Driver side front door not opening ! (from inside it opens okay) .

[bosanci28]

Originally Posted by StephenVA

The key cover has two long fingers that go into the key mech and have locking tabs at the end. Use a plastic pry tool and start with the bottom working around the edges. That part takes longer to get out than the whole job takes.

NOTICE: Take your time, do not force it and break it. The fingers are LONG and straight into the body of the door. Look at my "Wax" image below and you can see the 1 inch fingers.

I guess here are few places where to grease up:

[bosanci28]

Originally Posted by Riggodeaux

Nice pix, StephenVA, and Bosanci28, I'm glad the CEO/CFO was not 'penny wise and pound foolish' on her daily driver! With your description of the work you have done, you clearly have the skills needed to maintain the vehicle at reasonable cost, particularly with the help you can get here. Don't give up on that low-mileage E53 too soon! With the CEO's short drives, you might watch for the CCV 'mayonnaise under the oil filler cap' issue and keep an eye out for oil leaks around the valve cover gasket and oil filter - those seem common at this mileage/age point, though more so with the 3.0L, if I remember correctly.

Not given up , yet ... but it all depends on the CEO .

[StephenVA]

Originally Posted by bosanci28

I guess here are few places where to grease up:

YES YES and More Yes

You can see from this old part the wear areas. Over time it will bind and break the pot metal end near the barrel spring. (Left side on this image. On the car it is really reversed as it is mounted towards the interior of the X5...hence on the backside (OUTSIDE of the car) it will be on the right side of the handle just under the sheet metal). Now that was complicated....

[StephenVA]

Here is my post from 2.09.2014 when I did this repair:

Followed the bright and informative HOW TO ARTICLE to repair my outside door handle carrier
E53 Broken Outside Door Handle Fix
LINK:
http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...andle-fix.html

Easy project took approx 2 hrs labor and 2 hrs of cleaning and waxing all the parts like door panel, Amour ALL the rubber bits and lube everything else. The hardest part to remove was the key hole wrap part. Did not get the idea that there were just two L O N G fingers. Took longer to pry the sucker off that it did anything else.

The previous posters did all the work, I just followed their instructions. Easy...

Basic X5 repair times
1st time hard
2nd Time easier
3rd time you can do this with your eyes half closed

[lhordmclain]

I thought this door carrier saga is every 10yrs or 70-90miles for front driver side 90% of the time.

Once replaced, we can forget about it for a long time

Did you experienced replacing on the other side(s) of the same vehicle?

Originally Posted by StephenVA

Here is my post from 2.09.2014 when I did this repair:

Followed the bright and informative HOW TO ARTICLE to repair my outside door handle carrier
E53 Broken Outside Door Handle Fix
LINK:
http://www.xoutpost.com/articles/x5/...andle-fix.html

Easy project took approx 2 hrs labor and 2 hrs of cleaning and waxing all the parts like door panel, Amour ALL the rubber bits and lube everything else. The hardest part to remove was the key hole wrap part. Did not get the idea that there were just two L O N G fingers. Took longer to pry the sucker off that it did anything else.

The previous posters did all the work, I just followed their instructions. Easy...

Basic X5 repair times
1st time hard
2nd Time easier
3rd time you can do this with your eyes half closed

[StephenVA]

I have not had that experience as the X5 is driven mostly with one person. So the other doors are rarely opened when compared to the driver's door. Plus I am in the MidAtlantic area where normal winter temps are in the 40's. Most of the failures appear to be from the frozen rustbelt areas and in Canada.

On my X5, there has been one door handle carrier replaced on the driver's side during it's 9 years of life. I place this in a replace and forget catagory. Lube all the doors each year regardless of mileage as a preventative measure.

[DBIII]

Just want to thank everyone that contributes on this forum. I just replaced my drivers side carrier thanks to this thread and it's links. Pretty easy job once you figure everything out....next time will be easy peasy. Replaced a door lock gromet and the exterior hatch emblem as well. The X is looking and driving nice again AND ALL of the the doors open!

[bosanci28]

Well i changed it and my door works , but sorry guys i end up buying a new one for $20 , off course aftermarket one , from one of my friends that has a european mechanic shop and he said that he has quite few of this jobs on the x5's, he did not have any used or new oem , and i said , lets just try and see how long will this last! Did not have issues with the fitting all went really well,hope that will last, if not next time oem.

Thanks

[StephenVA]

Congrats on the fit and solution. If it lasts more than 1 year, you are well ahead of the game.

[bosanci28]

Thanks!, will see how long will it last!...
Thanks to all for helping!.