2007 BMW 3 Series Latches/Locks

COULDN'T UNLOCK DRIVERS DOOR FROM THE INSIDE, HAD TO OPEN THE WINDOWS AND USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE ON MY 2007 BMW 335XI. *TR

2007 BMW 328I DOORS WOULD NOT LOCK/UNLOCK. *TR

BMW 328I 2007. MY WHOLE FAMILY {4} OF US WERE LOCKED IN CAR. WE COULD NOT OPEN THE CAR FROM INSIDE. THAT IS MOST CRAZY THING EVER HAPPEN TO ME. THIS IS THE SAFETY ISSUE AND BMW NEED TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES AND FIX PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS REALLY IN TROUBLE. I MADE SOME RESEARCH AND FIND OUT THAT MORE PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS I HAD. I HAD TO PULL OUT MY CHILDREN TROUGH THE WINDOW TO GET THEM OUT OF CAR. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF SOME BIGGER ADULT WAS SITTING IN THE BACK OF CAR OR IF WE HAD CRASH ON OUR WAY HOME. THIS ISSUE WITH THIS CAR NEED TO BE RECALLED!! *TR

THE DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO UNLOCK (WITH BOTH THE REMOTE ENTRY AND THE DOOR LOCK SWITCH LOCATED IN THE CAR) WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THIS RESULTED IN ALL PASSENGERS (INCLUDING SMALL CHILDREN) TO HAVE TO EXIT THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVER'S DOOR. IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY THIS COULD CAUSE SAFETY ISSUES FOR ALL OCCUPANTS. THIS WAS REPAIRED BY INCREASING THE SIZE OF THE FUSE (TO A 20 AMP FROM A 15 AMP). AFTER RESEARCH, THIS APPEARS TO BE JUST A TEMPORARY FIX. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY ISSUES THIS COULD CAUSE FOR OTHER FAMILIES. *TR

DOOR ACTUATORS ON MY 2007 BMW 328I FAILED. IT BEGAN WITH JUST THE FRONT TWO DOORS AND THEN THE REAR DOORS. A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR, MOSTLY LABOR EXPENSE. I AM THANKFUL THAT THIS DID NOT OCCUR WHEN AWAY FROM HOME AS LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOORS WAS NOT POSSIBLE. ALSO, IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN IN THE BACKSEAT THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET OUT. *TR

THE DOOR LOCKS SUDDENLY STOP WORKING. THEY LOCK AND STAY LOCKED. YOU CANNOT OPEN THEM FROM THE INSIDE, EXCEPT THE DRIVER'S DOOR. ALL THREE REMAINING DOORS DO NOT OPEN! THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN BMW 3-SERIES E90S. *TR

2007 BMW 328XI. ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT UNLOCK. NO DOOR COULD BE UNLOCKED FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. NO DOOR COULD BE OPENED FROM INSIDE VEHICLE. PULLING THE INTERNAL DOOR LATCH REPEATEDLY FAILED TO UNLOCK OR OPEN DOOR. PUSHING ELECTRONIC LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON ON DASHBOARD FAILED TO UNLOCK DOORS. LOWERING WINDOW AND USING MANUAL KEY IN EXTERIOR LOCK UNLOCKED DOOR BUT AS SOON AS KEY WAS ROTATED TO REMOVE FROM LOCK DOOR IMMEDIATELY ELECTRONICALLY RELOCKED. KEY HAD TO BE HELD IN UNLOCK POSITION WHILE INTERIOR DOOR LATCH WAS USED TO OPEN THE DOOR IN ORDER TO OPEN DOOR TO EXIT CAR. SUBSEQUENTLY EXCEPT FOR DRIVER'S DOOR ALL DOORS REMAINED INOPERABLE LOCKED BUT DRIVERS DOOR COULD BE OPENED ONLY MANUALLY WITH MANUAL KEY FROM EXTERIOR OR LATCH FROM INTERIOR WITHOUT AUTOMATICALLY RE-LOCKING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND REPAIRED. DEALER REPORTED THAT A "SHORT" HAD CAUSED FAILURE OF ABILITY TO UNLOCK. EVENT HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN IN ONE MONTH. *TR

ON SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 15, 2010, THE DOOR ACTUATORS OF MY 2007 BMW 335I BLEW OUT A FUSE. AS A RESULT, NONE OF THE DOORS WERE CAPABLE OF BEING OPENED, EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. THE CAR'S KEY FOB COULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE LOCK BUTTON ON THE DASH WOULD NOT WORK. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS MANUALLY. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO WAY A PASSENGER COULD HAVE EXITED THE CAR, EXCEPT BY CLIMBING THROUGH THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OR BY CLIMBING OUT THE WINDOWS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND PRESENTS PARTICULAR DANGERS TO DISABLED PASSENGERS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN WELL-DOCUMENTED FOR 2007 3-SERIES VEHICLES ON THE WEB. SEE HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2007/BMW/335I/LATCH,+LOCK+AND+LINKAGE AND HTTP://WWW.ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM/COMPLAINT/2007/BMW/328I/LATCH,+LOCK+AND+LINKAGE. THIS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE REPRESENTS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CAR: HTTP://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=3V04L-ISYCS. I UNDERSTAND THAT BMW HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR DEALERS REGARDING THE PROBLEM. DEALERS FIX THE PROBLEM ONLY BY CHANGING THE FUSE. STAFF AT BMW SAN FRANCISCO, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (CERTIFIED USED) SIX WEEKS AGO, TOLD ME TODAY (MAY 19, 2010) THAT EVEN WITH A NEW FUSE, THE PROBLEM COULD RECUR. I FURTHER UNDERSTAND THAT BMW HAS WILLFULLY REFUSED TO ISSUE A RECALL. THE FUSE BOX IS LOCATED IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT INSIDE THE CAR. WERE THE DOOR ACTUATORS TO CAUSE A FIRE AND THE PASSENGER DOORS INCAPABLE OF BEING OPENED, PASSENGERS COULD VERY WELL SUFFER SERIOUS INJURIES OR EVEN DEATH. THE 335I MANUAL INDICATES THAT MEDDLING WITH THE CAR'S FUSE BOX COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. *TR

THE DOORS ON MY 2007 BMW 328I WOULD NOT OPEN WITH THE PUSH BUTTON LOCK. I REMOVED THE MANUAL KEY AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY HOUSE, I REVIEWED THE OWNERS MANUAL AND CHECKED TO SEE IF THE SETTING WAS WRONG WITH THE KEY. PUSHING THE KEY, OPEN-CLOSE BUTTON THE DOORS LOCKED BUT WOULD NOT OPEN. I HAD THE FORESIGHT TO ROLL MY WINDOW DOWN PRIOR TO CHECKING THE LOCK. IF I HAD NOT DONE SO, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED IN FLORIDA AND COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL IF LOCKED IN THE CAR WITHOUT A WAY OUT IN THE FLORIDA HEAT. ALSO, THE GAS DOOR WAS LOCKED SHUT AND I WAS UNABLE TO PUT GAS IN THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE BMW DEALERSHIP (QUALITY IMPORTS- FT WALTON BEACH) AND TOOK THE CAR TO THEM FOR REPAIRS. IT TOOK TWO DAYS INSTEAD OF THE TWO HOURS THAT I WAS PROMISED. ALSO, I FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD A TECHNICAL REPAIR BULLETIN THAT HAD BEEN ISSUED REGARDING FAULTY LOCKS ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE. BESIDES THE SAFETY COMPLAINT I FEEL THAT I WAS CHARGES WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF (NO COST TO THE CONSUMER) SINCE THIS VEHICLE'S PROBLEM WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE TALKED WITH CORPORATE BMW AND WAS TOLD THAT ANY ISSUE COULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. (I FELT THAT I WAS BLOWN OFF). I WOULD LIKE FOR THE FAULTY DOOR ACTUATORS TO BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUE. WHEN ASKING THE DEALERSHIP WHAT THEY MEANT BY A TECHNICAL BULLETIN, THE RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NO SAFETY PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED. I DISAGREE. *TR

REPEATED DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR FAILURE IN 2007 BMW 3281. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, BOTH REAR DOORS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER DOORS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR OPENED BY ITSELF AND DOOR OPEN WARNING SHOWED UP. IT HAS HAPPENED ONLY ONCE ON MY CAR SO FAR BUT A FEW OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILAR BMW CARS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THE STANDARD RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERSHIP IS "UNABLE TO REPLICATE PROBLEM" AND THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT IT. *TR

MY VEHICLE HAS AN ISSUE WHERE APPARENTLY A FUSE BLOWS AND THE DOOR LOCKS CAN NOT BE ACTIVATED BY THE FOB, INTERIOR HANDLES (EXCEPT THE DRIVER DOOR), OR THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCKING SWITCH. [PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT HAVE ANY CHILD SAFETY LOCKS ACTIVATED ON THE REAR DOORS.] THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN OPEN THE DRIVER DOOR IS THROUGH THE VALET KEY. THIS HAS OCCURRED TO ME TWICE AND IS NOW APPARENTLY A SERVICE BULLETIN WITH BMW. I AM WRITING TO YOU BECAUSE I FEEL IT IS A DESIGN HAZARD IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE TO FAIL IN AN ACCIDENT, THEN THIS BECOMES AN EXTREME HAZARD IF FIRE OR ANY OTHER ISSUE WERE INVOLVED. I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS REQUIRED AN ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF UNLOCKING THE DOORS OTHER THAN ELECTRICALLY (HENCE THE DOOR PULL KNOBS WHICH IN MY CAR ARE EVEN WITH THE TRIM AND UNABLE TO GRASP). *TR

DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTIONING. ALL 4 DOORS ON MY 2007 BMW 335I WON'T OPEN USING THE KEY REMOTE NOR THE CENTRAL LOCK SYSTEM. EVEN WHEN TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR MANUALLY, I WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN ANY OF THE 4 DOORS. MY FAMILY HAD TO CLIMB OUT FROM THE WINDOW. I SEE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM DIFFERENT FORUMS. HOW DO YOU EXPECT A PASSENGER TO GET OUT THE CAR DURING EMERGENCY SITUATION? ONE OF THE PASSENGERS WAS A HANDICAP. NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN ALL DOORS IT CAN BE A LIFE THREATENING. PLANNING TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER NEXT WEEK. *TR

ALL DOORS ON A 2007 BMW 328I, 4-DOOR, WOULD NOT UNLOCK FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. ALL PASSENGERS WERE TRAPPED INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND HAD TO CLIMB OUT THE WINDOWS TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. *TR

CENTRAL LOCKING FAILURE CAUSING ONLY THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR TO BE OPERABLE. THE PASSENGER AND REAR DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE. IN THE EVENT OF FIRE PASSENGERS COULD NOT LET THEMSELVES OUT OR EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OPEN THE 3 DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. *TR

CAN NOT UNLOCK DOORS USING THE KEY FOB! ONLY DRIVER DOOR CAN BE OPENED MANUALLY USING THE KEY INSIDE THE KEY FOB! NO OTHER DOORS COULD BE OPENED EVEN MANUALLY USING THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES! (THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED OTHERWISE IT CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ISSUES IF PROBLEM OCCURS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT COULD MAKE EXITING THE VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE ). *TR

MODEL: 2007 BMW 328I. THE ELECTRONIC "DOOR ACTUATORS" FAILED. AS A RESULT, IT BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN ANY DOOR OF THE VEHICLE FROM THE INSIDE, EXCEPT THE DRIVER'S DOOR. WHEN THESE ELECTRONIC DOOR ACTUATORS FAIL, PASSENGERS ARE TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE, AND ARE EXPOSED TO INJURY OR DEATH IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE OR IF THE VEHICLE BECOMES SUBMERGED. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALERSHIP (WEATHERFORD BMW, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA) SUGGESTED THAT EVEN IF THE ELECTRONIC DOOR ACTUATORS WERE DISABLED THE DOORS COULD STILL BE OPENED BY PULLING TWICE ON THE OPENING LATCH. HOWEVER, WHEN THIS WAS TRIED, THE DOORS STILL COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE SERVICE ADVISORS DID COMMENT THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED IN OTHER 328I MODELS; AND, IN FACT, ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED FOR THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM. IN VIEW OF THIS EXTREMELY SERIOUS DEFECT WHICH APPARENTLY EXISTS WITH THE 328I MODEL, RESULTING IN TRAPPING PASSENGERS IF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTROLLING THE DOORS FAILS, WE STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT THIS DEFECT BE INVESTIGATED, AND THAT THE SUBJECT VEHICLES BE RECALLED SO THAT THE DEFECT CAN BE CORRECTED BEFORE DEATHS OR INJURIES OCCUR. *TR

DOOR LOCKS PERMANENTLY LOCKED FROM INSIDE OF CAR WHILE I WAS I STOPPED AT A MALL PARKING SPOT WITH WIFE AND 9 MONTH OLD SON. I COULD NOT UNLATCH THE DOORS BY USING THE DOOR UNLOCK BUTTON AND THROUGH THE KEY UNLOCK BUTTON. (SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE MY OWNERSHIP BEGAN AT 14400 MILES AND THIRD IN CARS TOTAL HISTORY ACCORDING TO THE OWNERSHIP RECORD). CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY UNTIL DECEMBER 24 2011. JUST HAD THIS PROBLEM FIXED ON 1/8/2009 AT PERILLO BMW IN CHICAGO IL.I HAD TO ROLL DOWN MY WINDOW, CLIMB OUT, AND THEN TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE KEY FOB AND UNLOCK THE DRIVER DOOR. I HAD TO HAVE MY WIFE CLIMB IN BACK TO GET SON OUT OF SEAT AND PASS HIM FORWARD TO THE FRONT SEAT SO I COULD GET HIM OUT THROUGH THE DRIVERS DOOR. SHE CLIMBED BACK INTO FRONT AND GOT OUT DRIVERS DOOR. THIS TOOK APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MINUTES. IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT OR A CAR FIRE, THERE IS NOW WAY I COULD HAVE GOTTEN MY FAMILY OUT IN A HURRY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED ON NUMEROUS BMW CAR CLUB SITES AND THERE IS REALLY NO QUICK FIX BUT TO REPLACE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR OR FUSES. EVEN WHEN THESE PARTS ARE REPLACED, THE PROBLEM HAPPENS TIME AND TIME AGAIN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

THE CENTRAL LOCKING SYSTEM FAILED AND ONLY THE DRIVER DOOR COULD BE OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING WITH MY NEWBORN BABY IN THE BACK SEAT AND COULD NOT GET OUTSIDE THE CAR, BECAUSE THE REMAINING (THREE) DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE NEITHER FROM THE CAR'S OUTSIDE HANDLES. I REACH FOR MY NEWBORN BABY BOY FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND MY WIFE HAD TO EXIT THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW, BECAUSE SHE COULD NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE CENTER CONSOLE. THIS HAD HAPPENED TWICE DURING LAST MONTH, AND COULD BE WORSE IF AN ELDERLY PERSON OR HANDICAP PERSON COULD NOT EXIT THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW. AND IT COULD GET MUCH WORSE WITH HEAVY SUN AND YOU HAVE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE FUEL DOOR ALSO GETS LOCKED, SO THE CAR CANNOT BE REFUELED. THIS LOCKING SYSTEM IS A VERY BAD DESIGN BECAUSE IF IT FAILS, THE MECHANICAL LEVERS GETS DISCONNECTED AND NOBODY CAN OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE CAR'S INSIDE HANDLES NEITHER OUTSIDES. *TR

A SIMPLE FUSE FAILURE IN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM RENDERED THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES UNUSABLE, EXCEPT FOR ONE, WHOSE ACTUATOR CAUSED THE ORIGINAL ELECTRICAL OVERLOAD. HAD SOMETHING ELSE CAUSED THE FUSE TO FAIL, WE WOULD BE UNABLE TO EGRESS THE VEHICLE EXCEPT THROUGH THE WINDOWS, AND, WITH A COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE THAT ALSO WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE. THE BMW TECH PEOPLE TELL ME THAT THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED THAT WAY. I FEEL THAT IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR