E39 Drivers door won't unlock/open

[concreteman 0]

On Thursday night my wife took her car shopping - 2003 525i Motorsport, drove home and the drivers door would not open. Not from inside or outside. Have tried everything - key, remote centre console lock buttons, double pulling internal handle etc... The lock button would move with the remote and key. Sometimes it would automatically go back down, but often it would stay up.

Took it to local BMW mechanic who did a quick look at it and said it would be the actuator. They were too busy to do anything about it, and my wife got impatient .... they did not fix it.

I read a heap of forums and punched a smallish hole in the door trim and proceeded to destroy the actuator. The door would still not release. More google and forums. Found you can remove the airbag panel, airbag and so forth and then pry off the actuator. (wish i saw this before I put a hole in the trim)

So the actuator is off, but i still can't get the door to release. There is a flat hook that will pivot forward inside/on the lock mechanism that would have been inside the actuator, but that does not seem to do anything either. If I push the door lock button down it releases when i pull the inside handle. The outside handle does not seem to have any resistance other than the spring - like it is not engaging. I guess this is double locked??

Anyone know what else I can try???????????

Edited May 5, 2012 by concreteman

[concreteman 0]

ok spent days trying to sort out the door - have pushed, pulled and prodded everything i can see, sprayed lube. Glenn suggested pulling off the external trim across the window and trying to push the lever the external door handle works on - no joy there.

Anyone got any other ideas short of cutting the door in half?

[BM WORLD 1258]

unbolt the seat then remove the door card , then go from there .

sometimes you have to drill out the latch etc if it cant be opened by any other means

[concreteman 0]

Ok have booked it into Team McMillan.

i wonder if when i broke the actuator if some plastic has dropped into the lock and stops it moving???

Thanks for your sugestions, but i don't have anymore time to spend on it. My wife is driving my 735 and i want it back lol.

[yng_750 247]

knock the window out, paint a flag on the roof and change your last name to duke

[elmarco 56]

Yee haa.