2003 BMW 325I Latches/locks/linkages Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO UNLOCK EVERY DOOR. IN ADDITION, THE LOCKING MECHANISM SWITCH FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WHILE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNLOCKED THROUGH THE WINDOW OF THE VEHICLE MANUALLY. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WOULD NOT UNLOCK MANUALLY. THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 116,000

VEHICLE HAS RECURRING LOCKING ISSUE. WHEN INSIDE THE VEHICLE, DOOR LOCKS STOP FUNCTIONING. PRESSING DOOR LOCK BUTTON WILL NOT WORK. PRESSING BUTTON ON REMOTE WILL NOT WORK. ATTEMPTING TO MANUALLY OPEN DOOR USING DOOR HANDLE WILL NOT WORK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE LAST INCIDENT BOTH MYSELF AND MY CHILD WERE TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE IN THE HEAT AND HAD TO CALL 911 AS WE DID NOT HAVE THE KEY TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW. THE FRONT WINDOW HAD TO BE BROKEN AND WE HAD TO BE REMOVED THROUGH A WINDOW BECAUSE THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT RELEASE. WE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR HEAT STROKE. WHEN I INVESTIGATED, I FOUND A GIRL DIED DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE. WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO RECALL? YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED AND THIS IS A FATAL ISSUE. HERE IS THE LINK TO THE GIRLS DEATH: HTTP://WWW.LATIMES.COM/LOCAL/LANOW/LA-ME-LN-GIRL-TRAPPED-IN-BMW-DIES-20140509-STORY.HTML. *TR

Mileage: 122,000

REMOTE UNLOCKING/LOCKING WILL NOT FUNCTION. DOORS CAN NOT BE OPENED OR UNLOCKED FROM INSIDE VEHICLE WITH CENTRAL LOCK SWITCH OR WITH DOOR HANDLE, TRAPPING PASSENGERS INSIDE. THE DRIVERS WINDOW MUST BE ROLLED DOWN AND KEY USED TO UNLOCK DRIVER SIDE DOOR TO EXIT VEHICLE. CLIMBING OUT OF WINDOWS OR CLIMBING TO DRIVERS SEAT IS THE ONLY WAY OUT OF CAR, BMW STATES "NOT A SAFETY ISSUE". *TR

Mileage: 38,125

THE CAR DOORS AT TIMES DO NOT UNLOCK. IT IS VERY INTERMITTENT. A KEY CAN BE USED TO OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR BUT A COUPLE OF TIMES EVEN THE DOOR KEY HAS NOT WORKED. THE MOST SERIOUS ISSUE IS THAT I HAVE BEEN LOCKED INSIDE THE CAR AND UNABLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS, INCLUDING THE DRIVER'S DOOR, WITH THE MAIN LOCK CONTROL OR EVEN BY TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE PASSENGERS CRAWL OUT OF THE WINDOW TO EXIT THE CAR A FEW TIMES. THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE KEY WORKS TO GET IN BUT I CANNOT GET THE OTHER DOORS OPEN EVEN BY ATTEMPTING TO USE THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. THIS IS A SCARY SITUATION TO BE IN. *TR

Mileage: 30,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BMW 325I. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED NUMEROUS TIMES TO ACCESS THE EXTERIOR FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH THE REMOTE KEY FOB AND ALSO MANUALLY HOWEVER, THE LOCK MECHANISM WOULD NOT OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DOOR LOCK, REMOTE KEY FOB AND POWER DOOR ACTUATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 104,000

MULTIPLE INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH DOOR LOCKS FAILING TO OPEN EITHER BY KEY FOB, DEPRESSING BUTTON INSIDE CAR, OR BY PULLING INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. TO EXIT CAR, MUST LOWER WINDOWS AND INSERT KEY INTO OUTSIDE KEYHOLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD! PROBLEM ARISES WITH NO APPARENT CAUSE, THEN WILL DISAPPEAR A FEW DAYS LATER WITH FOR NO APPARENT REASON. BMW REPLACED ACTUATOR (?) AND THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED, BUT IT COST ME $1400. OTHER ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS WITH AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMING ON AFTER CAR SITS UNDRIVEN FOR MORE THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS. WAS TOLD THAT AIR BAGS WILL NOT WORK WITH LIGHT ON. NO REASON FOUND. BATTERY CHECKS OUT FULLY CHARGED. *TT

Mileage: 101,000

DOORS WILL NOT OPEN BECAUSE DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT UNLOCK. KEY FOB BUTTON WILL NOT UNLOCK ANY DOORS 90% OF THE TIME. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN ONLY GET IN CAR ON DRIVERS SIDE WITH MANUAL OPERATION OF DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK (STICKING KEY IN LOCK AND TURNING). ONCE IN CAR, 90% OF TIME I STILL CANNOT UNLOCK ANY OTHER DOORS, EVEN BY PULLING ON DOOR HANDLE (WHICH WOULD ORDINARILY UNLOCK THE DOOR). THE INTERIOR BUTTON TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WILL NOT WORK. ON FRIDAY, 12/9/11, I COULD NOT EVEN GET OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION. (CAR IS SET TO AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGE ALL LOCKS ONCE I START DRIVING) I HAD TO ROLL WINDOW DOWN AND REACH OUT AND UNLOCK DOOR WITH KEY. WHEN MY SON AND DAUGHTER DRIVE WITH ME, THEY HAVE TO GET IN AND OUT OF CAR EITHER BY CRAWLING ACROSS DRIVER'S SEAT OR GO THROUGH A WINDOW OPENING. MY WIFE CANNOT RIDE IN THIS CAR NOW BECAUSE SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT. DUE TO THIS DEFECT, PASSENGERS ARE TRAPPED IN CAR. ALSO, ENTRY INTO VEHICLE IS DELAYED (BECAUSE FOB WILL NOT UNLOCK DOORS) WHICH ALSO POSES SAFETY RISKS WHEN PARKED AT NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN PARKING GARAGES. THERE ARE FIVE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON NHTSA WEBSITE ON THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE. RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED. *TR

Mileage: 59,000

MY 2003 BMW 325I WILL NOT UNLOCK. I CANT GET INTO THE CAR. I HAVE TRIED THE KEY AND THE FOB AND THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. I HAD TO BREAK THE WINDOW TO GET INTO THE CAR ONLY TO FIND OUT THE DOORS STILL WILL NOT UNLOCK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE YOU CANT UNLOCK THE DOORS FROM THE INSIDE OR THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING AND A TRUE SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 114,000

THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK IN MY 2003 325I 4 DOOR SEDAN. APPARENTLY, A MODULE GOES BAD AND COULD TRAP PEOPLE IN THE CAR WITH NO WAY TO GET OUT. *KB

Mileage: 140,000

THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN EITHER WITH THE KEYLESS REMOTE OR BY PULLING ON THE DOOR HANDLE INSIDE THE CAR (THE WINDOWS WERE DOWN SO I COULD REACH INSIDE) I HAD TO OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR AND CLIMB ACROSS THE SEAT TO GET INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE BUTTON BETWEEN THE SEATS TO UNLOCK ALL OF THE DOORS ALSO FAILED TO OPEN ANY OF THE LOCKS. THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH BESIDE IT STILL WORKED, SO I KNOW THE PROBLEM ISN'T DUE TO THAT FAULTY SWITCH. THIS DOOR LOCKS RETURNED TO NORMAL AFTER DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AND IT HASN'T YET RETURNED IN THE FIVE DAYS SINCE. *TR

Mileage: 106,000

2003 BMW 325I 4-DOOR SEDAN. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK WILL NOT UNLOCK. HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. STARTED ABOUT A YEAR AGO. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SAME PROBLEM. SEEMS TO ME TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE. IF I CAN'T GET OUT OF THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 112,000

GM5 LOCKING MODULE FOR 2003 BMW E46. ALL FOUR LOCK WOULD NOT UNLOCK OR LOCK ON THE REMOTE OR SWITCH INSIDE THE CAR. I HAD TO EITHER WAIT IN THE HEAT OR COLD OUTSIDE WHILE WAITING FOR THE LOCKING SYSTEM TO RESPOND. IF THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THE CAR AND YOU CANNOT GET TO IN TIME BECAUSE OF THE LOCK/UNLOCK ISSUE, IT CAN BE FATAL FOR OTHERS. *TR

Mileage: 74,000

2003 BMW 325I 4-DOOR SEDAN - PROBLEM: ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT ALWAYS UNLOCK WITH KEY FOB. PERSISTENT WITH COLDER AMBIENT TEMPERATURES (LESS THAN 65 DEGREES F). I CAN UNLOCK DRIVERS DOOR WITH KEY, BUT NO OTHER DOORS UNLOCK. ISSUE: THE DOOR LOCKS DOUBLE-LOCK MEANING WHEN DOORS ARE LOCKED, THEY CAN'T BE OPENED FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE (BY PULLING ON HANDLE). THE ONLY DOOR THAT UNLOCKS WITH INTERIOR HANDLE PULL IS DRIVERS DOOR. IF VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT MY PASSENGERS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO UNLOCK THEIR DOORS TO EXIT VEHICLE! THEY ARE BASICALLY LOCKED INSIDE. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IF THERE IS A DANGER OF FIRE OR SOME OTHER EVENT THAT NECESSITATES QUICKLY EXITING THE CAR. MY RESEARCH: I'VE BASICALLY NARROWED IT TO THE GM5 MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE DOOR LOCKING AND UNLOCKING. THIS MODULE CONTROLS SOME OTHER VEHICLE FUNCTIONS AS WELL. THE DOOR LOCKING FUNCTION WORKS GREAT, BUT UNLOCKING IS SPORADIC WITH AMBIENT TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS. OPINION: THERE SHOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION OPENED ON THIS ISSUE. READING SEVERAL BMW USER FORUMS THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ACROSS MANY VEHICLE YEARS. THE DOUBLE-LOCKING DOOR LOCKS ARE A NICE ANTI-THEFT FEATURE, BUT ARE DANGEROUS IF THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS. BMW MUST ACKNOWLEDGE A DEFECT IS PRESENT IN THE GM5 MODULE AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. *TR

Mileage: 70,000