretty common, was that the wiring harness that ran to the electric lock on the trunk was broken. The lock system would detect that the trunk did not lock and would play that little game with the unlocking. The break in the wiring occurs at the left hand trunk hinge. The wiring harness is strapped to the hinge and the hinge articulates in a manner that puts a lot of stress on the wires. One way to test whether this is your problem is to lock the car from the trunk. If the car locks normally, you probably have the problem I have described. Fix is pretty easy. I just opened up the wiring harness at the hinge and replaced each of the wires a couple of inches fore and aft of the break in the wire.

By the way, what was the resolution of your ABS light problem? My car has been mostly parked for the last six months (occasional drive every month or so) and the ABS light just started to stay lit when I start up.

[ajames]

wow, thanks G-Man. (lol, was it me or did that sound like somethin out of a comic book.) anyway, my '92 325is does the same thing. They lock, they pop back up ... as if toying w/ me. I have noticed that sometimes, the trunk lock doesn't lock the doors, but occasionally it will. I never really understood it, but i gotcha now! easy fix too! thanks!

alex

[97alpineM3]

Originally posted by itsBMWbaby@May 31 2004, 08:06 PM
...BMW is just a sexy ass car isn't it??

Yes..... Yes it is....

Just thought I'd reply to that.. cause no one else did.. they were too busy trying to figure your problem out.....