2006 BMW 3 Series Latches/Locks

The contact owns a 2006 BMW 325I. The contact stated that he was unable to open the driver’s and passenger’s side front doors. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 133,000.

DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING, COULDN'T GET IN OR OUT OF CAR OR OPEN THE GAS DOOR. REPLACED FUSE #57 AND NOW 3 OF 4 LOCKS ARE WORKING. AFTER DOING ONLINE RESEARCH I'VE FOUND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS AND IT IS UNSAFE AS I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR IF THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY. IT SEEMS THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SO COMMON THAT IT WOULD WARRANT A RECALL. *JS

THE DOORS ON MY CAR ARE LOCKED AND WILL NOT OPEN. I CALLED BMW AND WAS ADVISED THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE BUT NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. ONCE THE DOORS ARE LOCKED THEY CANNOT BE UNLOCKED REGARDLESS IF YOU ARE IN OR OUT OF THE CAR - THERE IS NO MANUAL WAY TO OPEN THEM. SO ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE ISSUE IF YOU WERE IN THE CAR YOU WOULD BE STUCK. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 1000S OF BMW'S AND ITS A KNOWN ISSUE BUT BMW WONT RECALL. HOW CAN BEING STUCK IN A VEHICLE WITH NO WAY TO EXIT NOT BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY CONCERN? *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC KEY FOB FAILED TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR HAD TO BE OPENED MANUALLY HOWEVER THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVERS SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN MANUALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON ONE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

VEHICLE ELECTRIC DOOR LOCKS (ACTUATORS) DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. UNABLE TO EXIT DRIVER'S DOOR FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE BY PULLING HANDLE. IF THERE WAS A CRASH AND/OR FIRE, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY TO EXIT QUICKLY. COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE ACCORDING TO BMW FORUM IN THE INTERNET (BIMMERPOST). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 325I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOORS IN THE VEHICLE WERE LOCKED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC LOCK SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A PASSENGER BECAME LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LOCKED THE DOORS USING THE AUTOMATIC KEY FOB HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER WAS THEN UNABLE TO UNLOCK AND EXIT THE VEHICLE USING THE MANUAL DOOR LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 91,000. UPDATED 04/03/13*LJ THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED A MECHANIC ADVISED THIS IS HOW THE VEHICLE PROTECTS ITSELF FROM THEFT IN THE EVENT SOMEONE BREAKS THE WINDOW. UPDATED 04/19/2013 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED HE ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR BUT THE DOOR FAILED TO UNLOCK. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE WINDOW AND UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE USING HER KEY. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE LOCK ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCK WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH CENTER CONSOLE DOOR LOCK, NOR THE KEY FOB. CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED VIA MANUAL KEY. *JS

WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING, SUDDENLY THE FRONT AND BACK DOORS WERE LOCKED AND NOT ABLE TO OPEN BOTH WITH MANUALLY AS WELL AS REMOTELY. JUST ONE DRIVER'S PASSENGER DOOR WAS OPENED TO GET OUT. ACCESS TO JUST ONE DOOR. MY WIFE WHO IS PREGNANT HAD A HORRIBLE TIME IN GETTING OUT OF THE CAR DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND SHE HAD TO GO TO EMERGENCY AS SHE HAD DIFFICULTY IN GETTING OUT OF THE CAR DUE TO THIS ISSUE. THIS IS REALLY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TT

BMW CENTRAL LOCKING MODULE FAILURE WILL RESULT LOCKING UP PASSENGERS INSIDE. ALL 4 DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK WITH DOOR NOB OR UNLOCK/LOCK BUTTON. EVEN FUSE BLOWN WILL MAKE THIS CENTRAL LOCKING MODULE FAIL RESULTING PASSENGER LOCK UP IN THE CAR. THERE IS NO MANUAL OVERRIDE TO UNLOCK DOORS FROM INSIDE. *TR

2006 BMW 325I. AFTER PARKING WITH MY WIFE IN THE FRONT SEAT AND MY ELDERLY PARENTS IN THE BACK SEATS, ONLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD UNLOCK. THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM WOULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS. NEITHER WOULD THE REMOTE OR THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES. MY WIFE AND ELDERLY PARENTS HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE AND FROM THE BACK SEAT TO EXIT THE CAR VIA THE DRIVER'S DOOR. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD IF PEOPLE ARE TRAPPED IN THE CAR. WHAT IF THERE WAS A FIRE? THIS IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW WITH BMW CARS WHERE A 15AMP FUSE WAS INSTALLED FOR THE DOOR MECHANISM. BMW HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN ( 51 19 07 ) WHICH CALLS FOR REPLACING THE 15AMP FUSE FOR A 20 AMP FUSE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TT

WHEN TRYING TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE USING THE REMOTE, THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY ONE MANUAL UNLOCK LATCH FOR KEY INSERT INTO THE DOOR ON THE DRIVERS DOOR. WAS ABLE TO UNLOCK ONLY THE DRIVERS DOOR. THE REMAINING THREE DOORS CANNOT BE UNLOCKED AT ALL, NOT EVEN WHEN OPENING FROM THE INSIDE. ALSO THE GAS TANK DOOR WILL NOT OPEN EITHER. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM NUMEROUS VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. IF THERE IS AN EMERGENCY, THERE IS NO WAY TO GET OUT OF THE THREE LOCKED DOORS. HUGE SAFETY CONCERN!!!! FOUND A BLOWN FUSE, AND REPLACED, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. CHECK THE COMPLAINT LIST, PLEASE. *TR

2006 BMW 330I - COMPLETE FAILURE OF ALL DOOR LOCKING MECHANISMS RESULTING IN THE INABILITY TO BOTH REAR DOORS AND PASSENGER FRONT DOOR, FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. THIS OCCURRED FROM AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR, CAUSING NUMEROUS FUSES TO BLOW. THIS HAPPENED FROM NORMAL USE OF THE REMOTE KEY LESS ENTRY SYSTEM. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS INVOLVED. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR LOCK IS FAILING AND LOCKING ME INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I CAN ONLY OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE KEY IN THE KEYHOLE. ELECTRONIC LOCK DOESN'T UNLOCK. *KB

3 OF THE 4 DOOR LOCKS ON MY 2006 BMW 325XI FAILED. A FRIEND WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND ONCE WE STOPPED AND ATTEMPTED TO GET OUT, THE PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. SHE WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR AND HAD TO BE REMOVED VIA THE PASSENGER WINDOW. THE TWO REAR DOORS AND ONE PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN EITHER. THE BUTTONS WOULD NOT WORK TO OPEN THEM AND THE DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED BY PULLING THE HANDLE INSIDE. MY 76 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER HAD JUST LEFT THE CAR 20 MINUTES EARLIER AND HAS DIFFICULTY WITH MOBILITY, IT WAS 94 DEGREES TODAY, WHAT WOULD I DO IF SHE WAS TRAPPED IN THE CAR IN THIS HEAT? THE PROBLEM IS CONSTANT AND NO CORRECTIVE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FOR FEAR OF FURTHER DAMAGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW 330I. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK AUTOMATICALLY OR MANUALLY. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO CLIMB OUT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHO CONFIRMED THE ACTUATOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER FILED REPORT S32869 AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILES WERE 48,900. THE CONSUMER STATED THE COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS $1,000. UPDATED 08/04/11

DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING WITH KEY FOB AND CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM. REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AT ALL. REPLACED FUSE BUT THIS STILL DID NOT ALLOW DOOR TO OPEN. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!! *TR

DOOR LOCK FAILURE ON 2006 BMW 325I. ALL THE DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND BOTH REAR DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK. I WENT TO LOCK THE CAR AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND THE DOORS LOCKED BUT WOULD NOT UNLOCK. ONLY THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CAN OPEN NOW. I CANNOT EVEN OPEN THE OTHER DOORS WITH THE KEY FOB OR THE CENTRAL LOCKING BUTTON. WE HAD TO CLIMB IN THE BACK AND GET OUR 7 MONTH OLD BABY OUT THROUGH THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW BECAUSE THE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN. *TR

2006 BMW 330I STARTED INTERMITTENTLY HAVE DOOR LOCK ISSUES. ONE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK BUT OTHERS WOULD. TODAY (05/31/11) I WAS AT LUNCH WITH MY KIDS AND WE WENT TO GET IN THE CAR AND NONE OF THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE EXCEPT THE RIGHT REAR. I LEANED IN AND TRIED TO UNLOCK THE OTHERS WITH THE HANDLE BUT THEY WOULD NOT. I CLIMBED THROUGH TO THE DRIVERS SEAT AND DROVE HOME. I GOT TO MY HOUSE AND WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR. THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WITH THE BUTTON ON THE DASH, THE KEY, OR BY PULLING ON THE HANDLE. I HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE WINDOW AND I HAD TO PULL MY KIDS OUT OF THEIR WINDOWS TO GET THEM OUT. NOW THE CAR IS AWAITING A SERVICE APPOINTMENT BUT THE CAR IS TOO UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THE MEANTIME. I AM SCARED SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN AND WE WILL GET TRAPPED IN THE CAR. *TR

BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN (SIB-51-19-07) ON THE BMW VEHICLES: DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK USING THE KEY FOB OR CENTRAL LOCKING BUTTON. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR WHEN THIS OCCURS THERE IS ONLY ONE EXIT (AND ENTRY) INTO THE VEHICLE AND THAT IS THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND THE ABILITY/MOBILITY OF THE PASSENGERS THIS MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE. MY 2006 325I BMW (VIN: [XXX]) IS HAVING ITS FRONT DOOR LOCKING/LATCHING ASSEMBLES REPLACED DUE TO THEM MALFUNCTIONING AND CAUSING A SHORT IN THE SYSTEM. THIS SHORT IS CAUSING THE FUSE WHICH UNLOCKS THE DOORS TO BLOW WHICH CREATES A SAFETY ISSUE FOR PASSENGERS NOT BEING ABLE TO UNLOCK THEIR DOORS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE (EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER?S DOOR) IN THE EVENT ONE NEEDS TO EXIT IN AN EMERGENCY (OR JUST ENTERING OR EXITING THE BMW). AS A MATTER OF FACT, MY FORMER MOTHER-IN-LAW HAS A 2006 325I BMW AND SHE JUST HAD HER BMW SERVICED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. FROM WHAT I AM BEING TOLD THE COST TO REPAIR THESE LOCKING/LATCHING ASSEMBLE WILL RUN ABOUT $750-800 (PARTS AND LABOR). IN MY OPINION, THIS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE PARTS SHOULD BE A RECALL REPLACEMENT VS A CONSUMER COST. *TR

THE KEY FOB FAILS TO LOCK/UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE CENTRAL LOCK/UNLOCK SWITCH FAILS TO LOCK/UNLOCK THE DOORS TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO COME OUT OF THE CAR. *TR THE DOOR LATCH INSIDE THE CAR DOES NOT OPEN THE DOOR EITHER. THEY ONLY WAY TO OPEN THE DOOR IS TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM OUTSIDE.

ALL 4 DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK AND OPEN. *TR

DOOR LOCKING ISSUES, DOORS WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE OF THE CAR WHEN HANDLE IS OPENED BY PASSENGERS. DOORS WILL NOT UNLOCK VIA KEY FOB. POSSIBLE ISSUE WITH CONTROL MODULE GM5 WITHIN THE BMW DASHBOARD. *LN

THERE IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH BMW MODEL YEARS 2006 AND 2007 3 SERIES MODELS. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS AND/OR THE FUSES FOR THE DOOR LOCKS. WHEN THEY FAIL YOU ARE ONLY ABLE TO ESCAPE THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. NONE OF THE OTHER DOORS ON THE CAR WILL OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. IN ORDER TO FIX THE ISSUE YOU HAVE TO REPLACE THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS AND THE FUSES. IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE AS IT IS SUCH A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I HAVE A CAR FULL OF PEOPLE AND HEAVEN FORBID IT CATCHES ON FIRE OR THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR IS DAMAGED? WE ALL DIE? *TR