[VWaddict]

So... I've been locked out of my driver's door (inside and out) for a month now.

The door actuator button pops up and down as it should, so it's not the 'common' actuator problem...

2011 E91 LCI:

The button pops up and down correctly and quickly as it should from the central locking button and remote. It also pops up correctly from the interior door handle pull if it's down... all as it should be.

The door just won't open. Not from inside, not from outside.

I've searched YouTube, found a couple of posts where people remover the door skin, pop off the button rod, reach behind with an angle pick or screwdriver, and move something behind it up or down, and pull on the handle, and that worked for them.... but it's not working for me. I've used a 90-degree pick, a small screwdriver, a long screwdriver, pulled up, pushed down, in and out... nothing works.

After four weeks of climbing over the center console from the passenger side to get in and out, I'm at my wit's end. My local independent BMW mechanics don't have any help to offer either...

SO here's what I'm looking for...

I've seen a video where some kid takes the lock apart, but he skips right over the part about how the metal part of the lock itself is freed... he concentrates on the plastic parts....

I want to dismantle an old, dead or dying lock, so I can figure out if I can use a drill or something to DRILL into the plastic part of the lock where it's exposed lower down, and gain access to any metal moving parts which I can free up or release somehow.

IF anyone has an old (preferably driver's door) lock that I can buy from them just so I can take the thing apart to figure out how I can unlatch this thing just once... Let me know how much you'd like for it.

Failing that, I'd honestly pay a hundred dollars to ANY person who can just open my door. -I'm serious. This thing is a complete pain in my balls which has gone on FAR too long, and is ruining my enjoyment of an otherwise decent car.

[e90yyc]

I feel you there. There’s nothing I hate more than a giant thorn in my balls.

I can’t type a proper response because I’m on my phone, but I’ll give you a dank nugget of info here to prevent you from butchering your lock like so many of the idiots who have posted DIY videos. I know they’re well-intentioned folks, but there’s a proper way to open up the actuator without bending it or trying to finesse it like people often show.

I have an actuator laying around that I can probably look at to jog my memory. I think you can use what you have; you shouldn’t need a new (used) actuator for this.

From what I recall it should be possible to fully disassemble the actuator without any drilling or other shit like that. Maybe I’m not following you though.

As long as your balls are not in too much pain to wait a bit longer, I will do my best to help you out!

Have you seen this specific post? Guessing you have but thought I’d ask.

Edit: So what you’re saying is that opening it up like what is shown in this pic isn’t going to get you access to what you need?

Edit 2: Further, unless I’m really not following, if you want this problem resolved ASAP with minimal cockery, just replacing the actuator assembly (which includes the latch) should do the trick. It’s just a bowden cable from the handle to the actuator/latch, and the pop-up rod just presses into the actuator. The physical key slot interfaces in a way that you must first remove the lock cylinder to avoid damaging the linkage assembly (speaking from experience here). The point of me outlining how all these things go together is that I can’t see how anything but the actuator/latch assembly could be to blame.

Edit 3: I now understand. You literally cannot open the door to replace the actuator. Got it!

[Serf27]

The other day I had the same issue. But actuator locks and unlocks but something is still Damaged inside.
I was able to completely break the cover off the actuator while it was in the car and this I saw a latch I could pull to free the door. I replaced all of it.
You can also reach toward the actuator and pull the cable to frees it. I’ve read the cables are sometimes the issue.

[VWaddict]

I bought the replacement Bowden cables also, just to cover my a$$... but I haven't been able to reset the exterior cable by pulling down on the actuator inside the door...
I'll give it one more go, because this is just so irritating, and I really need to try EVERYTHING before I break out the drill and go into destructo-godzilla/Hulk-smash mode!

[ezm11e]

Hi!
Help!
I am getting stuck in my car! Z4 2003.
Sometimes I am locked in the car on the driver side. I crawl out of the passenger side.
Sometimes I cant open either door from the outside.
Sometimes the boot opens sometimes it doesn't.
I paid £950.00 (UK) to have this sorted. The garage said the door opens 4 time out of 5. Now its 1 in 10.. sometimes.
Any advice, the car is at the garage, bit they are telling me that there is nothing more they can do?

[VWaddict]

Well, update...
My car has been at the local independent BMW specialists for over a week now.
They initially said they'd seen this sort of failure before, and that they could open the door...
Now they're saying that this is something different from the 'common' failure type, and that they cannot open the door. -I still have a nice bill to pay for their efforts of course...
I really need an old lock that I can open up to try and figure out how this works... -I'm thinking I'm going to have to drill into the old lock from inside the door.
Honestly, this failure is so mind-numbingly frustrating, I think I'm just going to sell the damn car as soon as it's fixed. -i have NEVER had such an incredibly annoying or obstructive failure with any previous vehicle.
Listen up BMW, this sucks.

[Serf27]

If you break the cover of the actuator off, you’ll be able to access the striker that locks in place.

If the lock won’t release using the common method where you reach in with a small pick and unlock it, breaking it to pieces is the only way.

[VWaddict]

Originally Posted by Serf27

Or you break the cover of the actuator off, you’ll be able to access the striker that locks in place.

If the lock won’t release using the common method where you reach in with a small pick and unlock it, breaking it to pieces is the only way.

Breaking it as you suggest is what I was thinking I'd do next... I kinda want to SEE one and take it apart, rather than trying to do it by braille inside the door, completely blind...

Yes, the pick doesn't work.

Still willing to buy an old lock, even if it doesn't work... -Anyone... Bueller... Bueller... Anyone?

[Serf27]

Originally Posted by VWaddict

Breaking it as you suggest is what I was thinking I'd do next... I kinda want to SEE one and take it apart, rather than trying to do it by braille inside the door, completely blind...

Yes, the pick doesn't work.

Still willing to buy an old lock, even if it doesn't work... -Anyone... Bueller... Bueller... Anyone?

Once you break the cover off, you’ll be able to see the striker.

I need to replace my LR actuator. If I can take it off without destroying it, you can have it.

[VWaddict]

Well, if I can get a cordless drill inside the door, that's going to be the next step, I think.

Three months of this nonsense has infuriated me beyond belief!!

[e90yyc]

Originally Posted by VWaddict

Breaking it as you suggest is what I was thinking I'd do next... I kinda want to SEE one and take it apart, rather than trying to do it by braille inside the door, completely blind...

Yes, the pick doesn't work.

Still willing to buy an old lock, even if it doesn't work... -Anyone... Bueller... Bueller... Anyone?

Sorry I know I said I’d look into this like two months ago. I don’t know if I actually have an old actuator still but I will set a reminder to look. It would likely be in my folks’ garage somewhere and I prob won’t be by their place for at least a few days, if not the weekend.

[bluewater328]

Not to scare you all but, if the tumbler is still good and the actuator isn't stopping it from working, there is this option:

[Serf27]

Originally Posted by VWaddict

Well, if I can get a cordless drill inside the door, that's going to be the next step, I think.

Three months of this nonsense has infuriated me beyond belief!!

I pulled my old actuator off. I forgot my door still opened, just wouldn’t unlock unless I pulled the inner handle. So it’s complete to take apart.
You can have it if you pay for shipping. Send me a PM

[PJLux]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Not to scare you all but, if the tumbler is still good and the actuator isn't stopping it from working, there is this option:

LL is awesome! I used to watch him all the time... in the long long ago, when I was a locksmith. However speaking from experience, this is a very difficult skill to master. LL makes it look too simple. So no, no one should be scared. The common criminal isn't going to dump hundreds if not thousands of hours into this skill set.

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

Not to scare you all but, if the tumbler is still good and the actuator isn't stopping it from working, there is this option:

I really wanted to post this!

Funny though, even if you opened it, you still couldn't steal it. and I'm not sure how double locking plays into this.

if they really want your car, they'll just put it on a trailer and tow it away.

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

I really wanted to post this!

Funny though, even if you opened it, you still couldn't steal it. and I'm not sure how double locking plays into this.

if they really want your car, they'll just put it on a trailer and tow it away.

All true.

Originally Posted by PJLux

LL is awesome! I used to watch him all the time... in the long long ago, when I was a locksmith. However speaking from experience, this is a very difficult skill to master. LL makes it look too simple. So no, no one should be scared. The common criminal isn't going to dump hundreds if not thousands of hours into this skill set.

True, but at the same time, that tool makes it look too easy to master (this particular one). Almost makes me want to buy a junkyard handle just to try.

[VWaddict]

unfortunately, even with the correct key (which in the end just rotates the pin at the end condected to the failed lock/actuator) I still can't open the door.

The problem seems to be "downstream" of the whole "button-up" lock, and the key is just one of three ways to get the button up, so far as I can see (the first being the motor/solenoid signal from the central locking system, the second being the 'first pull' on the inside handle, the third being the external physical keyhole) all of which work flawlessly at "getting the button up"...

The problem is that even with the button up, neither handle -inside or outside- opens the door. Both Bowden cables are good, and connected, and even using a tool to move the inner and outer levers (which the bowden cables act upon) through their complete range of travel, the striker latch remains resolutely locked.

I PM'd Serf27 and hope to get his actuator and dismantle it... I can't wait to see what this demonic and diabolical mechanism actually looks like!

[hassmaschine]

Originally Posted by bluewater328

True, but at the same time, that tool makes it look too easy to master (this particular one). Almost makes me want to buy a junkyard handle just to try.

I really want to try it, honestly, but I've probably watched way too much LPL. Even my kids know who he is, lol.

There was a neighbor who left his BMW sitting for months, the battery started to die and then the alarm started going off sporadically. Then it went off at like 1am and wouldn't shut off. It took the police hours and hours to break in (you can't shim into a double locked BMW, although they tried). I bet you could get in with one of these pretty easy though..

[bluewater328]

Originally Posted by hassmaschine

I really want to try it, honestly, but I've probably watched way too much LPL. Even my kids know who he is, lol.

There was a neighbor who left his BMW sitting for months, the battery started to die and then the alarm started going off sporadically. Then it went off at like 1am and wouldn't shut off. It took the police hours and hours to break in (you can't shim into a double locked BMW, although they tried). I bet you could get in with one of these pretty easy though..

Tho I thought you still needed a key to shut off the alarm (start the car or disarm). Well, aside from popping the trunk and disconnecting the battery.