Car thinks door is open

[bimmerboy]

Alright another weird problem with my car. First the car simply thinks a door is open. I figured out that it thinks the drivers side door is open becasue when i shut the car off it says key in ign. (and it normally would say that reminding you, you left the key in the ign.)

In the morning on the way to work i get in and nothing comes up on the dash. I stop for coffee get out of the car and try to lock it but it wont lock becasue it thinks the door is open. Then when i get back in and drive off the dash says door open. Not long after that it must reset itself or something and the message goes away and i can not lock my car from the inside while driving like normal. I then get out of my car and as soon as i open the door i cant lock my car again. What is going on?! it is so confussing!!

[Tiger]

Bad door switch.... doesn't your inside light stay on even though the driver door is closed?

[BennyM]

My old 525i did this to me. I wrapped thin strips of duct tape around the black door latch that contains the switch. Wrap the tape around tightly so that the little black door switch stays pushed in ever so slightly. ...or replace the switch. I had to rewrap every few years. I used to have pictures on this site depicting the switch that I'm talking about, but I think they were eaten by internet gremlins a long time ago.

BennyM

Alright another weird problem with my car. First the car simply thinks a door is open. I figured out that it thinks the drivers side door is open becasue when i shut the car off it says key in ign. (and it normally would say that reminding you, you left the key in the ign.)

In the morning on the way to work i get in and nothing comes up on the dash. I stop for coffee get out of the car and try to lock it but it wont lock becasue it thinks the door is open. Then when i get back in and drive off the dash says door open. Not long after that it must reset itself or something and the message goes away and i can not lock my car from the inside while driving like normal. I then get out of my car and as soon as i open the door i cant lock my car again. What is going on?! it is so confussing!!

[bimmerboy]

Yeah i actually tried the duct tape too, it worked for about 20 mins until the switch came through, haha. does anyone know the name of the switch/part i cant find it i think i am just going to order it.

thanks for your help

[BennyM]

Haha. But, if you apply several layers of duct tape, the switch won't break through the strips. And of course if you put too many strips on, the car won't ever know the door is open. It's an art really....the art of duct tape application.

Yeah i actually tried the duct tape too, it worked for about 20 mins until the switch came through, haha. does anyone know the name of the switch/part i cant find it i think i am just going to order it.

thanks for your help

[BMWCCA1]

I prefer electrical tape.

[Omega]

Oh yeah. Electrical tape FTW!!!

Also you can color co-ordinate the tape if you wish. I stuck with black so as to not loose concours points.......

[JD525IA]

The doors would not lock and the DOOR OPEN and chime would go off when making a right hand turn. I ended up getting a door striker switch from Ebay for about $15 and haven't looked back since.

You'll need a Torx bit(T-6 I think) to get the bolts out. Don't let the wires and backing plate fall down into the column when changing the switch out or you will be seriously screwed. I don't know how they get it in there to begin with.

Good luck.

JD

[bimmerboy]

Thanks for the help everyone. i have ordered the switch and temp fix it (i think) with the duct tape. My only concern is, if i lock the car i dont think there is but is there any chance of the car all of the suden thinking the door has been opened and the alarm will go off???

i am in college and am not any where near my car haha. i also put in a new alarm system so it is VERY loud haha. it is actually very nice, it sounds like a police siren. haha

[BennyM]

pushing on the door from inside when it is locked to see if the lights go on. If they do come on when you push, apply more tape. I would say the risk of it coming on by itself is pretty small, though. It only happened to me once, and that was several years after I taped the thing.

Thanks for the help everyone. i have ordered the switch and temp fix it (i think) with the duct tape. My only concern is, if i lock the car i dont think there is but is there any chance of the car all of the suden thinking the door has been opened and the alarm will go off???

i am in college and am not any where near my car haha. i also put in a new alarm system so it is VERY loud haha. it is actually very nice, it sounds like a police siren. haha