X5 Driver Door Locked, Unable to Open, Help!

[andrewwynn]

the rear plastic clip will hold the DHC in place when the front screw is installed (through the plastic collar to prevent the screw from damaging the paint). I've had examples of not perfectly matching DHC where they bind and won't stay in place properly w/o the lock cylinder installed, that's how i'm sure it was a similar thing with your case.. the lock cylinder when bolted in will hold the DHC; the plastic clip is just for during install.

[talljames]

Well, I had an unusual event. My drivers door outside handle would not open the door. There appeared to be no normal click feeling. So, I opened it from inside. Great post about holding the key for 5 sec. Will use that trick in the future. Anyway, so I have been entering in the passenger side and opening the drivers door by the inner latch. Bit of a pain if you are sloping on a hill and you dont want to hit the parked car next to you. So, I went to open the car with the remote and tried the outer door handle and it worked! It is not a broken carrier as I have had that before and the door handle sticks out a bit as mentioned in this scenario. I was reading it could be an intermittent wire connection in the door control switches as apparently the wiring for the latch goes through this. Anyways, I will see if it happens again. This is a genuine carrier that I installed a few years ago so still plenty of life in it.

[andrewwynn]

Does the door lock button pop up when this happens? Do you have to pull the driver door handle twice inside to open?

[talljames]

Has not happened again yet. I remember when i clicked the remote the lock button popped up and when i opened the door from the pull latch inside at the forward section it only took one pull.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by talljames

Has not happened again yet. I remember when i clicked the remote the lock button popped up and when i opened the door from the pull latch inside at the forward section it only took one pull.

So if the lock button popped up and outer didn't work but mysteriously worked again later that's usually one of two things;

1) the inner cable was binding and didn't release completely. (You can simulate this by pulling the inner door handle then the outer. The outer should "shoot blanks" just do nothing.

2) the cable from the outer handle can corrode on the end effectively changing it's length and it won't relax enough to engage where it can grab inside.

When the DHC breaks it can make the handle outside work with difficulty for quite a while before breaking completely. If the handle feels spongy at the top vs. a solid pull when unboxing that's the symptom of a failing DHC

[wpoll]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

... When the DHC breaks it can make the handle outside work with difficulty for quite a while before breaking completely. If the handle feels spongy at the top vs. a solid pull when unboxing that's the symptom of a failing DHC

Both of the DHC failures I've had (in over 8 years of ownership, both front doors) have been like this.

But in both cases the new DHC (aftermarket parts) have also felt spongy right from the install. After several years of operation both are still working fine - but don't un-latch the door until right at the top of the pull arc.

I put this down to shite Bowden cables in the aftermarket DHCs - slightly too long and prone to stretching. I did try to swap in the OE Bowden cables but had trouble doing the swap so didn't do it in the end. I still have them...

[talljames]

Actually, the twice pull of the inside handle is a bit blurry. What is the significance of the pull twice?

[andrewwynn]

The first pull unlocks the second unlatch. If it takes two pulls to open means the motor in the door lock actuator is not unlocking the door and you are doing it with the inner handle. The lock pin will also be down.

Need more info to figure out what's broken.

There are a few things that will cause there outer handle to not unlatch the door but need more information to know what is happening based on symptoms.

[andrewwynn]

I've always moved the oe cables when replacing DHC. You can find tune the length a bit by bending the bracket that holds the end.

[talljames]

Happened again. A few times. One time only needed one pull of the inner door handle the other time needed two. I thought the 5sec key thing only opened the single window but it does all. Same function available using the remote. Looks like I had better prepare for a failure. I did think ahead a ordered one but not genuine. Looks like I better get a genuine one quick smart. Also notice that the cover of the barrel key lock (black saphire color) is not fixed and can easily slide off. So, I will need to source one of those as well.