Changing door locks/spinning lock cylinder

[Ferris]

Problem: the lock spins 320 degrees before unlocking or locking. -or- you just want to replace the door locks.

Solution: Well unfortunately the door handle/lock is sold as a single unit you can't buy invidual pieces. Basically there is a little t on bottom of the lock that is held in place by a spring and two ball bearings and maybe a little lip. Over time the T falls out, if you can find it and the two balls and spring you can reassemble if you can't you have to replace the lock. PS I'm willing donate my old lock if someone want to make a replacement T, I can't give you the T as it's long gone.

How-to:

1) Remove the door panel. Covered a million times before, but as you know I never disconnect the airbag I just bolt it somewhere out of my way. Do what you think is reasonable or safe, don't be a ferris.

2)Next open the door and you'll see a rectangular black plug remove it with a smalll screw driver. Remove the inner piece, then the outer or you can just remove the inner.

3)BMW specifies a tool for this, unfortunately the space is tight so I couldn't get many good pictures, but there is a metal bar that is a slide for holding the plastic handle trim to the door. I used a long screw driver and a hammer to bang the slider forward. If you look at the new lock it'll be obvious what you're looking, if anyone wants I'll take a shot of it on the old lock.

4)Once the slide is forward, the outer trim of the door handle should fall off or at least you should be able to pull swing it down.

5)Remove the retaining clip from the inside of door, see the picture. It pushes off.

6)Next disconnect the electrical connector on the lock, big yellow connector.

7)Now on the inside of the door is a white plastic clip that locks onto a bar coming from the lock, it goes into the door lock itself. Push the clip back toward the inside of the door, and it'll disengage from bar, then pull the bar out of clip.

8)On the outside of the door is a threaded retaining ring. Once again we need a special tool here. My special tool was a center punch and a hammer, see pictures. BE CAREFUL ONE SLIP AND YOU'LL HAVE A NASTY SCRATCH.

9)Remove ring and washer behind it. and wiggle the handle/lock through the opening in the door frame.

10)remove bar from lock and place on new lock

11)Put the lock back into the door. This part is a bitch because there is another lever that the lock has to fit into before you can pass it through the door skin. It took me 20 minutes to get it right, since you can't see it you have to do it all by feel.

Now just reverse everything. When pushing the slide that holds the outer plastic cover, bmw specifies a tool. I just used a hammer on the inside piece of the slide, just becareful. Also push the cover into the door as you slide the piece or you'll tear up the plastic when you lock the slide.

PS IGNORE THE HOBBIT FEET.
PSS Don't forget to reconnect the harness and lock lever to the white clip.
PSSS Test the door handle, lock, and auto up feature before reconnecting.

NO auto up? The connector is isn't connected
NO unlocking? The bar isn't in the white clip
NO Open the door? The handle isn't in the lever that takes 20 minutes to fit in.

[cngizbleevng]

Thanks for the write-up Ferris! I had that same problem fixed by the dealer under CPO warranty, but I wouldn't be surprised if it recurs at some point. I've bookmarked this thread.

[jetmn]

Thanks the for the write up! I have this problem on the pass. side door of my car. How much did the new assembly cost you? Any close up pics of where the T is missing?

[Ferris]

If you look at the picture of bottom of the two locks, the lower lock has a piece missing under the lock cylinder, that's where the T goes. IF you want I can snap another picture of it.

The new handle was 200 or so coded, from your vin, to your existing key. You can remove the lock cylinder but I wasn't able to find a part number for handle without the the cylinder to put it into.

[clintjg]

Good write up ... Frodo.

[Ferris]

Good write up ... Frodo.

Ok my precious....

[2kredz3]

Big toe

[cngizbleevng]

Good write up ... Frodo.

pretty funny, but if you're in the mood for humor, you gotta see this...

http://www.my350z.com/forum/showthread.php?t=208462

[mz.368]

nice write up, should be added to DIY sticky

[jac389psu]

Big toe

mmmMMMmmm FEETS!! please more pics!!

[Ferris]

mmmMMMmmm FEETS!! please more pics!!

Sick bastards, you know I have monkey feet. Perhaps next project I'll use my toes to turn the wrench and put on youtube. Friggin Marv Albert wanna be's

[limenuke]

Hey Guys! Sorry to resurrect this thread but it just came in handy for me, I think.

I'm not sure which pieces ferris was talking about...is it these guys (not the bit or the screw): http://i.imgur.com/xUqa1.jpg

If so, does it appear I'm missing any other parts?

[Ferris]

That looks like the T I was talking about, it's been a few years and I never did find the original. Look at the third picture you'll see the bottom of the lock, it should fit in there after you load the springs and balls(hahah balls).Did you try to put it together? I'd be interested to know if you can fix if you had all the parts.

[HEMIkiller]

Thanks for the fantastic write up; this is why I never use the key in the door locks. Recommend using the key in the trunk lock using the central locking system to unlock the doors; problem averted...

[limenuke]

I'm going to look in the bottom of my door for the spring and the balls but I highly doubt I'd find them. In fact...I might've actually seen them in the last few weeks but thought they weren't part of the car.

Do you have any idea how the mechanism works?

[sjdennis]

This just happened to my car today

Here are the part numbers:

51218401627 Left

51218401628 Right

$214.95 ea. at bavauto.com

I'm wondering if anyone has had any success fixing the old one assuming you can find the parts in the bottom of the door?

[Shoe Coupe]

I fixed the old one. I found the outside "T" inside the door. But there is also a big fat metal T inside the door lock that moves, along with a spring and a ball bearing.

In my situation, I had to machine a new T inside the door lock that fit in with the spring and ball bearing.

I had the entire thing re-welded shut. Good as new, the door lock now works perfect.

Though not soon after, I put the alarm in and now I never use the key. But its nice to know the car is whole.

[BenFenner]

Glad I saw this bumped! My driver side is doing it too, and I'll be attempting to fix it without buying a new handle assembly.

[saadkhan]

Does anyone know how to take the lock cylinder out of the assembly. I want to swap the lock cylinders between 2 assemblies. My original assembly had a broken metal arm hence I bought a new one. But I did not get keys with the new assembly therefore I am trying to swap the lock cylinders so that I can use my old keys on the new door handle. I am open to any other suggestions also.

[2rsq24]

And to add one more thing to this post in case any of you are still wrestling with this (I've had to do both my locks twice). If you lose that little spring, good luck finding one that small at a hardware store. My wife actually came up with the solution....use the spring that's inside those ballpoint pens (the ones you have to click to retract the point). Skinnier the pen, skinnier the spring. The one I used was actually still a hair too big, but a slight ream of the hole in that block and it fit perfectly.

[tedt]

I found the spring and T-clip in the bottom of the door, but not the balls. Does anybody know what size these are? I could probably use a couple of bicycle ball bearings, maybe? I don't see what would hold the T-clip to the bottom of the lock. Could I glue it with some Weld cement or something? What a dumb design. Do you think I can manage to glue it without removing the lock? I can get my hands in to stick the spring into the hole, but it looks like there is a lot of tension on the clip. Maybe I can vice-grip it in place and cement it. Do both balls go in BEFORE the spring??

[02325]

BUMP this thread back up.

working on a friends 01 Z3M. I removed the door lock tonite. I have the "T" and a small spring roughly 1/4 long. the ball bearings are still in the handle. I am wondering where this spring goes. Does anyone have pics they can post to show a reassembly? I want to rebuild this instead of spending money on a new one. Car only has 10,8xx miles. I am fixing the nick picky items for him.

I can post pics of items if need be.

Thanks in advance.

[Red Mallet 6]

So by my reading here there's no need to mess with the window glass at all, right? Both of my outer door handles only work intermittently at this point. It's looking like I need to replace both of them. And fix the window sliders at the same time.

[Vintage42]

So by my reading here there's no need to mess with the window glass at all, right? ... I need to replace... the window sliders at the same time.

Yes, you can replace the sliders without removing the window glass. The first link is the best...
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...placement-DONE!
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...4#post16461924
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh...1#post14414021

[magooZ3]

Ferris, Thanks for the information Buddy.

This answered a lot of questions.

A little tricky installation but got it done.