Need help with dead battery= doors locked and cant open w/key

[ericsE30]

i am working on an E38 750li. the problem is that the battery died. when that happened the doors locked and now i cant open any doors with the key. i heard there was a way to get them open on the passenger side but this is the first time ive run into this problem so im stuck and i really want to get this car done.

if there is anyone that has had this problem please help me out.

[Sasa Ivanovic]

give me a sec I will look it up in my manual...

EDIT: okay I couldnt find my manual but try to turn the key to the lock position the turn it all the way back like your gona unlock the car... it should open I had this problem once but cant remember exactly... hope that helps

[CaptHerb]

Passenger door, turn to unlock and then another 1/4 turn.

[Sasa Ivanovic]

^^^^ there we are

[ericsE30]

ok so i just tried that and it did not work. does the battery need to be charged enough for that to work? because the car has been sitting for about 2 years. the battery is absolutely dead.

[puffdragon415]

ok so i just tried that and it did not work. does the battery need to be charged enough for that to work? because the car has been sitting for about 2 years. the battery is absolutely dead.

The step explained by CaptHerb is the workaround if the battery is completely dead.

[motoman540]

well, it should work, try spraying wd40 on the trunk keyhole and turn the key counter clockwise. that's got to work

If by some reason it doesn't work, I guess the other way would be to connect a positive jumper pack cable to the starter or alternator and the negative to any piece of exposed metal. this is in my opinion your last resort.

[04SSHD]

stick the key in the door, turn to the unlock position. It will feel like it stops at 45 degrees. Turn the key another 45 degrees so they key is in a full 90 degrees in the unlock position and it will unlock.

[crewdog843]

If I am correct, there are no e38 Li, only iLs....just being picky.

The lock should only be on the driver's side door. Manual operation (In the event of an electrical failure). Turn the key all the way to the extreme left or right to unlock/lock the door. Luggage compartment lid, Manual operation (in the event of an electrical failure) Turn the master key to the left in the luggage compartment lock clear to the stop - the luggage compartment lid will open.

Is/are your battery/batteries inside the trunk or inside the car?

jake

[ericsE30]

The step explained by CaptHerb is the workaround if the battery is completely dead.

i will try to ask the owner if i can try doing it. im just trying to help a guy i met with getting into his car, its in his driveway and he wants to sell it, after he gets it fixed.

thanks for the help.

If I am correct, there are no e38 Li, only iLs....just being picky.

when i pulled in the drive way the trunk lid said 750 iL or Li. i didnt get a good look, but it didnt say iLs.

[Qsilver7]

Yeah..the E38 7 series doesn't have a door lock cylinder on the passenger side door.

You can open the door and trunk manually like others have stated above...by turning it counter clockwise past the detent. If the door won't work, then try the trunk...that way you can either charge the battery or hook up jumper cables...which should give you enough power to activate the locks electronically either with the key in the door or the remote.





BTW...Crewdog was using iLs (as meaning plural..more than one "iL") BMW nomenclature for the e32 & e38 7 series was 735i/735iL/740i/740iL/750iL.

Then the latest 7 series generation was switched and the letters changed position to 745i/745Li/750i/750Li/760i/760Li.

[victoriabmw27]

BTW...Crewdog was using iLs (as meaning plural..more than one "iL") BMW nomenclature for the e32 & e38 7 series was 735i/735iL/740i/740iL/750iL.

Then the latest 7 series generation was switched and the letters changed position to 745i/745Li/750i/750Li/760i/760Li.

THe next generation 7 will be the F01, now that will be wierd

[GuitarAAC]

I have a 750il and I turned my key to the left and got my door opened, but I cant get it to lock... I dont know if it will do this to your car, but does anyone know if there is away to lock it again? Its just my drivers door that wont lock,

[crewdog843]

After your door opened, did you turn the key all the way back to the right before centering it and taking it out? You may have to pull off the interior trim to look at the mechanism to get an idea what is up in there. Do you have a remote, or just a keyed entry?

jake

[Qsilver7]

I have a 750il and I turned my key to the left and got my door opened, but I cant get it to lock...is [there] a way to lock it again? Its just my drivers door that wont lock,

After your door opened, did you turn the key all the way back to the right before centering it and taking it out?
jake

Ditto Crewdog...and the instructions from the manual...just insert the key and turn it CLOCKWISE to manually lock the door.

You don't say HOW you were trying to lock the door...but if you were trying to PUSH the lock button down WITH the driver's door OPEN...then that would be a BIG FAIL! You can't do that because it is a safety feature to PREVENT the driver from locking the keys in the car...the driver's door CAN NOT be locked while it is open. (that info is in the owners manual, too)

Close the driver's door, insert the key, then lock the door manually with the key.

-

[adela740]

"my 98 bmw 740 is dead key wont open alarm wont work ? back windows a lil open i put my hand in and it and tryed to open it didnt work..so now my only guess is to try to get the hood open so i can jump n open the trunk? or run some kinda power 2 open the door so i could pop trunk..'

[burninator]

The trunk will open if you unlock it manually. You will have serious trouble trying to get the hood open manually.

[Qsilver7]

"my 98 bmw 740 is dead key wont open alarm wont work ?

I'm not quite sure what the sentence quoted above means...but a dead key doesn't mean anything if your key has a blade that can be manually inserted into a lock cylinder (which your driver's door should have as well as your trunk).

I'm interpreting your use of "dead key" as to mean that the battery that would normally actuate the central locking system is "dead". Again, your central locking system (which has already been explained in the 4 yr old thread) can be operated without electrical power by INSERTING the key's blade into the lock cylinder. Have you tried that yet?

As you can see in the images below...the driver's door and the trunk lock cylinders can be turned manually to a lock or unlock position (if you are cognizant that the key can be manually inserted into the lock cylinders and turned the "old fashioned way" without any electronic actuation).

Try the manual procedure and post back if you were successful or not. BTW, if you can manually unlock the door, this will allow you to open the hood where you can connect a battery charger or jumper cables to the jump start posts in the engine bay...which will provide enough power to again use the buttons on your key (if it's battery isn't dead)...or turn the key to only the electronic actuated positions to lock/unlock your doors/trunk)

(driver's door lock cylinder turned 90° to the manual UNLOCK position)

[adela740]