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1 door won't open

1K views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  2003 325i 
#1 ·
I had my car down for some work for 3 weeks with the battery pulled. When I hooked the battery back up the driver rear door wouldn't open. I opened and closed it a couple of times with the battery pulled while I was working on the car. I have tried locking and unlocking the car with the remote key and the button on the console. The lock shaft goes up and down on the door but it still won't open from inside or out. Any recommendations? I haven't tried locking/unlocking the car from the key in the drivers door. I will keep trying to get it open.

I am guessing the door panel needs to come off. Are there any tricks to getting it off when the door is closed?

Thanks,
 
#2 ·
Sounds like the actuator died. That sucks. No idea how to get the door open now. Even if you get the door panel off I have no idea how you could get it to open. Don't both with the key in the driver's door. It locks and unlocks that rear door exactly the same as if the remote was used.
 
#4 ·
Unfortunately I doubt anybody on this forum will have anything useful to say on this subject. For your sake I hope I'm wrong. I did talk to a guy with a Z4 that had a similar situation, but, he was able to get the door panel off and I don't know how, but he was able to destroy the actuator assembly and get the door to open. After installing the new actuator he closed the door without first performing the rotary latch adjustment and was back in the same situation. Door closed and it would not open.
 
#8 ·
Went to a shop. They got the door panel off and did exactly what scottjoh did except they performed the rotary latch adjustment so everything worked. $485 later, at least it works. Ben too busy to do it myself.
why $485? it seems to me that you got raped, but at least it works now..
 
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