has anyone ever fixed their central locking on an e30?

[IS300E30]

I have an issue that just started. I lock my car with the driver side door, then I go to unlock my car with the driver door and only the driver door unlocks, not the passenger door.

When this happens the driver door feels and sounds the same as if I was unlocking the door with the battery disconnected, as in no power is going through the system. If I wait an hour or two, then the motorized feel and sound happens, and both doors unlock (it is a vert by the way). Then I try it again and I lock the car and try to unlock both doors to test the system and again only the driver door unlocks with the feel and the sound as if the battery was disconnected again. This keeps on happening.

[Mwishlist]

From my limited understanding, there are two different wires; one that tells the central locking unit to lock and one to unlock from each lock. Every time you lock or unlock a door or trunk this signal triggers the CLCU to lock or unlock the rest of the doors. So I would guess that the signal from the drivers door to the CLCU has been interrupted. Looking at a wiring diagram I think now that wire is the Green / Blue one from the drivers door to the CLCU. Check that one.

Like I said still learning this car, but if that wire was cut I think it would perform exactly what you are describing.

[ringmeister81]

That makes more sense than I bad actuator. I'll definitely check it out. But, would this still be the problem if the drivers door is unlocking when I use the key from trunk/passenger door? That's what's confusing. The actuator on the drivers side will lock and unlock with the rest. It just won't unlock all the others if I try from drivers side. Eventually, I'm sure I can get to the bottom of this. Thanks.

[Mwishlist]

Yeah, that's not what I thought. Have you checked the wiring in the door plug? I have to run back through the threads but I think the white/black wire is the unlock signal. Maybe that connection has gone bad at the plug in the door pillar, or any place for that matter between the door and the CLCU. That's totally off the top of my head though. since I didn't have to trace down an electrical issue I'm not that familiar with that side of it.

Find out what wire sends the unlock signal, then if you have a multimeter or test bulb test that while someone unlocks the drivers door. If everything works but that, I would say there is a problem getting the unlock signal from the wiring. Since unlock works from other doors, check the same wire as someone unlocks one of those and see if you are getting the same signal from the drivers door.

[ringmeister81]

Mwishlist, thanks for the response.. I'll definitely check that out!

I think I failed to make clear that the drivers side DOES unlock with the key and the lock tab, but it will only unlock the DRIVERS side.. Very weird. It does lock all the other doors though whether I push the tab down or lock it from outside with the key. Its a minor annoyance, but I'm quite baffled as to why it's occurring. I've only just got central locking working this week, so I was surprised that I couldn't control all of the locks when I opened the locked car from the drivers side. I'll check it all out again tomorrow. Until then, thanks for the advice.

[Mwishlist]

My only issue seems to be that the drivers side will not UNLOCK the entire car (either with key or by pulling up the lock tab by hand). However, locking works as it should. Both the passenger side and trunk allow me to lock/unlock all doors with key. And the passenger lock tab allows lock/unlock from the interior.

Thanks in advance!

Sound's like that is your issue. Here's how you can test that: With the door card off of the drivers door, physically pull up on the lock mechanism (or even the actuator itself). If you pull up the actuator on the drivers side and it unlocks everything else, then I believe you have a physical problem with the drivers side lock. If you are looking at the assembly in the door you can turn the key or have someone and see if it is physically moving the assembly. Like in my case it would move it one way but not the other because it was wore out. Let us know what happens!

[ringmeister81]

I've been following this thread, and I was in a similar situation as Mwishlist. The previous owner had removed all of the actuators except for the one in the trunk, so I had no central locking. I bought two used actuators for the driver and passenger door (I own an iX coupe), installed them, and central locking now works (for the most part).

My only issue seems to be that the drivers side will not UNLOCK the entire car (either with key or by pulling up the lock tab by hand). However, locking works as it should. Both the passenger side and trunk allow me to lock/unlock all doors with key. And the passenger lock tab allows lock/unlock from the interior.

I have checked the fitment of the drivers actuator and made sure there was no "wiggle" room, but the issue persists. I should mention that the drivers side lock has been replaced by PO and I have a separate key for that door alone. He did not key the lock to the master (ignition) key. This is a pain, and I've thought about replacing the lock or having a locksmith key it to the master key, but I'm planning on keyless entry in the near future so I don't know if this is a necessity.

My question: could the fact that the PO changed the drivers side lock be the cause of that side not unlocking the rest of the car? Or do I have a potentially bad actuator?

Thanks in advance!

[Mwishlist]

So, passenger side was just disconnected like the rest, put everything together and it works like a charm. My tumbler in the drivers side and key works great so instead of pulling the door card again etc I used sone heavy duty wire I have and ran it around the back of the tumbler. Voila, solid turning in both directions. I know it's not a long term fix but there are so many other things to do and with a keyless kit on the way, rebuilding the tumbler is low on my priority list right now.

[nando]

move the window up?

I can't even get my hands in there to feel around..

[pantelones]

Anyon ever remove the lock cylinder on a 4 door? I'm guessing i need to get the window regulator out of my way..

Yeah, I have rebuilt the driver door lock. It's just harder to see and work with than the 2-door. No need to touch any window parts, just move the glass up after taking the door card off...

Mine was pretty simple to fix... New (to me...) central locking box, and a door lock rebuild kit from pelican did the trick. I followed the directions seen on the link below, and it was really no different with the 4-door.

http://www.billswebspace.com/BMWE30DoorPanelRemoval-LockCylinderRebuild.htm

[cabriodster87]

yes, pnp lockcyl arm and control box fixed it, my driver door dome even started to work.

[spdracrm3]

Also, on that note the double lock microswitch is missing an arm but I honestly don't want / need this feature. anyone know if I can simply unplug the microswitch and everything will still work? I can just tie it up in the door like the PO but I 'd rather clean up the connections if I can.

looking at wiring diagram indicates you can just leave the micro switch disconnected or removed and the deadbolt/lock inhibit function wont activate but normal locking will function ok as the switches for normal lock/unluck are in the lock motors themselves and as long as they are functioning/connected central locking should work....proof of this is those on which the activation arm on the driver door lock tumbler is broken(common,its the part that hits the microswitch) and they dont have deadbolt/lock inhibit but just central locking.

[AwakenNoMore]

mine's never worked since I've owned it, i know the passenger side actuator is gone (i have one to put in) trunk and doors work manually (when i turn the key you can hear a relay click but thats it)

[Mwishlist]

Also, on that note the double lock microswitch is missing an arm but I honestly don't want / need this feature. anyone know if I can simply unplug the microswitch and everything will still work? I can just tie it up in the door like the PO but I 'd rather clean up the connections if I can.

[Mwishlist]

So just to follow up with mine, I found the issue; it was the PO.

Actually the key cylinder is shot and will unlock but not lock the door. Because of the (stupid IMHO) double lock feature the lock cylinder arm is I believe solid in one direction but spring loaded in the other direction so you can do the 90 degree turn double lock feature (over-engineered?). SO after years of use it failed in one direction. I am guessing as a result, the PO just went ahead and disabled everything by (luckily) just disconnecting the arms from the actuators and removing the gas cap actuator. By sheer luck I pulled a complete gas cap actuator from a junked 325 a few weeks ago because I happen to see it in the trunk. I plugged it up and bam, if I push the latch in the door with my hand everything works like a charm except the passenger door. I still have to check the passenger door, hopefully the actuator is in there and just disconnected like everywhere else in the car.

What sucks is I have the car torn apart and I have to put it back together for this weekend then I will have to take the drivers door back apart to rebuild the key cylinder. Although technically I could just skip that and put wireless entry on it since I know it works now.

Anyway, i will report back but I will be using the link provided above to rebuild the key cylinder with a $26 OEM kit from ebay, so thanks for posting that.

Hopefully this helps someone else. If you have absolutely no power, no noise or clicking like me, check the red/black wire gong into the unit to make sure it has juice and / or pull the driver door card and move the mechanism to see if it triggers the CLCU. Also, you have to flip the mechanism in the door so it thinks it it closed or the locking won't trigger. I assumed it was electrical which was totally wrong.