2003 remote locking issue

[Nellybauer]

Was going to start my own thread but given this 1 is recent...

Bought my Z4 a week ago, didnt notice it when inspecting the car but seems the remote will only unlock the driver's door some of the time. Now it seems to be 90% of the time it doesn't unlock it. I press the remote button, it opens the passenger door as the pin lifts, see it opens the fuel filler, then on the driver's door you can hear & feel through the handle that it does something but the door pin stays down. Then put the key in the lock & open the door all fine. I stripped the door card down on Saturday just incase I could see anything loose or sticking etc but nothing obvious,
could see that when trying to unlock it almost seems like it doesnt have enough power/force to lift the door pin.

Should my 1st port of call be a new actuator given it seems to be getting the signal to at least try & unlock the door?

 

[enuff_zed]

Was going to start my own thread but given this 1 is recent...

Bought my Z4 a week ago, didnt notice it when inspecting the car but seems the remote will only unlock the driver's door some of the time. Now it seems to be 90% of the time it doesn't unlock it. I press the remote button, it opens the passenger door as the pin lifts, see it opens the fuel filler, then on the driver's door you can hear & feel through the handle that it does something but the door pin stays down. Then put the key in the lock & open the door all fine. I stripped the door card down on Saturday just incase I could see anything loose or sticking etc but nothing obvious,
could see that when trying to unlock it almost seems like it doesnt have enough power/force to lift the door pin.

Should my 1st port of call be a new actuator given it seems to be getting the signal to at least try & unlock the door?

Could be the actuator, but could also be the GM5. If the deadlock part isn't operating from the signal then it won't let it open.
Does it work properly from the centre button by the gear lever?

 

[Nellybauer]

Ah I hadn't though to check that. Just tried it now & yes the button by the gear stick does lock & unlock both doors succesfully, did it 3 or 4 times, worked fine every time. So its only the driver's door from the remote on the key that I'm having an issue with.

 

[Usel]

I had that @Drzippy bloke on my drive this morning. Good to meet you.

Started with the non-adjusting passenger side mirror. Tried a different switch, no difference. Took out the mirror glass and slaved in a different motor, still no difference. Took the door card off and discovered the plug was disconnected and tied back. Got all excited! Plugged it back in, no difference. Slaved in two other mirrors, no difference. So we've kind of proved it's nothing from the door loom plug through to the mirror. Opened up the plug where the door connects to the A-pillar. Corrosion everywhere! Tried cleaning it all out but.......... you guessed it........... no difference.
Kind of left it at that and @Drzippy is going to do further investigation into the loom and plug.

On to the second problem: key does not lock/unlock the car on the buttons. Only got one key and the battery has been replaced with no joy. Grabbed an old spare key and tried pairing it to the car. Still nothing. Swapped over the GM5 but that made no difference either.
The interior mirror had been changed as the original didn't auto-dim any more. Though the key issue was the same before it was changed.
Just as a stab in the dark, knowing that on my car I sometimes have to hold the key close to the mirror when pairing, we fitted another mirror. Yes! The spare old key pairs! But the car key still doesn't, so either it has an issue or the replacement battery isn't properly installed.

So, after loads of faffing about, @Drzippy has gone home with a still defunct passenger mirror, the original GM5 still fitted, a replacement interior mirror and a spare key that won't start the car but will operate the central locking. Plan is to cut the blade off that and keep it with the ignition key, just to open and close the car.

If the windscreen has been replaced then it's possible that a ham fisted fitter may have damaged the wiring going from the mirror, across the windscreen and down the a pillar drivers side.

I have a breaker atm, after removing the windscreen trims, the wires were broken and sliced to bare wires in multiple places.

 

[enuff_zed]

If the windscreen has been replaced then it's possible that a ham fisted fitter may have damaged the wiring going from the mirror, across the windscreen and down the a pillar drivers side.

I have a breaker atm, after removing the windscreen trims, the wires were broken and sliced to bare wires in multiple places.

I assume that applies to the key fob issue?
We've sorted that. Spare key paired successfully, so we suspect it's the original key: maybe battery not quite fitted correctly?

The remaining issue is the left door mirror, which we've diagnosed back as far as the connector plug in the door loom. Looking likely to be the corrosion in the A-pillar connector.