2002 X5 Lockout, Good Battery, Tried Almost Everything

[spaceleaf]

Hello, my 2002 E53 X5 is locked out right now. I've been searching around this forum and others and have tried many of the things people do to get around this. Resorting to making a new post in case I've missed something or anyone can offer any more insight before I have to resort to getting this towed to a dealer or smashing a window in (currently have it on my driveway). Here are some details -

- Car was last locked using the fob, so I assume it is currently in it's Double-Lock state.

- I have a key and fob. Of course, the key barrel / actuator mechanism is not working to manually unlock the car, that mechanism was broken when I bought the thing a few months ago - the key just spins freely in there with no response from the vehicle. Turning and holding counter clockwise to try and activate convenience unlock with the windows does not work. Nor does holding down the unlock on the fob.

- I tried replacing the Fobs battery with a brand new one.

- Clown nose / Anti-theft under the rearview mirror is blinking.

- Battery is good, was able to pop the hood with the roadside assistance guy using a lockout kit and measured ~12.4V across the terminals with a voltmeter. I have tried attaching a battery charger just in case to see if it would change anything - no dice.

- Roadside Assistance guy tried pressing down on the central locking button with his lockout rod, nothing. If the double lock is engaged, I'm not sure how I'd be able to do the procedure of holding that button down while pulling on the handle twice, all from the outside.. He was actually able to pop the lock up using his tools, but the handle still wasn't able to open the door when it was popped up (feature of the double-lock?).

- I have tried unlocking the trunk by applying positive power to both the left and right license plate light bulbs (separately, not at the same time) while keeping negative clamped to the exhaust. Did nothing, I'm guessing this method is more for when the battery is dead and the car is not double-locked.

I saw some people were having luck by drilling through the screw next to the keyhole. I wanted to ask if that would even get me through while the Double-Lock is in place? I don't want to destroy that piece for nothing if I can avoid it, but if it would work that would probably be my next thing to try pending any other suggestions. Also considering buying my own lockout kit and taping a key to the end of the rod and trying to get it into the ignition through a wedge in the door.

Considering other options outside of double lock - maybe the central locking module went faulty, or some kind of associated fuse? All of which I don't think I can access from the outside.. I also considered finding a way to drain the battery in hopes of resetting the anti-theft system, but I read here somewhere that that wouldn't achieve this result as it would remain double-locked.

Does it even make sense that the car doesn't respond to the Fob out of nowhere while the battery is fully charged? This perplexes me a little and makes me think the issue could be something less obvious, but I don't know. I'm pretty new to this vehicle and it's the only bmw I've owned.

Would gratefully welcome any suggestions, very much hoping to avoid dumping dealership service money or smashing glass to get this thing open. This happened out of no-where, car has a daily driver for the past 4 months or so. Please let me know if I can provide any more useful information.


EDIT - I got in, thanks for the help everyone.

[Corellian Corvette]

Just a question - you have the diamond key, right? How did you "change the battery" in that key since it's not serviceable? That's the first part that has me stumped.

Second - if you have someone that can get a rod inside the car, you don't need to hold the lock button to unlock the car - just pull on the handle twice (once to unlock, once to open) there is no double-handed procedure to open the door.

In fact I don't *think* the unlock button works inside the car if the car has been locked with the FOB. You just need to pull the handle twice. The alarm will go off, but should silence immediately after you insert the key and start the car.

[spaceleaf]

Originally Posted by Corellian Corvette

Just a question - you have the diamond key, right? How did you "change the battery" in that key since it's not serviceable? That's the first part that has me stumped.

Second - if you have someone that can get a rod inside the car, you don't need to hold the lock button to unlock the car - just pull on the handle twice (once to unlock, once to open) there is no double-handed procedure to open the door.

In fact I don't *think* the unlock button works inside the car if the car has been locked with the FOB. You just need to pull the handle twice. The alarm will go off, but should silence immediately after you insert the key and start the car.

My fob was made/programmed for me by a 3rd party (not dealer) locksmith who works on bmws regularly. When I bought the vehicle it only came with a non-fobbed key. It is a diamond shape key/fob combo that was fairly easy to pop open with a knife to the side grooves. Link to image of key/fob at bottom.

Neither of us knew about the double pull on the handle when I had the service guy come to help. That being said, when he did get a good tug on the handle, the door did not unlock. I can order a lockout kit and attempt to do it again myself.

https://imgshare.io/image/a6a80c9c-5...cf992f5.pDB6U5

[Corellian Corvette]

Well the problem very well may be that key.

Others may have more experience but I have not heard great things about the programming of these aftermarket keys. If you replaced the battery, it's very likely it lost the programming for the locks. They system that starts the car is not the same system that controls central locking.

There is nothing special about opening the doors - pull on the handle twice. If your service guy pulled the lock up, he probably got something out of whack. Those lock rods aren't made to be pulled up by hand so likely it did nothing.

Go over to the passenger door, and just have him pull the door handle twice. First time will pull up the lock, 2nd time will open.

[andrewwynn]

If the battery is still charged the process to get past double lock is to hold the central lock down and pull a door handle twice.

This will trip the alarm so be prepared to jump in and put the key in the ignition.

You can open any door this way so usually better to bend the passenger door to access the central lock and reach across to the driver door with a long rod to pull the release. (much harder to pull the bent door release)

Then: if for some reason you can't get the double lock to open, you first should try to measure the voltage of the battery (under from alternator or from trailer plug).

If you still can't get in then drill out the guild bolt from the door handle it's a far cheaper fix than destroying the lock cylinder.

It's a $10 fix to repair the lock cylinder so it doesn't just spin FYI.

Once you remove the lock cylinder (by drilling out the bolt that holds it or sawing it from the side), you will be able to open the driver door with a big screwdriver.

If the key battery died or was reeplaced that will remove the sync and will not open the door until you re-sync.

[spaceleaf]

Originally Posted by Corellian Corvette

Well the problem very well may be that key.

Others may have more experience but I have not heard great things about the programming of these aftermarket keys. If you replaced the battery, it's very likely it lost the programming for the locks. They system that starts the car is not the same system that controls central locking.

There is nothing special about opening the doors - pull on the handle twice. If your service guy pulled the lock up, he probably got something out of whack. Those lock rods aren't made to be pulled up by hand so likely it did nothing.

Go over to the passenger door, and just have him pull the door handle twice. First time will pull up the lock, 2nd time will open.

I replaced the battery after it was already not working. But I’ll consider that as an extra possible issue now I guess.

The guy was here way earlier in the day and from a tow company 90 miles away, I was out of town when this happened and had to get towed back home. First attempt was on the passenger side door with the rod, pulling the door handle did nothing to the lock. He only pulled up the lock using a wire vertically on the drivers side afterwards. When he removed his tools the lock fell back down.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by Corellian Corvette

There is nothing special about opening the doors - pull on the handle twice. If your service guy pulled the lock up, he probably got something out of whack. Those lock rods aren't made to be pulled up by hand so likely it did nothing.

Go over to the passenger door, and just have him pull the door handle twice. First time will pull up the lock, 2nd time will open.

The lock button is a one way valve. You can lift one it has no effect on unlocking.

Until the double lock is removed, pulling a door handle does nothing.

I was taught you have to hold the central lock down while pulling the door handle to defeat the double lock. I've since read conflicting reports.

You can have multiple failures where one of the door double lock motor not working; so try all doors.

[spaceleaf]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

If the battery is still charged the process to get past double lock is to hold the central lock down and pull a door handle twice.

This will trip the alarm so be prepared to jump in and put the key in the ignition.

You can open any door this way so usually better to bend the passenger door to access the central lock and reach across to the driver door with a long rod to pull the release. (much harder to pull the bent door release)

Then: if for some reason you can't get the double lock to open, you first should try to measure the voltage of the battery (under from alternator or from trailer plug).

If you still can't get in then drill out the guild bolt from the door handle it's a far cheaper fix than destroying the lock cylinder.

It's a $10 fix to repair the lock cylinder so it doesn't just spin FYI.

Once you remove the lock cylinder (by drilling out the bolt that holds it or sawing it from the side), you will be able to open the driver door with a big screwdriver.

If the key battery died or was reeplaced that will remove the sync and will not open the door until you re-sync.

Alright thanks, I’ll order the lockout kit and try these in that order.

[Corellian Corvette]

Nothing beats an experiment! I went outside and locked myself inside my X5 to figure out the process.

I stand corrected in that opening the door twice does not work.

In order to unlock from the inside, you have to FIRST press the unlock button on the console. You will hear the locking mechanism, but the locks will not pop up.

THEN you need to pull the door handle twice to open the door.

The alarm, of course, then goes off immediately and irritates your wife.

EDIT - I posted this before I noticed @andrewwynn response. The only difference in my observation was you didn't have to HOLD the lock button. I just pressed it once.

[andrewwynn]

So you don't have to hold the central lock. The "heard the lock" is the double lock motors disabling the double lock.

there is likely a caveat; things are likely to change after 16 minutes when the car goes to sleep, maybe that's the difference of having to hold the central lock button.

Back to the Problem at hand; if you have a trailer hitch measure the vBat to confirm the voltage is over 10 and you can expect the door motors to work. Then follow the above ideas.

If you need to saw/drill out the lock, post back I can send a measurement of exactly where to cut/drill to remove the lock cylinder (would send with pm, don't need that data that easy to Google search)