Car dead bolted, cannot open doors. HELP!!!

[Carl Kunz]

I have a 89 535i I restored. I have been having problems as of late that when I start my car my computer, stereo, wipers, door window & locks, and sun roof are dead. So I first replaced the ignition switch with no luck. I then replaced the relay module from a doner car (1995 525i) with no luck, I then swaped general modules and still no luck but now I am completely super locked out of my car. As it turns out the newer general module is incompatible with my 89 and has forced my locks into super lock down mode with no way to open the doors. None of the tricks for opening the door because of a dead battery work and I have no idea how to get into my car. Can anybody help????

Thx CK

[AHenry014]

yikes. its called "double lock" if you want to do some searching around. otherwise i cant help you man. in my e32 there was a module under the back seat that if you hit the bottom of the car just right with a rubber mallet the doors would unlock. it was a crash sensor module

[TSMacNeil]

If you want in without breaking anything you need to get 12 onto the car. You can go into a tail light and get on the wires there with a battery charger and some clip leads. Other guys have used the license plate lights too. Important to get on the correct wires.

[AHenry014]

also can put 12v into the main starter/alternator wire. goes straight to the battery.

[TSMacNeil]

He can't open the hood

[Layne]

That isn't going to help. The battery is not dead.

I'm at a loss on this one. Maybe shogun knows a secret.

[atlfokus]

You can pop the hood with a clothing hangar IIRC. A bit to the right of the right kidney

[zubbie]

I think the issue is that even with the hood open ( see here (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1210934) ) the locks won't function because of the changed general module.

You may need to get someone with a slim jim to pop the locks. If you have to smash some glass do one of the front doors as they are cheaper to replace than a rear triangle

Your original issue may be ralated to a failing fusible link. http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Electrical/Fusible_link.htm

[Layne]

Double locking cannot be defeated with a slim jim (that's the entire point of it). It can only be unlocked electrically or destructively.

[camaroguy]

I think the issue is that even with the hood open ( see here (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1210934) ) the locks won't function because of the changed general module.

You may need to get someone with a slim jim to pop the locks. If you have to smash some glass do one of the front doors as they are cheaper to replace than a rear triangle

Your original issue may be ralated to a failing fusible link. http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Maintenance/Electrical/Fusible_link.htm

You would have to break a larger window because you would have to actually crawl through it to change out the GM before you can unlock the doors. Pulling up on the pins wont do it if the car is double-locked anyway.

Edit: if you have a ski pass through, you can send a small child through it and instruct them on what to do to get that GM out of the car. (assuming there is no other trick to this.


If you want in without breaking anything you need to get 12 onto the car. You can go into a tail light and get on the wires there with a battery charger and some clip leads. Other guys have used the license plate lights too. Important to get on the correct wires.

If the battery "was" dead, I don't know how this would work. If the lights aren't on, there is nothing completing this circuit and thus applying power would do nothing.

I have successfully opened the trunk and used one of the trunk light sockets in the past though :)

[Meeve]

Even if you do break a window, you can't open the doors from the inside either. Looks to me like your in deep trouble. Wouldn't know how to enter mine if this happened. I guess your best bet is to swap your module back to the old one that was working fine with the locks. Hood can be opened from outside.

1st open hood
2nd ?????
3rd success.


Btw, doesnt your key still open the trunk? You can get a thin person into the ski pass.

[TSMacNeil]

I misread the problem. I though he has a dead battery. I know the e28 can be energized via a taillight enough to open a door with a dead battery- I think the e24 can. But now I see I misread this. If this is a mismatched control module, I think you need to pop a window.

Even then, you may have to start pulling modules to defeat the central locking system

[M Quick]

Okay, so, the first problem with the wipers and windows not working etc is probably one of the fuses under the rear seat. A 30Amp IIRC.

As for the double locked doors, have you tryed holding up the handle at an angle while unlocking the door with the key at the same time? If that doesn't work try having the handle at different positions while trying to unlock the car. Somtimes you have to have the handle all the way up (in my experience) while unlocking with the key at the same time.

Incompatible GM? Never heard of that though..

[camaroguy]

I misread the problem. I though he has a dead battery. I know the e28 can be energized via a taillight enough to open a door with a dead battery- I think the e24 can. But now I see I misread this. If this is a mismatched control module, I think you need to pop a window.

Even then, you may have to start pulling modules to defeat the central locking system

This is very interesting to me. Is the lighting on the e28 switched on the ground side? This could work if it was, because you could apply power to the socket which presumably would be connected directly to the battery, and then ground to the body somewhere (since the ground in the socket would have to be switched in this case).

I don't see how it could work otherwise though, that would mean your lights were always on, essentially.

It could work if the reason your battery was dead was because you left your lights on though :)

Sorry for the slight threadjack, its just an interesting question I had.

[eightynine535]

I thought the double locked front doors could be "overidden" with the main key manually?
Am I wrong?

[Meeve]

I thought the double locked front doors could be "overidden" with the main key manually?
Am I wrong?

you guys are damn right. i forgt about that LOL

Men, turn your key to the max as if you wanted to unlock, hold it there, pull handle and keep, turn MORE and it should unlock.

[camaroguy]

you guys are damn right. i forgt about that LOL

Men, turn your key to the max as if you wanted to unlock, hold it there, pull handle and keep, turn MORE and it should unlock.

I assumed he tried this already. Sometimes it doesnt work. Yes, try this.

[TSMacNeil]

I assumed he tried this too...and was defeated by the incorrect modules he has place in the system.

For Camaroguy, I personally have not had to test this tail light trick, a few of my friends over at mye28 have apparently done it. I'll look at the ETM for the car later and confirm the circuity.

[Layne]

For Camaroguy, I personally have not had to test this tail light trick, a few of my friends over at mye28 have apparently done it. I'll look at the ETM for the car later and confirm the circuity.

It won't work. They were probably just talking about the trunk light and you misunderstood. Unless it is in fact dead because you left the lights on.

[M Quick]

You need to hold up the handle while unlocking at the same time. As I said earlier!

[Bluesman]

Some times when lifting the door handle and turning the key you have to keep trying and lifting and turning cause these are old cars and it will work if you keep trying,happened to me and I tried and tried,gave up came back hours later,tried for awhile doing the same thing and bam it unlocked.

[M Quick]

That's because you have to have it at an angle and not all the way up, think halfway.

[Synesthesia]

Oh yes did that same procedure. Thought I was going to break the key. Use a little force and try to use two hand to turn the key while keeping the handle up.

[IT Jedi]

The emergency unlock when the battery is dead and all doors are double-locked has only worked for me on the front passenger door.

When I was sorting out my battery discharge problems, I've had to do this a lot.



1. Insert the master key into the front right door.
2. Pull up the door handle.
3. Turn the key counterclockwise to emergency unlock position 1.
4. Open the door.
5. Close doors and turn the right front door lock to the synchronize position 5.
http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/Data/Lock.gif

Remember to synchronize after your done.

[AHenry014]

doh. forgot about that. had to do that on my e32 LOTS of times before i sold it.

[Carl Kunz]

Thanks man the fusible link was the original problem. Will have to see if that fix's the lock problem.