I forgot to mention the BMW improved the design of ths carrier completely with the introduction of the E70 X5. Take a peak at the carrier here Penske Parts - Technical Diagrams - E70 X5 4.8i (N62N) SAV

I've never dealt with KOOLMAN, so no comment on that.
If you don't want to pay top dollar for OEM which is poorly designed and going to break again, like window regulator, I would suggest you to get it from reputable brands and reputable store.

When I replaced mine, both driver and passenger, I bought FEBI from rmeuropean.com with great success. Substantially cheaper than OEM.

BMW X5 3.0i Sport Utility E53 3.0L L6 Outside Door Handle Carrier by FEBI BILSTEIN

Or buy it from fcpeuro.com. They offer lifetime warranty on parts!

I ordered the one for $25.90 & free shipping from Import Parts Depot (Amazon = KOOLMAN). It arrived today (2 days later), but I ordered the trim clips and handle gaskets from another seller and they aren't here yet. That's OK - I won't have the time to do it until next week.

I'll be the guinea pig on this carrier and will report back on how it holds up.

OEM part is no guarantee of success
 

Our '05 X5 driver side rear door wouldn't open from the outside, so I obtained the OEM part from my local dealer (Crevier). I found the original part in good shape with no wear or frame breakage, so the cable must have stretched just enough to prevent it from unlatching.

I have spent the last two days trying to get the rear hole in the carrier to line up with the threaded hole in the fake lock cylinder and it's just not happening. When you tighten the front screw, the rear of the carrier frame deflects towards the inside of the door, about an 1/8". This is making it imposssible to get the lock cyclinder piece to go in far enough for the two tabs in the upper and lower tracks of the frame bore to engage with the detents in the 'lock' cylinder itself. Until those detents line up, and allowing the the lock cylinder piece to move towards the front of the car, that hex bolt will never line up. I've tried pulling out with the handle and pushing the frame from inside the door, but it defies me.

I have tried not tightening the front screw as much to allow it to come closer at the rear, but it's like the carrier frame is standing at the wrong angle. The top edge of the lock cylinder piece hits the rubber trim gasket well before the lower edge does. I am wits end with this thing. I've done a lot of heavy wrenching on this car in the 10 years we've had it, but nothing has been more frustrating than this poorly designed door carrier. The only options for adjustment of the carrier while still keeping the front screw in its slot and the square rear mounting tab with the hole for the hex bolt aligned vertically, appears to be fore and aft. No amount of fore aft movement reduces the tendency of the frame to deflect when you tighten that front screw. I'm about to get out the Dremel to take som material off the side of the from that contacts the inside of rather door. The worst part is, I've torn up the roller shade portion of the door panel trying to get the panel off (!$&@! Screw hidden behind the bottom of the vertical shade case) AND managed to scratch the pristine door paint while trying to single hand the screwdriver in that front screw. Arghhh!

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to describe what I'd attempted in detail before soliciting your help. Any advice on how to get the hex screw lined up on a rear door carrier would be greatly appreciated. Talk me off the ledge! =)

P.S. I love the excellent Bav Auto how to video, but it shows zero deflection when he tightens that from screw. The rear mounting boss just sits there perfectly aligned flush with the door surface. Not my reality at all!

Thanks all!

It sounds like you don't have the front in the right place. Watch the videos more closely there is a spot for the front boss to go that is non-obvious. Otherwise you may just need a shim (washer) to give the screw something to bite on and tighten up. Compare old vs new you may find the difference


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Not sure what you're referring to Andrew, could you elaborate? There is a slot that the front screw must go into. Other than fore and aft movement along the length of the slot there are no other location options for the front boss that I am seeing. Unlike the rear boss that appears in a notched area in the body panel, the front edge is located vertically by the screw in the slot. I looked closely at the front boss that screw goes into and there is nothing apparent to me. I have tried leaving the front screw loose enough to allow moving it fore and aft in hopes of finding a sweet spot as I attempt to get the lock cylinder hole aligned, and even tried replacing the original handle carrier that I've modded to take up the slack in the cable that has come with time/use. The best alignment I can get is seeing about 1/2 to 2/3 of the threaded lock cylinder hole I'm aiming for visible through the hole in the carrier, but not close enough for the bolt to find it.

Tech service Bulletin on Door Handle issue
 

This Service Information bulletin replaces S.I. 51 51 02 dated March 2002.

SUBJECT
Outer Door Handles Freeze

MODEL
X5 produced prior to 7/02

SITUATION
Some owners of X5s built prior to 7/02 may complain of one or more outer door releases failing to operate in freezing weather. This usually occurs after a period of heavy rain which is followed by a sudden, hard freeze.

CAUSE
The Bowden cables connecting the outer door handles to the latch assemblies may get water inside the outer sheath of the cable. If the temperature drops below freezing before the water dries out, the water may freeze, preventing the movement of the inner cable.

CORRECTION
As of 7/02 production, the sealing of the outer cable from water penetration was improved by modifying the rubber nipple on the handle end of the cable.

[S5104U07.JPG]
The early nipple (1) has a flat top.
The improved nipple (2) is extended and has more of a barrel shape.

In case of a customer complaint, replace the outer door handles with the improved parts.

Bottom Line: Lube your doors now BEFORE winter sets in and your stuck with either a door that does NOT open or one that will not latch. Pulling up on the handles cold and frozen HARD will break the carrier at the pivot point.

I have my parts and am about to attempt this repair. I plan to leave the battery hooked up and will leave air bag connected and tie it up as some have. Does anyone know how to make it so my interior lights don't stay on the entire time I have my door open? I don't see a button in the door jam that tells the car that the door is open.

The interior lights should turn themselves off after a period of time

door operates on a Hall sensor (magnetic sensor, like in security systems). You turn interior lights off using the main switch overhead - if you press and hold it for 3+ seconds, it will keep the interior lights off with doors opening and closing. otherwise, it will turn off when car goes to sleep, in about 16 minutes after last activity on the electrical/electronic bus...