E46 Drivers side outer door latch doesn't work
 

Help! I have a 330 ci with a drivers side door latch (outside) that will not open the door. Only has 36k miles, so I'm not sure why it won't work. Anyone have any quick fixes or recommendations?? Thanks

Have you tried some kind of oil or does it seem like the linkage is broken completely?

E46 Door Handle problem
 

Thanks. It just started tonight going to dinner with a client-embarrasing that I could not open my own door! Handle on outside moves fine, it just not do anything, so I'm not sure oil would cure. Would popping the panel off solve anyhting, or is this a dealer thing? Thanks again.

That sounds to me that the linkage has broken and the dealer needs to have a look

E46 Door Handle problem
 

Thanks for your help...appreciate it!

hi, open the door using inside handle, remove rubber grommet above catch, flick over catch to duplicate door in closed position, slacken 4mm allen bolt and move bolt head either up or down and then retighten bolt, (a ball ended allen key makes this possible), then WITHOUT SHUTTING THE DOOR, try the outside handle, if the catch releases.......end of story.........., if not then just slacken allen bolt again and this time move it the other way and catch will release, done this with mine and worked a treat.

Hi Brian, I've got the same problem - only the interior handle doesn't open the door either.

Any thoughts? Because the door is shut, I can't even take the trim off!

Many thanks, Steve

Sorry, I should have said that I have a '96 728.

If you can open the door from the outside at least then do that. Afterwards pull the pannel and check the linkage. Most likely a clip broke, should be an easy fix.

Same for the outer door handle if just adjusting otherwise doesn't work.

That's the just the problem - neither the inside nor the outside handles work so the door is stuck shut. To make matters worse, the trim actually wraps around the edge of the door so cannot be removed without the door being open.

Have you tried disconnecting battery? It sounds to me (this is a long-shot) but it sounds like the security lock is on preventing handles from opening.:dunno like I said this is a long shot

^^ I second that.

hm odd.
i know my passenger door doesnt open from the outside.

I opend it up and the linkage was broken. Its just a plastic clip. It seems to me the echanism from the inside of the door would be unlikely to just go out. Its pretty straight forward with just a metal wire pulling on the lock its self.

unlike the exterior lock mechanism which has a bunch ofnuts and bolts to it.

so..i third that^

Any luck on either of your doors?

Steve - it's quite possible (quite difficult, but there is a probability) that you could open the door using a slim-jim type setup. look through realoem.com for the exploded view of your door, and assemble something to pull the rod that is usually pulled by the inner door handle to open the door. Just be careful, there's always the possability of making things worse/creating new issues blindly fishing around inside the door.

I've had this problem twice on my 330Ci. Both times I let the dealer fix it since it's still under warranty. The "cause" in both cases was this. Someone trying to open the door while it was locked using nothing more then normal force. The remote only unlocks the driver's door if you only hit it once.