E46 M3 Passenger door not opening
 

My E46 M3 passenger door won't open form the outside. Also, the window won't go down all the way. When it gets about 50% down, it opens the door! Clearly there is something loose in the door that's causing the window to open the door. Any ideas what is wrong and what I'm up against when I go to the dealer??

Sounds like the linkage to the door handle has popped off and the window is pushing on it and opening the door for you when you roll it down. Generally a quick easy fix.

Thanks. I went to a local BMW shop and he thought the same.

This has happened to me twice, the linkage is terrible. Pretty much if someone tries to open you door while it's locked there's a 50/50 chance it will break.

My door lock problem on my E46 is proving very problematic. I lost my key and ordered a new one from BMW. The car was locked and the mechanical lock on my car had frozen up in the bad weather. The Key seems to just turn loosely now so I suspect the catch inside is broken. I can't use the new key remote as it needs to be initialized by inserting it into the ignition key and performing some magic incantations.

I managed to get an aluminum rod through the top of the door gap to depress the centre console central door lock switch but nothing happened (it definitely depressed correctly). I guess the ignition key needs to be inserted to make this switch active. The hazard warning switch next to it was active and could be switched on and off by this method.

So kind of running out of ideas to get into the car and use my nice new very expensive key to start using the car again. If I could get in then I would replace the mechanical lock on the drivers side door. There is no passenger door lock. The trunk will open with the key (not the remote as initialize problem stops that). The back of the trunk is welded so no way of entering the car that way either.

This car is apparently the first ever RHD 330D made so there are a few things on it which are out of sequence for the year of manufacture (was owned by BMW for a year as a Press demonstrator car).

Any ideas other than a carefully aimed hammer through the window?

Thanks in advance.

you may need to go to a local BMW shop

Was the repair covered under warranty?

Took it to the main dealer in the end.

No idea how they managed to get into the vehicle in the end but they need to order some secret magic bits from germany to get in.

They admitted that the mechanical door lock actuators are flimsey and not meant to be used except in an emergency if your remote key fails.

So make sure you always have a spare remote unit and never rely on the mechanical key until you get round to (or can afford!) to get a replacement remote key/fob.

Have now sold the BMW 330D and crossed to the dark (three pointed star) side which so far has been utterly reliable and solid but not as exciting and fun as the 330D to drive/own. The whole experience just turned me so anti the brand.

So saying goodbye for the time until I get another mid life crisis and think about BMWs (and my memory has faded about hideously expensive door keys and cheapo crappy door locks! I assume the "engineer" who designed the door locks has been fired! Why ruin a perfectly good car with cheap penny pinching stupid cost down bean counter mentality!)

Mine turned out to be a $700 warranty fix. The actuator and another part broke, causing both the inside and outside handles to not work.

The E46 has a break away plastic pin that is designed to shear off in the event someone is too rough with the key switch (like a car thief with a screw driver). Just had that same thing in the shop yesterday.

Well at least that is a plausible explanation - thanks.
 

Well I guess that is a plausible explanation to why the door locks are so utterly flimsey. Never used a screw driver or force on mine though. So I guess if you use the mechanical key more than say 20 times or so whilst you are waiting for a hideously expensive new key to be shipped from Germany you are asking for trouble and it will probably fail on you (plastic fatigue).

So if you loose your key, don't even think about using the mechanical key as you will probably end up locking yourself out of your car when inevitably the door lock plastic pin shears off after about 20 lock/unlock cycles.

Remember that the new replacement key CAN'T be used until it has been initialised by inserting it into the ignition key (which means the car must be open beforehand). Catch 22!

Hope this advice prevents others from suffering the misery of an expensive lockout from your pride and joy. Kiss goodbye to at least £750 for loosing a key plus 5 weeks waiting for a new key and magic bits with your car off the road locked out.

Car needs to be picked up on a crane and taken to the main dealer to gain entry and have the new (hideously!!!!) expensive key initialised.

Still annoyed about the whole miserable experience ... Not helped by the engine misfire which took 3 months to figure out (after new injectors, fuel filters, turbo inspection, etc etc) (turned out to be a corroded cheap connector on the fuel injection system going ohmic) ... but still think BMWs are great cars to drive when they are tickety-boo. Cognitive dissonance or what!