Passenger door won't open

[white lancer]

BMW E53 X5 2004 3.0i Sport

Help!

The actuator on my passenger door was playing up recently. When the rest of the car locked or unlocked the passenger door sometimes did not operate but I could still open it from the inside using the door release. it has now stopped working altogether. I cannot open it from inside, outside, from the door unlock button or from the remote key fob?

I have searched on here for any tips and found this link

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...-fix-pics.html

this does not work either. I can feel the wire going up and down when I pull on the outside door handle but I still cannot open the door.

Is there another way of opening the door so i can replace the actuator?

[absentmathis]

Only thing I can figure is that the cable is loose where it pulls the catch, or the white collar has come loose and the cable is moving. I just changed my carrier yesterday, here's a thought...

Pop the oval grommet off of the door jam. Remove the hex head bolt (see carrier DIY). Pry the cover off of the lock on the outside handle. There are two retaining tabs - top center and bottom center of the cover. Gently pry on either side of those, or pull the handle out and start on that side. As I type this, I'm realizing the cover may come off with the whole lock...meaning no need to remove cover separately. Once cover and hex bolt are out, the lock mechanism can be pulled out (toward outside of door, had to pry mine a tad bit). Then you should be able to see the cable that pulls on the latch. You might be as to release the door by pulling the cable with pliers if the carrier mechanism is broken. Or, if the cable collar or ball socket are broken, you might be able to get a coat hanger or something similar on the latch lever and lift it up to release.

[white lancer]

I had another try last night of the method with the welding rod in the link previously posted. I used a coat hanger instead which is thicker wire than a welding rod.

I think the connection from the outside door handle to the lock mechanism is sound as I can feel the coat hanger wire going up and down when I try to open the door using the external handle. I even tried to hook the coat hanger under neath this latch to try and lift the latch but this did not work either.

I also think the connection from the inside door handle to the lock mechanism is sound as when I operate the inside door handle I can feel the connection between the handle and the lock mechanism moving and hear something moving within the lock mechanism.

I am totally stumped by this?

I dont think it is possible to get the internal door card off from the front passenger door whilst it is closed?

The only solution I can think of is to destroy the internal door card - i.e cut a big hole in it so i can get to the lock mechanism to try and release it. then replace the door card with a second hand one.

[absentmathis]

Cool test post.

You've stumped me man, sorry. I didn't check that link before, but that's about what I'm suggesting only via the lock hole. If you can't get that to work I wouldn't know what to do. I will say this - a friend had a similar problem on a Honda, and I didn't know what to do without getting the door panel off. Friend ended up taking the car to a shop that WAS able to remove the door panel with the door closed. Different car and all that so don't know that it helps... I'd probably take it to a shop before I destroyed the panel.