I have a 1999 528i with a bad actuator to unlock the passenger door. The door is currently locked and I have tried everything I can to unlock the door. I need to get the door opened in order to replace the lock actuator. Any help would be appreciated.

So pulling on the door handle from the inside doesn't work either?? I thought the cable behind this door handle directly linksto the unlock mechanism bypassing the actuator, maybe I'm making this up. I am not sure though - didn't look closely enough the last time I took the door panel off. Good luck.

In my car the first pull unlocks the door, and the second one opens it.

In my car the first pull unlocks the door, and the second one opens it.As with all.

The door is double locked from using the key fob remote. I talked to the dealership and they said you had to take the panel off with the door closed. i asked them about a slim-jim or some alternative method. They said NO, have to remove the interior door panel. Has anyone else had this problem? When you pull the inside handle, the button pops up, but does not unlock the door (even after 25 pulls). The outside handle does nothing when pulled.

Any tips on removing the door panel while the door is closed?
call me at 602-595-1102 I am going to try to remove the panel today. Thanks in advance. Mike

The dealer doesn't know what he/she was talking about. The panel cannot be removed with the door closed. I have removed the door a few times myself and I am telling you it cannot be done. You need room to be able to pull the panel around the edges away from the door.

When you pulled on the handle from the inside, did it pop up the door latch? It should. If it did, did you try to push the door out with some force in case it's already unlocked but was just tight.

The door is double locked from using the key fob remote. I talked to the dealership and they said you had to take the panel off with the door closed. i asked them about a slim-jim or some alternative method. They said NO, have to remove the interior door panel. Has anyone else had this problem? When you pull the inside handle, the button pops up, but does not unlock the door (even after 25 pulls). The outside handle does nothing when pulled.

Any tips on removing the door panel while the door is closed?
call me at 602-595-1102 I am going to try to remove the panel today. Thanks in advance. MikeKey fob or not, if you simply use the key to open the driver door, it should disable the double lock allowing a door handle pull from the inside to open the door.

i can second the taking the panel off from the inside, its not going to happen.

take out the interior door handle, remove the cap, and remove the phillips screw. pull out the handle just a little bit, and rotate it to get access to the bowden cable. make sure the bowden cable sleeve is properly aligned with the door handle. if the vehilce is in double lock, press the central locking button to unlock the doors. if the tab doesnt pop up, pull the door handle and hold it, and then once the tab rises, use your other hand to hold it, then pull the door handle once more, and the door should open.

I had this happen to my rear passenger door. Yes, you can pull off the door panel while closed. It will take considerable force and you will break a few of the cheap 50 cent plastic fasteners but it can be done.

I had this happen to my rear passenger door. Yes, you can pull off the door panel while closed. It will take considerable force and you will break a few of the cheap 50 cent plastic fasteners but it can be done.
Break a few cheap fasteners?? You meant ALL of them. Then after all that how would he get to the last screw by the AC/heat port area? He has to break that part of the panel too, right? He might as well cut the panel in half.

174790

174791

Mookish,
Good procedure but the problem is the door cannot be unloccked so won't work.

Mookish,
Good procedure but the problem is the door cannot be unloccked so won't work.I know, but the dealer he spoke to seems to think that the panel can be taken off with the door closed. Step one kills that theory.

Dead at step one. How true.

Can you imagine doing all that from inside with the door closed?

I'm sitting in my car right now posting this from my crackberry and opening and closing the door and there is no way the panel is coming off with the door closed. For one, the vent area would need to be accessed, then there's also the area where the door latch is, that area is sealed by the pillar when the door closes. If your door is truly locked closed, the only option is to rip out the panel, fix the lock, and put a new panel back. That's all I see. I just don't see why unlocking the door with the key manually won't work.

Find a good car theif, maybe they'll figure out a way to get it open without damaging anything.

good suggestions all. The pssenger door does not have a key to perform the unlock function and the electric actuator is not working either.

Then you have only limited options. Call a few dealers and see if you get someone who has had this problem before and can help you. Take the inner handle apart and see if there is something in there that will allow you to release the double lock. Or rip the panel out (secure a replacement first) I'm sure BMW had to forsee this problem and that there is a way to get it open w/o damaging anything.

I'd let a local locksmith / towing company take a shot at "breaking in" to it before I'd destroy the door panel. You might end up having to, but I'd make that the method of last resort.

Just read from the BF where someone had the same issue and was able to resolve it by first opening the door lock with the key ->started the car ->then unlocked the door while the engine was running.

Give this a try if it's still not resolved yet. good luck.

I'd let a local locksmith / towing company take a shot at "breaking in" to it before I'd destroy the door panel. You might end up having to, but I'd make that the method of last resort.

Doors on these cars are like bank vaults. AAA un-lock manual indicates that towers are not to try opening a locked door on an E39. They advise calling a lock smith. However, I suspect the cost of a new panel (or salvage yard replacement) may be cheaper than calling in a locksmith. I once saw an experienced locksmith take over 2 hours to un-lock an E39. Ask them if they ever did any work on an E39?
I have taken door panels off without opening the door, but not on an E39. Usually have to peel it from the top and use a long screwdriver to destroy the clips. Sometimes you can get away with little or no damage or minimal flaws that doesn't show when the door is closed. I'm sure you could get it off but there will be damage (clips and screw holes Etc..) If you are planning on getting a new one anyway you may as well try to get the panel off with as little damage as possible and go from there. Good luck !

I went through this with my 99 528i too (rear right door) and if I had to do it all over again, I would have taken it strait to the dealer...I would also replace the other 3 actuators in the car BEFORE they break, so you don't go through this again with the other doors.
i can second the taking the panel off from the inside, its not going to happen.
yes, it can happen. I took mine to a body shop. Two of their employees (former BMW dealer employees) spent 8hrs each, but they got my door open.

I'd warned the shop owner that it wasn't going to be as easy as he thought (4 other shops had already refused to touch it). But he was cocky and said he could do it in 45min. At least he honored his price ($174) when I came to pick up the car a few days later. :cool

I tried to fix it myself, but didn't want to screw things up, so I took the car to Baron BMW in Kansas City and they fixed it. The dealer charged me 2 hours plus parts. I asked the service manager how they got it unlocked. He said they rolled down the window, got the top of the interior door panel loose and propped the panel away from the door with a wedge. They were able to use a screwdriver to unlock the latch mechanism. Once the door was unlocked, they removed the rest of the door panel and changed the actuator. The only damage was a minor scuff on the door panel that cannot be seen with the door closed. They did a great job and I recommend Baron BMW in KC.

Wow. A happy ending to a struggle and from a dealer no less.