Door actuator?

J

JPB

Member
BMW E85 2003.
Aftertrawling countless forum posts across the web I've come down to two solutions to my problem.

Problem: Passenger door won't unlock from outside handle, and doesn't unlock with central locking (even inside lock button). But it does unlock with inside handle and it locks fine with central locking.

1. Could be the door actuator needs replacing
2. Could be the GMV GM5 that needs fixing/replacing

I have my doubts about 2. Because it only affects one side of the car and this dude says that it's usually both sides if the GMV GM5 needs replacement: https://www.bmwgm5.com/GM5_Repair_Service.htm

Anyone found a solution to this on their Z4?
Screenshot_20180824-154520~2.png
 
It will be one of the relays on the GM5 module. Common fault, and as the doors each have their own, it usually manifests itself on one door to begin with.

Mike
 
Hi
Had exact same issue on mine
Started with passenger door then ended up with both doors
Used the gm5 repair service on e bay £38 including delivery back
Sent Monday this week back Thursday morning this week, two screws to remove panel ,under glove box two nuts to unbolt gm5 unit , 3 connectors to unplug.
Worst that can happen is its not that and you have to pay £10 fee for checking and £3.50 delivery , I believe actuators are £80 plus for part?
Cannot fault the service plugged it back in works fine
Top tip when you take gm5 module off knocks out several other electrical items including PDC, nearly had a knock.
 
Ducklakeview said:
It will be one of the relays on the GM5 module. Common fault, and as the doors each have their own, it usually manifests itself on one door to begin with.

Mike
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip Mike, didn't realise there was one for each side!
 
GasheadIan said:
Hi
Had exact same issue on mine
Started with passenger door then ended up with both doors
Used the gm5 repair service on e bay £38 including delivery back
Sent Monday this week back Thursday morning this week, two screws to remove panel ,under glove box two nuts to unbolt gm5 unit , 3 connectors to unplug.
Worst that can happen is its not that and you have to pay £10 fee for checking and £3.50 delivery , I believe actuators are £80 plus for part?
Cannot fault the service plugged it back in works fine
Top tip when you take gm5 module off knocks out several other electrical items including PDC, nearly had a knock.
Click to expand...

That's great! Is it possible to link me to the eBay service you used? I'll do the same!
 
I have a similar fault , however my door handle on the drivers side don't open up .the inside lever opens the door and the lock goes up and down with the key .it's just the outside handle won't open the door ,it would work with the window in the up position but not in the down .Now it won't open the car at all ,so I was going to remove the door card as I thought it had to be some sort of lever fault with the outer door . Now should I look in or go for the module
 
I've this issue on the passenger door. It won't unlock with button on the key. Can you still use the car without the module connected - is it just that it won't lock? I note the mention of pcd but I'm not sure what that is.
 
UPDATE! It now works again. Just randomly started working again last week. Strange. Will update again if I have more news.
 
I found my solution with the driver door lock not working with the remote. It was a loose connector to the actuator inside the door. I bought a new actuator and was expecting to install it but the old actuator was good as well as the electronic module.
 
Some pics and links for removing and repairing the GM5 module available here https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=102586&p=1498978#p1498978
 
I have this issue on my E85. The drivers door will lock, but not unlock with the fob. The passenger side is fine.

For the last couple of months it has flipped between working and not working.

I removed the door card but I cannot see anything wrong. (I have not had the actuator itself out).

From reading above, it sounds like this could be the GM5?
 
[ref]MTW[/ref] my passenger door did the same. I went down the route of replacing the door lock actuator. When the new one arrived from BMW I just wanted to double check the old one was still dead. When I plugged it back in...it worked fine, over and over! So I ended up fitting it back into the door, returning the new actuator to BMW and it's been fine ever since! This leads me to think that some connector corrosion could have formed, but was cleaned up when I disconnected and re-connected the connectors. Did I say "connect" enough times? :P

So this might be worth a shot, as its free of charge. Get in there and unplug the connectors, then plug them back in, and see what happens.

In the midst of my investigations I did also remove the GM5 module, so there might be the potential for disconnecting/re-connecting the module that also played a part here. I opted not to send the module away for repair in the end, so simply fitted it back to the car.
 
Thank you for the reply.

I disconnected the connector and sprayed some electrical cleaner in. This didn’t make any difference, but I did not go as far as taking the actuator out (which may free something up?)

I will try at the GM5 end to see whether that makes a difference...
 
Sounds like gm5 issues.
My passenger door was not unlocking.
I bought the relays on eBay from Germany and fitted them my self.
Works perfect now.
 
MTW said:
Thank you for the reply.

I disconnected the connector and sprayed some electrical cleaner in. This didn’t make any difference, but I did not go as far as taking the actuator out (which may free something up?)

I will try at the GM5 end to see whether that makes a difference...
Click to expand...
Yeah I'd say it's worth trying things that don't cost anything to start with. Everyone was telling me to send my GM5 module away but that turned out not to be necessary. I'm not saying your module can be ruled out, as it could well be the culprit here.
 
wonkydonkey said:
MTW said:
Thank you for the reply.

I disconnected the connector and sprayed some electrical cleaner in. This didn’t make any difference, but I did not go as far as taking the actuator out (which may free something up?)

I will try at the GM5 end to see whether that makes a difference...
Click to expand...
Yeah I'd say it's worth trying things that don't cost anything to start with. Everyone was telling me to send my GM5 module away but that turned out not to be necessary. I'm not saying your module can be ruled out, as it could well be the culprit here.
Click to expand...

No luck with the electrical cleaner. Tomorrow the GM5 will be shipped out for repair as it's not much more expensive than the relays (also saves the risk of my cack-handed soldering trashing it....)

I'll let you know how it goes - thanks again for the input.
 
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