Sticky Door Handle

[Matty_Z4]

Had my MOT yesterday and they flagged up that my door handle was stiff. Later on in the day it decided to fail So hopped on Amazon and grabbed a new Cable as that seems to be the most common issue.

Part number matches up so hoped it would be good.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C76ZJ2L1?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

After 2 hours of cursing and nearly loosing my mind the cable was fitted and no matter how I prodded or poked it I couldn't get the door to unlatch. I have attached a video if anyone wants to watch me slowly decend into madness. (language warning there were some fruity words spoken)
[youtube]qhprJSiy-4g[/youtube]

Im going to have another go in the morning, any tips? Also should the cable loop back on itself like in this picture.

 

[Matty_Z4]

Well I seem to have fixed it and then immediately made things worse.

So it seems that buying a cable from Amazon may not have been the best of idea the cable seems to be about 5-6mm too long.

I have moved the white ferrule out of its seat and packed out the other end by the latch with some rubber cable sleeve. That worked great. Put everything back together and go out to get my wheels aligned and got to the alignment place and can’t open the door from either the inside or outside handle now. Had to get out of the passengers door.

And I managed to break the little white clip that holds the door locked indicator on. So a great start.

Time to take a trip down to BMW and see if I can get a Bowden cable on order.

In the mean time any idea how to open the door (I assume the door card doesn’t come off with the door shut.)

Ferrule where it’s supposed to be


Ferrule moved to take up slack in cable


Rubber cable sleeve packing out the latch end (again probably not a bright idea and may be the cause of my problem)

 

[bigwinn]

I don’t think length matters (despite what the other half says) in this instance

But looking at this pic I don’t think you have the white bit in the right place- it needs to sit further up in the groove

 

[bigwinn]

You can see where the white plug should sit with the nipple bit protruding above the plastic

 

[bigwinn]

What matters is the correct placement of the ends of the cables, the sleeve placements and the routing of the cable

 

[Matty_Z4]

Cheers bigwinn, I did have the white ferrule in the correct place last night but the outside door handle didn’t work.

This is how I had it last night when nothing worked.


This morning I made some adjustments based off a few videos on YouTube where they pack out a stretched cable with washers and that seemed to work. I tested it multiple times as I was putting it together and was working well the only problem I had was if the door was locked and you pulled the door handle then my bodge/adjustment failed like it has now. The end of the cable I packed out with rubber sleeve slips into its locator hole and everything stops working.
Until I tried to open my door after a short drive (auto lock double pull to open) and I think my bodge with the rubber sleeve has slipped. I didn’t think the double pull from inside would cause the same problem. So maybe I should have tried the pen lid or washer tip.

Anyway I have conceded and been down to the parts counter at BMW and have ordered the correct cable and will send the Amazon one back.

Hopefully it’s just a matter of a pattern part not fitting properly.

The BMW cable has a mushroom cover over the ferrule and the ferrule is a little smaller so it fits less snugly in the latch.


I guess the million dollar question is how to get the door card off with the door closed?
Found this thread https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78772 not sure why you need to mess with the air vent/cup holder to get the door card off but it’s doable.

Or do you think I can get something long and skinny in the door and in clip the cable and trip the lock ?

 

[Matty_Z4]

These are the videos I referenced

[youtube]Gq-0kngh6J4[/youtube]

and

[youtube]PcUHAKDNH7A[/youtube]

I have a suitable washer to bodge it up until the new parts from BMW arrive and hopefully its a fault with the cheap amazon cable and nothing im doing wrong. The loopy loop of the cable didnt look right to me but thats how it appears in the reference videos. Not going to touch it today as im pretty sure I will loose my patience with it as this will now be the 3rd time taking that door apart but will probably have a go at a temp fix tomorrow morning. Then hopefully collect the parts on Tuesday and give it one final go next weekend/Friday evening.

 

[Matty_Z4]

This is the loopy loo on the cable I’m questioning. It seems odd that it is supposed to loop back on itself like this.

Dark photos taken last night

 

[enuff_zed]

That's correct. Held in that clip on the carrier.
However, provided it's not catching on anything it isn't essential.

 

[Matty_Z4]

That's correct. Held in that clip on the carrier.
However, provided it's not catching on anything it isn't essential.

Thanks, good to know. I will double check it tomorrow when I get the new cable from BMW and compare against the Amazon cable.

Good news is I managed to un-latch the door by winding the window down and getting a wire in the window seal to unhook the cable for the external door handle. So im now back to square 1 where the inside lock works but the outside one doesnt. I have a suitable washer to put in a temporary fix but cant be bothered to take it apart tonight just to have to do it again tomorrow.

Fingers crossed we will be all fixed by tomorrow evening.

 

[enuff_zed]

Well at least you should be able to unlock, then hold the button down until the window drops and open the door using the inside handle.

 

[Matty_Z4]

New cable fitted from BMW and we still have the same problem. So it seems the Amazon cable may have done the job but hey Ho. It didn’t have the little rubber umbrella to keep it dry so the ORM one is a bonus.

Shoutout and thanks to Mr Nurburgring for the DM it seems like you were on the money. It was the gear thing on the top of the door handle that is worn, so the bit the cable connects to wasn’t moving far enough.

So it looks like I’m in the market for a new door handle. At least I don’t have to strip the door down for the 5th time to swap the handle out.

Pics attached of the worn gears.

Thanks again Bigwinn and enuff_z


Edit: Ouch !!! https://www.sytnerstevenagebmwparts.co.uk/p/132104460/51217197324.html

Edit 2: This thread my help peeps in the future. https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=121354&start=15

 

[enuff_zed]

What colour door handle do you need

 

[Matty_Z4]

What colour door handle do you need

I think its Green Olvin (Olive?) I can grab the paint code if you need it. Thanks.

 

[enuff_zed]

What colour door handle do you need

I think its Green Olvin (Olive?) I can grab the paint code if you need it. Thanks.

Don’t have one that colour sadly

 

[Matty_Z4]

What colour door handle do you need

I think its Green Olvin (Olive?) I can grab the paint code if you need it. Thanks.

Don’t have one that colour sadly

Thanks for looking.

Will have to jump on eBay see what I can find.

 

[enuff_zed]

I think its Green Olvin (Olive?) I can grab the paint code if you need it. Thanks.

Don’t have one that colour sadly

Thanks for looking.

Will have to jump on eBay see what I can find.

Rare colour and a chance another one would be worn too.
I think you may end up finding a good one in a different colour and forking out for a bit of paint.

 

[Matty_Z4]

Don’t have one that colour sadly

Thanks for looking.

Will have to jump on eBay see what I can find.

Rare colour and a chance another one would be worn too.
I think you may end up finding a good one in a different colour and forking out for a bit of paint.

Rang my "BMW guy" this morning, he pretty much said the same as you dont waste your time on a 2nd hand part. Told me to get the unpainted one from BMW £120 inc VAT and he has given me the number of a local bodyshop that will paint the handle for £30. So for £150 all in for a brand new one seems to be the least hassle.

 

[enuff_zed]

Thanks for looking.

Will have to jump on eBay see what I can find.

Rare colour and a chance another one would be worn too.
I think you may end up finding a good one in a different colour and forking out for a bit of paint.

Rang my "BMW guy" this morning, he pretty much said the same as you dont waste your time on a 2nd hand part. Told me to get the unpainted one from BMW £120 inc VAT and he has given me the number of a local bodyshop that will paint the handle for £30. So for £150 all in for a brand new one seems to be the least hassle.

Saves doing it all again down the line.
Little bit of grease on the teeth will help too.
I think what happens is the cable stretches and people then yank harder and harder on the handle until it fails.
Moral of the story, change the cable at the first sign of trouble!

 

[Matty_Z4]

Rare colour and a chance another one would be worn too.
I think you may end up finding a good one in a different colour and forking out for a bit of paint.

Rang my "BMW guy" this morning, he pretty much said the same as you dont waste your time on a 2nd hand part. Told me to get the unpainted one from BMW £120 inc VAT and he has given me the number of a local bodyshop that will paint the handle for £30. So for £150 all in for a brand new one seems to be the least hassle.

Saves doing it all again down the line.
Little bit of grease on the teeth will help too.
I think what happens is the cable stretches and people then yank harder and harder on the handle until it fails.
Moral of the story, change the cable at the first sign of trouble!

Indeed, I would be lying if I said it has been fine until it went in for its MOT(Still going to blame the MOT tester for breaking it). In the summer I had it twice when parked in direct sunlight the door wouldn't open. But for the most part it always worked but it seems that I have just learned the "knack" and never really noticed a problem (open the door with the back of the handle not the middle. ) So its been on its way out for at least a year I guess.

What grease would you recommend?

Ive got some Red Rubber Grease, a pack of ProSlip brake greases (https://proslip.com/), Generic "red" bicycle grease, and Shimano Freehub grease (the most expensive and lightest grease I have ever seen)

I might have a 20yr old tub of white lithium grease somewhere.