Door won't open from outside

[kitty]

So my door has gotten harder to open. When I first got the car, I'd have to push on the door a little to open it. Like I'd push in with my knee while lifting the handle. Now it won't release at all from the outside. Anyone else had issues with this? I wasn't sure if it was common. If I open it from the inside there isn't any issues. But my guess is the latch on the handle itself went bad. Anyone replaced this? Any advice?

[er1k325]

possibly broken door handle from the inside, that's how mine was when i bought my car. its a very annoying part to replace

[pacethis]

Could be a minor adjustment necessary, stop by a good body shop and ask...

[m3leistung]

You first need to take off your inner door panel and check to see if the handle is actually broken.

I was in the same boat a few weeks ago. My outside driver door handle, since I first got the car, was always a little hard to open, and it got progressively harder to open until it wouldn't open at all. But the inside door handle worked perfectly. I took off the inside door panel to see what was wrong, and the door handle assembly was broken.

I got a used door handle assembly from the same year e36 (the design changed for the later year e36's) and installed it. The job was a pain to do just because you have to partially remove the window.

You take out the inside door panel, disconnect the window regulator, disconnect the rear part of the window at its base, lift the window assembly up, remove out side door handle trim, disconnect the door handle and fish it out from the inside (bentley manual says you have to completely remove the window, but you don't have to remove it completely). Then you have to remove the lock cylinder from your current door handle and put it into the new handle. Then put it all back together.

I mainly looked at the Bentley manual, but here's a link to what I used as a rough guide: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=709257
^(this guy had a different year door handle so he had more trouble replacing all the lock tumblers individually)

I recommend getting a used door handle and making sure it is the correct year (and body style) and try to get one with a key (so it is easier to change out the lock cylinder--I had to pick the lock on the one I got because it didn't come with a key).

Hers's a reference picture of the part you need (Number 1):
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/d/w/56.png

I checked local junkyards for a usable replacement door handle--no luck--and had to order one from a bmw salvager--some of them will sell you a handle without a key, so make sure and ask.

Hope this rough guide helps and good luck on getting this fixed.

[Snakery]

Mine does this only when the door has been in the hot sun for Multiple hours. I have to push in with my knee while i pull the handle gently.

Wondering what part is flexing or not flexing due to the heat.

[hasema]

try wd40 on the latch where the door meets the frame first. It can't hurt, if it is that then you just have to adjust the torx screws on the latch to make it a little looser.

[mipktb]

try wd40 on the latch where the door meets the frame first. It can't hurt, if it is that then you just have to adjust the torx screws on the latch to make it a little looser.

This.

I go through and WD all of the little mechanisms in my car every month or two, keeps these things from happening.

Also, no squeals and squeaks when opening doors, trunk, the hood, etc. Feels new again.

[das borgen]

try wd40 on the latch where the door meets the frame first. It can't hurt, if it is that then you just have to adjust the torx screws on the latch to make it a little looser.

my car was doing what you describe OP until U sprayed WD-40 in there............the outside handle could only open when I applied pressure on the door (toward closing)....

since then, I regreased with silicone grease my latched and door guide and sunroof tracks

slides like a well-lubed hooker now

[Streck]

So does anyone know what the name of this part is? No lube can help me. It's the one circled in red. Broke on both doors now. It's a cheap piece of metal, thanks BMW for this.

I don't want to take it to a shop, please does anyone know where I can find this?

[M3amazesme]

go over to the parts section and pick one up off a junk car. That's what I had to do. Good Luck!

[Andryuha]

I had both of my door handles break on the same day. When I took everything apart, I was amazed to discover that BMW would use such a weak metal for a door handle. Kias have better door handle designs than this POS.

So does anyone know what the name of this part is? No lube can help me. It's the one circled in red. Broke on both doors now. It's a cheap piece of metal, thanks BMW for this.

I don't want to take it to a shop, please does anyone know where I can find this?

ummm that piece is a part of a door handle and it does not detach..... You need a whole door handle assembly. Personally, I went with a brand new piece because the ones you get at the salvage yard are old and will inevitably break as well in short order.

You also don't really need a key and you can use newer model door handles. The only problem is the fact that you will need to remove the lock cylinder and swap the little metal wafers from your old lock cylinder to the new one. It may seem complicated, but it's actually a pretty easy and quick job as long as you keep everything organized. I did mine in about 15 minutes.

[M3 Pete]

I know this is an old thread, but I'm having the same issue. Door was hard to open from the outside, especially in hot weather. Lubed up latch and it helped ... for a while. Lubed it again but even while pushing on the door it will barely open. It keeps getting worse, so it should only be a matter of time before it won't open at all. Opens fine from the inside, so it's the outside mechanism, not the latch. If the latch needed adjustment it would be hard to open from both side.

Outside door handles are no longer flush, so it seems like something is bent or stretched. Does anybody know if there is a part that I can fix, short of replacing the whole handle mechanism?

IMG_7647.JPG IMG_7649.JPG

[JasonGM3]

Mine did this too, ended up being a small brokeb piece of aluminum in the arm. I ended up buying the whole assembly on sale from fcp euro


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[M3 Pete]

Did you use the new key or could you swap out the lock cylinder?

[JasonGM3]

Swapped out the lock cylinder using a video on youtube


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[rick29690]

I know this is an old thread, but we are starting to experience this "door not opening" with outside handle on our '96 Z3 left door, but only in the hot summer months. When in the shop the other day for an unrelated problem, I asked the mechanic and was told it is the "cable must be stretched". Does the cable not just link the inner handle to the latch mechanism? So, I'm guessing my problem is what is outlined above and not the cable.

[jayjaya29]

I know this is an old thread, but we are starting to experience this "door not opening" with outside handle on our '96 Z3 left door, but only in the hot summer months. When in the shop the other day for an unrelated problem, I asked the mechanic and was told it is the "cable must be stretched". Does the cable not just link the inner handle to the latch mechanism? So, I'm guessing my problem is what is outlined above and not the cable.

There is no cable to stretch for the outside handle to not work. The issue you're having is the one described in this thread, the cast aluminum frame of the door handle is cracked. It gets worse when the door gets hot from the sun.

[blckstrm]

I know this is an old thread, but we are starting to experience this "door not opening" with outside handle on our '96 Z3 left door, but only in the hot summer months. When in the shop the other day for an unrelated problem, I asked the mechanic and was told it is the "cable must be stretched". Does the cable not just link the inner handle to the latch mechanism? So, I'm guessing my problem is what is outlined above and not the cable.

This isn't a terrible repair - if you plan on keeping the car for any length of time just get a new handle, pull the tumbler out, and plug your original tumbler in when you install it.

There seems to be two failure modes for this - what you're experiencing, and an outright failure. Mine just snapped one day without warning.

In any case, its fairly straight forward. Make sure you reconnect the lock and both the inside and outside handles when you button it back up or you'll be disassembling it again in short order just for fun (not fun).