Odd door lock behavior

[Finneganistan]

Sometimes, but not every time (!) when I stop somewhere with my partner in the passenger seat, her door won't open from the inside. If I use the fob, it unlocks just fine. Any ideas?

[GoRomeo]

Originally Posted by Finneganistan

Sometimes, but not every time (!) when I stop somewhere with my partner in the passenger seat, her door won't open from the inside. If I use the fob, it unlocks just fine. Any ideas?

You mean the little door handle wont unlock when its pulled to open? Have you tried pulling twice? I believe you have to do it twice for the mechanism to unlock and open door🤔

[jdt10768]

You also may try programming doors (via BimmerCode etc) to auto-unlock when car is put in 'Park'
Correct me if I'm wrong pls!

[Finneganistan]

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

You mean the little door handle wont unlock when its pulled to open? Have you tried pulling twice? I believe you have to do it twice for the mechanism to unlock and open door🤔

Right. The door handle on the inside won't unlock or open the door. It usually takes two pulls; sometimes it just won't open no matter how many tries.

I can open the door from the outside. And if I use the fob, the door unlocks. I haven't tried this yet, but I'm guessing the door lock, unlock button on the dash would work too. I'm going to have to show her where that is!

[1and1]

General curiosity- how does the passenger side handle feel when being used, compared to the drivers side? Loose, like it's not taking up the cable pull right away? Or maybe it is pulling, but feels like something is stretching/pulling? Totally normal?

Two thoughts-
1- hit up a locksmith shop & have em take a look. Probably not inexpensive, but it's what they do...

2- You can do the same work as above for free.
-pull the passenger door panel, and check out the door pull for function- range of motion, broken/cracked/bent connectors etc, even check the cable itself for stretch or other damage at the door pull.
- Follow the cable to the latch mechanisim, and be sure it's not pinched/bent or otherwise damaged
-Visually inspect the cable connections at the latch mechanism, again looking for damage/stretching cable etc.

If needed, pull the drivers door panel and compare/contrast.

It's really not hard, an interesting way to spend a saturday afternoon

In the end, it's also possible that your latch mechanism is starting to fail- happens.... I've replaced three in the passenger doors of my 2 BMW's..... oddly enough, none on the drivers side.

[Finneganistan]

Originally Posted by 1and1

General curiosity- how does the passenger side handle feel when being used, compared to the drivers side? Loose, like it's not taking up the cable pull right away? Or maybe it is pulling, but feels like something is stretching/pulling? Totally normal?

Two thoughts-
1- hit up a locksmith shop & have em take a look. Probably not inexpensive, but it's what they do...

2- You can do the same work as above for free.
-pull the passenger door panel, and check out the door pull for function- range of motion, broken/cracked/bent connectors etc, even check the cable itself for stretch or other damage at the door pull.
- Follow the cable to the latch mechanisim, and be sure it's not pinched/bent or otherwise damaged
-Visually inspect the cable connections at the latch mechanism, again looking for damage/stretching cable etc.

If needed, pull the drivers door panel and compare/contrast.

It's really not hard, an interesting way to spend a saturday afternoon

In the end, it's also possible that your latch mechanism is starting to fail- happens.... I've replaced three in the passenger doors of my 2 BMW's..... oddly enough, none on the drivers side.

Thanks for the suggestions! No, the handle doesn't feel any different from the driver's side. I think it's the intermittent quality of the issue that drives me crazy.

[1and1]

Sounds like it's time to go internal and take an exploratory look around