[aashah555]

https://youtu.be/1tHoVlCFAn0

My driver side door lock started doing this on Saturday. I thought okay no big deal I will take it to the dealership and get it fixed. I get there and I get quoted a bit over $900. I'm not paying that. So I have to keep unlocking my door with the physical key for a few days.

Now yesterday this happens.

https://youtu.be/qiviOuWwfco

Now I know for sure I need a door lock actuator. I ordered the part overnight for $75 and have also ordered the inner door handle that gets sticky since I'm gonna have to take the door panel apart anyways.

My question is, am I on the correct path? If so I tried yesterday to take the door panel out but it's actually quite harder then I thought. Any suggestions or videos to how I can safely take this panel out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by aashah555

https://youtu.be/1tHoVlCFAn0

My driver side door lock started doing this on Saturday. I thought okay no big deal I will take it to the dealership and get it fixed. I get there and I get quoted a bit over $900. I'm not paying that. So I have to keep unlocking my door with the physical key for a few days.

Now yesterday this happens.

https://youtu.be/qiviOuWwfco

Now I know for sure I need a door lock actuator. I ordered the part overnight for $75 and have also ordered the inner door handle that gets sticky since I'm gonna have to take the door panel apart anyways.

My question is, am I on the correct path? If so I tried yesterday to take the door panel out but it's actually quite harder then I thought. Any suggestions or videos to how I can safely take this panel out? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

For your second video. You can manually disengage the lock. Use a screw driver to lift the lock mechanism. Your door should then shut.

Taking the door panel off is quite straight forward. Take of the door handle trim and there are 2 torx screws you need to undo. Then you need to pry it from the bottom edges. Once you can get your fingers under the door card then it's easier to pull off the door card.

I have dismantled a door before. It was easy to loosen the actuator but wasn't easy taking it out. You have to remove the window glass and regulator.

[XxThe_RemedyXx]

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

For your second video. You can manually disengage the lock. Use a screw driver to lift the lock mechanism. Your door should then shut.

Taking the door panel off is quite straight forward. Take of the door handle trim and there are 2 torx screws you need to undo. Then you need to pry it from the bottom edges. Once you can get your fingers under the door card then it's easier to pull off the door card.

I have dismantled a door before. It was easy to loosen the actuator but wasn't easy taking it out. You have to remove the window glass and regulator.

Exactly this... It happened to me as well and I uses a screw driver to lift the lock. Your actuator is shot and needs to be replaced.

[aashah555]

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

For your second video. You can manually disengage the lock. Use a screw driver to lift the lock mechanism. Your door should then shut.

Taking the door panel off is quite straight forward. Take of the door handle trim and there are 2 torx screws you need to undo. Then you need to pry it from the bottom edges. Once you can get your fingers under the door card then it's easier to pull off the door card.

I have dismantled a door before. It was easy to loosen the actuator but wasn't easy taking it out. You have to remove the window glass and regulator.

I have already got the door to close by pulling the inside door handle and rotated the lock up. Now I'm just waiting on the actuator to arrive so I can start taking off the panel and replacing it. I have taken off the door trim with trim tools. Now I'm trying to take the panel off and I feel like I'm putting way too much pressure nessecary on the trim tools. Just worried I'll break the panel. Either way I'll attempt again later in the day and go from there.

[kingmonkey8]

Originally Posted by aashah555

I have already got the door to close by pulling the inside door handle and rotated the lock up. Now I'm just waiting on the actuator to arrive so I can start taking off the panel and replacing it. I have taken off the door trim with trim tools. Now I'm trying to take the panel off and I feel like I'm putting way too much pressure nessecary on the trim tools. Just worried I'll break the panel. Either way I'll attempt again later in the day and go from there.

Originally Posted by aashah555

I have already got the door to close by pulling the inside door handle and rotated the lock up. Now I'm just waiting on the actuator to arrive so I can start taking off the panel and replacing it. I have taken off the door trim with trim tools. Now I'm trying to take the panel off and I feel like I'm putting way too much pressure nessecary on the trim tools. Just worried I'll break the panel. Either way I'll attempt again later in the day and go from there.

Make sure the two torx screws are fully loose before trying to pull of the door panel. I always work from the bottom, or bottom corner. Pry and pop the clips then put my fingers under then slowly pull section by section until all the clips pop. You will break the clips before breaking the door panel. Don't just pull it off all at once. You can break the ambient light strip connector.
The window switch plugs can be difficult to unplug.
The door side impact bar making the actuator difficult to remove. Can't remember how I removed it in the end.
I actually have two spare passenger side front door actuators lying around.

[FaRKle!]

Originally Posted by kingmonkey8

I have dismantled a door before. It was easy to loosen the actuator but wasn't easy taking it out. You have to remove the window glass and regulator.

You don't need to remove the regulator and window glass to get the door latch/lock actuator out.

The Kies Motorsport Bimmertech Soft Close installation video is a good guide for this work, however they fail to mention that for the driver's door it's very important to remove your key lock/unlock mechanism (key cylinder and shaft that turns the lock on the actuator) from the door before trying to remove the actuator. I ended up breaking that shaft while pulling out my actuator, and it's not sold as a separate piece.

[aashah555]

Originally Posted by FaRKle!

You don't need to remove the regulator and window glass to get the door latch/lock actuator out.

The Kies Motorsport Bimmertech Soft Close installation video is a good guide for this work, however they fail to mention that for the driver's door it's very important to remove your key lock/unlock mechanism (key cylinder and shaft that turns the lock on the actuator) from the door before trying to remove the actuator. I ended up breaking that shaft while pulling out my actuator, and it's not sold as a separate piece.

Okay I see what you are saying. Thanks for the video and heads up on that cylinder and shaft!

I will work on the car tomorrow when I receive the actuator. I will update this post with results (hopefully nothing bad lmao).

[Billfitz]

Find a speaker replacement video to see how to remove the door panel. There's a few out there. You'll want to get a set of plastic trim removal wedges.

[FaRKle!]

Originally Posted by aashah555

Okay I see what you are saying. Thanks for the video and heads up on that cylinder and shaft!

I will work on the car tomorrow when I receive the actuator. I will update this post with results (hopefully nothing bad lmao).

Another tip, wet your fingers before touching the adhesive that holds the foam weather/noise panel to the door. That stuff also comes off more cleaning in colder temperatures, versus the additional tackiness and stretch it gets when warm.

[cdub239]

Sorry to necro an old thread, but I'm having a very similar issue. Sounds a lot like I need a new actuator for the passenger side door in my '15 F30.

My problem is though that I can't get the passenger side door open at all. Exterior handle unlocks and locks other 3 doors, but not the passenger side. Interior handle doesn't unlock door. Central lock doesn't unlock it, key fob doesn't, etc.

I went so far as to take off the door panel with the passenger door still closed, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to actually unlock the door so that I can un-bolt the actuator assembly.

Any suggestions? Other than taking to the dealership?

[bdubb78]

I know this is years late but I too just broke off the key cylinder lortion that feeds into the actuator because the Kies video didnt show it and I saw this too late. Did you just buy a new key cylinder with the 2 keys and portion that extends into the actuator or did you find another solution? Any special way this meeds to be rotated when reassembling to make it work? Actuator seems to work before I reassemble but I cant get the door fully closed ao the car lets me.drive it in the meantime. Frustrating.

Originally Posted by FaRKle!

You don't need to remove the regulator and window glass to get the door latch/lock actuator out.

The Kies Motorsport Bimmertech Soft Close installation video is a good guide for this work, however they fail to mention that for the driver's door it's very important to remove your key lock/unlock mechanism (key cylinder and shaft that turns the lock on the actuator) from the door before trying to remove the actuator. I ended up breaking that shaft while pulling out my actuator, and it's not sold as a separate piece.