This could be a tough one: '01 325 convertible - glove box door lock, trunk release,

[jpilk99]

Hi all,

I chased this issue a few months ago ...and kinda gave up. There were so many complexities and inter-dependencies that I was getting wrapped around the axle. Would like to see if anyone else has had this issue and maybe has some Step by Step process.

In short: I can't open the trunk of my car in any way other than physically putting the key in the trunk lock and turning. Can't use the rubbery button just above the rear license plate, nor the button by the hood release lever, nor the button on the key. Nada. Bupkiss.

Both the trunk lock and the glovebox door lock are both stuck horizontally; (valet mode?). Can't set them to vertical. I believe then I had the car to a BMW dealer for something else, I brought up this issue and they're only "quick fix" was to jury rig the glovebox door handle so that it would open & close. I believe they took the electrical components out of it.

I also have/had the issue with the wires breaking in the harness at the trunk lid itself; from the body up into the trunk lid. I slit open the rubber sleeve and found that some wires had broken and been repaired. This may be my primary area of focus - I should basically take the harness out completely and repair ...completely. DOES ANYONE HAVE A DIY FOR THIS WIRING HARNESS REMOVAL?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Jay

[MarcoZandrini]

Go to E46Fanatics to learn about the “elephant trunk” repair. It’s very common in the E46.

[All2kool]

Not sure why you can't change the lock position but I may have an idea: When I first got my Cabriolet, the Glove Box would only open with the key, regardless of lock position. It also would not lock electronically when the top was down. A post on another forum indicated that a loose lock will cause the 'opens only with a key' syndrome. I discovered that both Phillips screws holding the lock in place were very loose and once tightened, the lock worked again but not electronically. Fast forward a year or two and I have to replace the FSR - which requires removal of the GB. Upon inspection of the GB lock, I found that one of the two wires for the lock had become disconnected. I soldered it back in place and the GB has been working as designed ever since.

[Critter7r]

Valet mode'ing the trunk lock disables the electronic methods of opening the trunk. In valet mode, the only way to open the trunk is with the physical key. It sounds like it's working as it's supposed to. (except the part where you can't turn the trunk lock to vertical)

[jpilk99]

Not sure why you can't change the lock position but I may have an idea: When I first got my Cabriolet, the Glove Box would only open with the key, regardless of lock position. It also would not lock electronically when the top was down. A post on another forum indicated that a loose lock will cause the 'opens only with a key' syndrome. I discovered that both Phillips screws holding the lock in place were very loose and once tightened, the lock worked again but not electronically. Fast forward a year or two and I have to replace the FSR - which requires removal of the GB. Upon inspection of the GB lock, I found that one of the two wires for the lock had become disconnected. I soldered it back in place and the GB has been working as designed ever since.

Thank you. Sounds similar to me and I'll check out the electronics of the lock; (i did check/tighten the phillips screws when I first chased this issue).

[jpilk99]

Go to E46Fanatics to learn about the “elephant trunk” repair. It’s very common in the E46.

Thank you!

[jpilk99]

Valet mode'ing the trunk lock disables the electronic methods of opening the trunk. In valet mode, the only way to open the trunk is with the physical key. It sounds like it's working as it's supposed to. (except the part where you can't turn the trunk lock to vertical)

Thank you.

[jpilk99]

Update:

I've inspected the Elephant Trunk and, while not pretty, all wires are in tact.

I started working to expose more of the trunk wiring harness and, (those little gray plastic tabs holding the gray cloth'like cover in place on the underside of the trunk lid are brutal!), didn't really find anything out of sorts. The lower end goes into the POS of the battery wiring. The upper end goes to the tail lights, etc. I see no breaks or damaged areas of the wiring.

Was hoping to inspect the large center rubber button, directly above license place, to see if there was something out of sorts, but, ...after taking the 4 screws out I can't remove the plastic cover with the license plate lights, rubber button, etc. in it. Maybe I just need to give it a 'yank' but where it's 25 degrees out, I could see snapping it.

Pretty challenging, (frustrating), issue. Only real solution I can see if bringing it to BMW and I can bet it will be around $1,000 to remedy. I appreciate all the wonderful things my BMWs can do, but, these intricate/complex - mutli dependent controls are ...kinda maddening. Oh well.

Again, if anyone has run into similar and has any ideas, please let me know. Thanks,

Jay

[jpilk99]

Valet mode'ing the trunk lock disables the electronic methods of opening the trunk. In valet mode, the only way to open the trunk is with the physical key. It sounds like it's working as it's supposed to. (except the part where you can't turn the trunk lock to vertical)

I spent a couple hours working on this and am coming to the conclusion that my glove box lock/micro-switch is the likely culprit. I can't do anything to change the trunk lock from Valet mode. When I dug into glovebox I found that the BMW dealer had removed "the guts" of the electricals, (motor, micro-switch, etc.) just so we could even open the glove box door. I tried monkeying with the wiring harness in the glove box to try and "trick it" into thinking the glove box was not in valet mode, but, ...no dice.

For what it's worth, I'd be fine with not being able to lock the glovebox. I just want the ability to get open/close/lock the trunk without having to physically use the key every time.

So, I am considering ordering a new glovebox lock setup and wondering how I get the correct tumbler in there so it all works with my key(s). RealOEM shows:

04	Glove box lock upper part		1	08/2000		51167020044	$102.53
05	Glove box lock lower part		1			51168262566	$54.73

[Critter7r]

If you can't turn the trunk lock cylinder to vertical and remove the key, I don't think that problem is caused by anything in the glove box. I'm not super-well-versed in convertibles, but the non-convertibles commonly have trunk lock cylinders that seize from disuse, and just need a healthy dose of elbow grease (and actual grease spray) to un-seize them.

[jpilk99]

If you can't turn the trunk lock cylinder to vertical and remove the key, I don't think that problem is caused by anything in the glove box. I'm not super-well-versed in convertibles, but the non-convertibles commonly have trunk lock cylinders that seize from disuse, and just need a healthy dose of elbow grease (and actual grease spray) to un-seize them.

Thanks Critter. But, the more I read the more I know there is a direct correlation between the glove box lock and the trunk lock. Only in convertibles does this exist. And when I took out that gray, cloth-like, cover to the underside of the trunk lid and looked at the back of the trunk lock cylinder, I am 97.5% certain that it was not turning due to any corrosion or disuse; (however, very good point - I will try this, with some PB Blaster, and eliminate from consideration). There is a physical impediment that does not allow the lock cylinder to go vertical.

Argh, these BMWs sometimes

[Critter7r]

I only mention this because I've been working at BMW dealers for 25 years and I think I follow how they think (and I'm bored at work, lol) ... I know that the button in the glove box prevents the trunk from being opened electrically, but it doesn't seem to make any sense for the car to physically block the lock cylinder from turning with the key, because one could simply use that same key to unlock the glove box and push the button that makes electrically opening the trunk possible. And since the valet key opens neither the glovebox nor the trunk, there's no danger of being able to open one but not the other with the valet key.

But like I said, I'm not super familiar with the convertibles, and I know that the logic behind the valet key and trunk locking stuff is different with them.

[Critter7r]

lol at "97.5% certain".

[jpilk99]

I only mention this because I've been working at BMW dealers for 25 years and I think I follow how they think (and I'm bored at work, lol) ... I know that the button in the glove box prevents the trunk from being opened electrically, but it doesn't seem to make any sense for the car to physically block the lock cylinder from turning with the key, because one could simply use that same key to unlock the glove box and push the button that makes electrically opening the trunk possible. And since the valet key opens neither the glovebox nor the trunk, there's no danger of being able to open one but not the other with the valet key.

But like I said, I'm not super familiar with the convertibles, and I know that the logic behind the valet key and trunk locking stuff is different with them.

Thanks so much for ...noodle'ing on this with me. Hopefully, "we" can figure it out.

To be clear: I can't turn the trunk lock cylinder to the left to try and get it to a vertical position in which it will stay. I CAN turn the key to the right, which ultimately gets to vertical ...which then actuates the opening of the trunk - but then it goes right back to horizontal.

Also, my car does not have a "trunk" button inside the glove box; it's down next to the hood release lever by the driver's left leg.

[Critter7r]

Oh. I thought that convertibles had a trunk "lock-out" button in the glove box that disabled electric methods of opening the trunk. That way, you could lock the glove box, leave the top open and not have to worry about someone comin by, reaching in, and pressing that button down by the hood release to open the trunk.

[jpilk99]

Oh. I thought that convertibles had a trunk "lock-out" button in the glove box that disabled electric methods of opening the trunk. That way, you could lock the glove box, leave the top open and not have to worry about someone comin by, reaching in, and pressing that button down by the hood release to open the trunk.

I got another glove box lock assembly out of a similar car at the junkyard and about to swap it in to see what happens. I notice the lock on this "new" handle assembly is vertical!!! Maybe connecting it will pull the car out of Valet mode.

Also, beginning to think I may have an actuator problem. May start digging into that.

Also going to recheck the fuses. I believe I'm going to check 49, 52, 58, 60. Should I be checking any others?

Thank you,

Jay

[jpilk99]

Driving me outta my brains how wonderfully complex these BMWs are...

I put in the "new" GB door lock, from the donor car at junk yard. Has all the electricals in it and is NOT in horizontal valet mode. Installed it ... Did not hear anything click or anything. No change to trunk lock - can't get out of valet mode.
Checked my fuses again, noted above, and all were good - except there was no 7.5 in slot 58 ...so I added one. And that set off a series of what I can only describe as "clucking" sounds. No real pattern, other than 4 in a row. I disconnected the battery. Went back, finished checking the fuses and reconnected battery. Same clucking. Then after hitting to lock, unlock button on the key - and hearing a sound each time I hit the button - I then went to start the car to try and stop the noise and it turned into rapid fire clucking. Here's the sound, initially, when it was 4 chirps in a row: https://youtu.be/VPU1cPik1uw

Started the car, noise stopped. Central locking no longer works. Trunk still in valet mode (can open with key but nothing else). Can someone please drive to my house and wallop me in the face so I can feel better. What the heck... (Waaaaaaaaaaanh).

[jpilk99]

Quick update that I brought the car to a really good independent mechanic and he tried to connect & diagnose what might be going on with the GM 5. He could not connect. Just for kicks, I took out the original GM 5 and put in the one I got from the donor 2005 325 convertible and he could not connect to that either.

So I called a national parts used parts company (Potomac German Auto / LKQ) and they did not have any GM 5s. Called a local, large, used parts company (Nationwide) and they had one with virtually the same part number, 6907663 and also 101 809 HW1.1 and SW1.6. Put that in, same - no work.

Wondering, (crazily), if the glove box lock I put in from the other car is somehow screwing everything up. Can't image it is, but, I'm about to disconnect that and re-try. If not, that's 4, FOUR, GM 5s that are all bad???? I find that difficult to believe. Maybe something wrong with the wiring harness behind the GM 5??? I wish I had another E46 around to put my GM 5 into to see what happens.

Any ideas are gladly appreciated.

Jay

[jpilk99]

Quick update (I'm stupid at times). I was missing a fuse!!!! Duh. Everything functioning the way it was was (still trunk stuck in valet mode) but GM 5 working as it should.

Thanks/sorry!

Jay

[jpilk99]

And the moron has surfaced once again! It was the trunk latch actuator the whole time. ( https://media.giphy.com/media/3o84sv...wPza/giphy.gif ).

Shoulda checked that first!!!!! Now all three buttons work. Yay.

Thank you to everyone who ...spent time watching me chase my tail. What's the definition of Occams Razor: The simplest answer to a problem is often the correct one... DUH!