1996 840Ci drivers door won't lock?

[p3nny96]

After finally getting my drivers door to open from the outside handle 100% of the time, (this was due to the mechanical mechanism inside the door being seized a little) I ran into the problem of locking the car but being able to open the drivers door still. What happens is that both doors lock (pins both retract) and I am unable to open the passenger door from the outside, but when I open the drivers side door it unlocks and sets the alarm off? Any suggestions as to what this problem may be? I currently have the head off of the engine and am giving the whole thing a bit of a recondition and would prefer to have an idea of what i'm looking for before i dismantle the door again. Thanks for any help.

Also another problem is the remote locking/unlocking doesn't work and hasn't since i've owed the car. I replaced the battery and followed the initialization process to a T but to no avail. Should I call BMW and order a new key? Any ideas on the cost? Thanks!

[sleepy81]

Could possibly be same problem I had. http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...ile-it-s-armed

[FRIENDLYMONKEY]

Does it lock when you use the key? If not when you disassemble the door, you'll notice a mechanical/electrical component (I have no idea of the name) which sits in the upper rear of the door below the door handle, it has mechanical cable connections from the door handle and electronic connections in the botton from the cars computer.

This is most likely your issue, as was with my car - passenger door lock didnt work.
Feel free to send me a private message and I will try to assist as best as I can with images if I can find any from when I did it.

Note, it is crucial you mark which cables go where - if you plug them in wrong (As they have the same connections) your problem will persist and you will have waisted your money, as I experienced but fixed 10 minutes later by swapping cables around repeatedly till I got them linked up correctly)

[cartoonz]

When you were in the door, you failed to install the little connector rod into the right place. Common error, we've all done it... Your remote problem is a different matter, you need to synch the remote to the system.

You'll likely find that your handle is fractured too, a really common failure that actually is responsible for your initial handle troubles. Get the fix from member Hyper. 10:1 odds are this is the real problem, even though it seems to work now after messing with it.

[Gneugneu]

When you were in the door, you failed to install the little connector rod into the right place. Common error, we've all done it... Your remote problem is a different matter, you need to synch the remote to the system.

Hi ,i have exactly the same problem ...i lock all ...the car looks closed but i can open the driver's door.. and the passenger 's door is still closed
what do you mean "little connector rod at the right place?

Thanks for answers

[Hyper]

Lock bar goes into the fork (mostly hidden in this pic).
Not above.
Not below (this condition shown)

[killian665]

Mine does the exact same thing. I can lock the car with the key or remote and the lock actuates but I can grab the handle and just open it.

[killian665]

Okay so I’m pretty sure that’s my issue. My door handle has been repaired with that brass kit before I bought it. How do I go about correcting this? Do I have to remove the door latch and handle or just one of the 2?

[cartoonz]

11aa.jpg
You have to reinstall the HANDLE to fix this. Don't mess with the latch.
Common mistake reassembling the door handle into the car.
That arm pulls down the fork to set the lock in the latch. Obviously, it will act like it works this way but never actually lock - this is why you can just open the door from the outside even when it looks locked.

bmwhandlerodcylbar1.jpg

[killian665]

Awesome man I appreciate it.

[Ted G 850]

So I messed this up when I installed the Hyper handle fix...

Could this explain why I can't disable the alarm by unlocking the door with the key..?

Talked to local dealer - said if you can unlock car with the key the alarm will deactivate.

I'm sorry to pester the group with these questions but I have a car that's otherwise good stuck 25 miles from my driveway unable to move.

[chicosito]

This happened to my car a couple of years ago when the oil shop messed with the door handle. When I would lock the drivers door, it would still open with the door lock. I used this thread to fix my issue a couple months ago and problem solved by aligning the lock bar in between the fork shown in the pictures above. Not below and not above as mentioned. It took me a good 45 min. Removed the door card and a few bolts from the handle. The hardest part was peeking into the handle from the outside of the car to align the lock bar into the fork.

[Ted G 850]

Thanks - I'm tackling this tomorrow

I'll be glad if I'm done in 45 minutes

[Ted G 850]

Got this taken care of yesterday

I had the luxury of a 2nd set of eyes - my brother in law which made the alignment so much easier.

He was outside with a clear view of the bar / fork. I was on the other side and he directed my movement of the handle until bar and fork were in place.