door lock frozen

[CorvallisBMW]

So for the last few months the driver's side lock has been frozen, I wasn't able to lock the car with the key or pin. I pulled the lock cylinder to find that, well, it's still frozen. I thought the issue was a seized cylinder that was preventing the lock actuation, but obviously something else is still frozen up. Any pointers? I have tried forcefully to move the lock pin up and down, and it only moves about 1/2 of the way, never actually locking. Can the mechanism even be removed from the inside of the door? or should I start searching for another door?

[strad]

I'd suggest removing the power lock actuator from the equation and see if you still have the problem after that. They get water inside and rust all to hell. Seize, and you can't lock/unlock your door anymore, even by hand.

edit: should add that I've worked on this very issue with the rear door of my 318. It was lots of fun getting it unlocked! In that case the lock mechanism is removable using an impact screwdriver. It functioned fine once we removed the power lock actuator, but we went ahead and cleaned it up and lubed it.

[Ruffian]

Have you been able to lock the other doors with the central locking?

Yes you can undo the lock actuator. You'll need to take off the door panel to get at the mechanics inside. After you get the panel and water shield out of the way, you'll see some bolts(10mm?) that you'll remove. I'm pretty sure you need to take off the interior handle first and work your way up the stalk.

Once the actuator is out of the car, you'll only be able to lock the door by double locking it which is mechanical. You should be able to still use the central locking if it's working in the first place, but you'll have to use the passenger door or trunk. you won't have a door peg on the driver's side.

[CorvallisBMW]

Ya I hooked up the cntral locking a few months ago, and it worked great for like 2 months until one day the lock just froze. So i disconnected it, but still no dice. I would love to have working power locks, but it sounds like that may not be an option unless i get a new actuator. Are there any drawings out their of all the mechanisms inside the door, and how they work/what they do? It's hard to see everything through the holes in the inner door sheet metal.

[strad]

Take a look at realoem.com. front door subsection as well as central locking.

Working inside the door is not the most fun thing you'll ever do, just to warn you.

[NC325iC]

i had the same problem with my pass door i had to get inside the door and pull the latch out once i got one of the bars that connects the various door parts(lock pin, electric lock, and door handle) undone it was able to unlock. then i took the lock/latch out and cleaned it up and wd40d it some put it back in and its been great for the past month+

[Ruffian]

With the way you described it, i'm thinking that your central locking module needs to be replaced. This is found behind and below the driver's foot speaker as I'm sure you probably know. Before you go diving behind the door, maybe try swapping in a known good module.

[CorvallisBMW]

With the way you described it, i'm thinking that your central locking module needs to be replaced. This is found behind and below the driver's foot speaker as I'm sure you probably know. Before you go diving behind the door, maybe try swapping in a known good module.

I've disconnected the central locking entirely, so I don't think that would be the issue at the moment. I also unplugged the actuator's electrical connection inside the door.

[strad]

I've disconnected the central locking entirely, so I don't think that would be the issue at the moment. I also unplugged the actuator's electrical connection inside the door.

I'm saying to physically disconnect the mechanical side of it. Mine was seized b/c of rust -- yours could very well be too.

[NC325iC]

yes take out the lock/latch assembly and clean it up, i doubt its electrical

[1990m3]

yes take out the lock/latch assembly and clean it up, i doubt its electrical

BUMP...

going through this right now on one of the m3s. It's not the actuator, that works well. I've narrowed it down to the door latch. I can turn the key in the drivers door and the central locks work fine but the drivers door peg will not go down. it's totally frozen. I can't even move the latch by hand once I got it out of the car tonight. I'm going to take a closer look at it tomorrow but I'm just looking for pointers. Also not sure how I'll ever re-assemble the inside of the door, it was a bitch to get it all apart.

[Berlin-3]

trunk did same thing, needed new lock