2005 BMW X5 3.0i
I’ve already checked the child lock. Door opens fine from the inside but I can’t open from the outside. Door handle doesn’t feel loose or anything. Any idea before I open the door panel?
There’s two different connecting rods tom the lock (one from the inside handle and one from the outside).
The only way to tell what’s wrong is to remove the inner door panel…it should be obvious (famous last words).
When this happened to me it was a broken plastic connector at the door handle. So it sounds like you’ll need to remove the inner door panel. In my case the broken part was all of $5, but a real pain to get at, even with the panel off.
More than likely a connector broke or possible broken outside handle (on the inside).
Is this a rear door or a front door? Does the door have a key lock in other words?
If a plastic rod clip is broken and not disconnected, I might add that many parts houses sell packages of clips cheap in the self help racks. Maybe something there will match up and I’m assumng a BMW dealer is not close by.
Another option for a broken clip is to use a spring steel carburetor linkage clip; also available in the self help stuff.
While I don’t know if you’re guilty of this or not, many times those clips are broken or dislodged because the door handle is yanked firmly while opening a door instead of using a slower, less forceful movement.
The guys have it pretty well solved out and since youre about to open up the door panel you already know the things that can go wrong inside the door. HOWEVER…in a BMW Specifically…If it was ME… I would do the following. Yes, I’ve owned and repaired MANY BMW’s
Take your key… Jeez if it still does have a key… and use it in the offending door to lock/unlock the door from the outside. ALSO…using the key…IF it has one… in the rear trunk/door to activate the usual BMW Lock/Unlock ALL doors feature…LOL…IF BMW still has that on the X5.
I just wanted you to do this to weed out a lock rod issue in the door as BMW has slightly different locks than most cars with how they lock and unlock and even deadbolt themselves.
If all these tests are possible…do them…otherwise…you knew you were going to go into the door panel anyway looking for damage or a broken clip holding a lock rod of some sort.
Blackbird
Thank you all. It’s the rear door so there’s no key hole.
The main problem with comparatively easy fixes like this is that on modern cars the person doing the repairs inside a door needs to have tentacles like an octopus instead of arms.