Originally Posted by andrewwynn

don't' replace your door handle carrier; almost certainly it broke in such a way that it's a relatively easy repair: Yanking Door Open Any Ideas? - Bimmerfest - BMW Forums

scroll to post #20, where i detail how to repair with a piece of 16ga spring steel.

It's a design defect that causes these to break; rather than disengage the lock mechanism when the door is locked, bmw chose to 'block' the mechanism; sadly that little blocking arm gets stuck in gummy residue over time and the door stays locked when all indications are it is unlocked. The user does what any user would; pull harder; and they break the hinge on the pot metal bracket.