Lock Coming out of door

PeteK*

I've an E46 and the remote central locking has been a bit off lately.
It doesn't always open when I press the button and if I locked it with the button then it can only be opened by the button.

Today I locked it manually with the key and it was stuck and the lock became loose inside the door handle. I managed to get it out. The key can control the windows so I just put them up before picking something up.

When I got back out to the car, my windows were down.
I called a company and they rushed me but said ''it may just need a new lock''. That's no big deal, is it?

Is it something I can get fixed within an hour or a few, if it sounds like it's just a lock? Does it mean new keys or they just tighten it or something?

Seems the last few years there's always something going wrong on it.. perhaps time to change!

pudzey101

id be changing the battery on the remote control first just to rule out that before paying out for new locks etc

mgbgt1978

Not that easy to change a Battery on an E46. They are supposedly a lifetime job and the Battery is supposed to be recharged whenever it's in the ignition.
There is no easy access to the Battery as the Key Fob is a sealed unit.....although if you google it there are plenty of youtube video's on the subject.
As for the lock itself, the various components (excluding the key) can be got on Ebay but unless the OP is prepared to have a go himself he will find it difficult to get a mechanic to spend a few hours sorting it out (they can be quite fiddly to take apart and reassemble).

PeteK*

pudzey101 wrote: »

id be changing the battery on the remote control first just to rule out that before paying out for new locks etc

I think the battery charges through the ignition somehow.
It stopped working for me before and I looked online to program it, and it takes seconds. Anyway, I didn't manage it but getting it serviced, I said it to the lads there and they did it no problem. But after a few months it was getting slow again and working only half the time.

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Not that easy to change a Battery on an E46. They are supposedly a lifetime job and the Battery is supposed to be recharged whenever it's in the ignition.
There is no easy access to the Battery as the Key Fob is a sealed unit.....although if you google it there are plenty of youtube video's on the subject.
As for the lock itself, the various components (excluding the key) can be got on Ebay but unless the OP is prepared to have a go himself he will find it difficult to get a mechanic to spend a few hours sorting it out (they can be quite fiddly to take apart and reassemble).

I wouldn't have a go at it myself.. I wouldn't have the patience.
So a lock being fixed somehow, it doesn't mean new keys and codes and programming for it to be done?

mgbgt1978

From what you say in your 1st post it sounds like the lock mechanism rather than the key. There is a fairly flimsy piece of aluminium at the end of the barrel that often breaks .
This can usually be sorted without having to change (or recode) keys, as the actual Barrel itself is not the probleml.
Your problem is finding somebody to do it.
Plenty of info on the BMW Forums....but again it would be mainly aimed at the DIY guys.

PeteK*

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

From what you say in your 1st post it sounds like the lock mechanism rather than the key. There is a fairly flimsy piece of aluminium at the end of the barrel that often breaks .
This can usually be sorted without having to change (or recode) keys, as the actual Barrel itself is not the probleml.
Your problem is finding somebody to do it.
Plenty of info on the BMW Forums....but again it would be mainly aimed at the DIY guys.

Thanks for that.. I'll mention that when I get it in the garage.