BACK right door wont close (DID search just more questions)

[McWatters]

So tongiht i was turning left and my back right door decided to swing open, luckly there was a person there whereing a seat belt thank god. to close it. So i pulled over to inspect. Every time id push the door close the "latch wouldnt latch i suppose"

I fooled around with the locking system seein if it would lock the door shut but no. all the other doors would lock cept it. and it would remain open. So then i held the door shut from inside. then pulled the handle that would normally open it. This resulted in a small sound from inside the door and it closed, but not all the way, it was in position but there was still a gap between the door and the frame of the car. So then i got out and pushed the door into the car a couple times till it stuck. I drove home with no more doors opening. However i know there is deffinately somethin screwy with that door. and i havnt opened it since.(tooo ****ing cold to be screwing round outside) Im going to take it into my school shop (luckly i have auto class) to inspect more.

However the interior handle is also odd. It wont fully go back into position, as in the handle prongs out a bit and does not go flat against the door. even when u push it it bounces back out. any comments about that??


Cheers

J.McWatters

[Alexlind123]

this happened on my brother's e28 (not while driving), although they are different cars it may be the same problem. i will ask him hwo he fixed it and post again tomorrow.

[Karl]

Sounds like something is hanging up in the linkage for the door lock, if the release handle is out of position. That's also keeping the latch mechanism unhooked. The problem could also be the latch mechanism itself, but seems less likely from your description. But either way, you get at it by removing the interior panel from the door. Once you do, you should be able to see what's hung up.

[McWatters]

alrighty will look into it. Anyone have "Get the **** away from this door" signs???

lol cheers

J.McWatters

[shogun]

Use a hairdryer and dry everything of the doorlock system. Apply afterwards a good lube spray.
If you want to make it perfect, remove the complete system, wash it in strong solvent, grease again, install, works like a charm.
I use grease spray for motor bike drive chains.

[McWatters]

shogun what do u say about the out of place interior unlocking handle, or will this complete "re-grease" do the job

cheers

J.McWatters

[shogun]

I would remove in any case the door panel first of the hook is out of the plastic ring.
If you think you can clean the lock when it is installed, try it. Here a pic how it could be looking like
http://shrubbery.student.utwente.nl/sean750/doorlockMechanism/closeUpInnerDoorlock.jpg

You do not have to drill it open. Keep it in a good cleaning bath, wash it, grease it, try if it works, then install again.
Maybe even brake cleaner helps to get that stuff out. But be careful with brake cleaner.
http://shrubbery.student.utwente.nl/sean750/doorlockMechanism/doorlockMechanism.htm

[Kalevera]

Exact same thing happened on my 325 a week or two ago. Erich pretty much explained it, but if the car was ever kept on its inspection schedule, years and years of tef lube junk is clogging up the mechanism. The problem is exacerbated by the cold weather, because most of these silicon/teflon based lubes will gunk up even more in the lower temps and prevent the spring loading part of the mechanism from returning to the correct position.

Mine fixed itself after the car was inside a heated garage for about ten minutes, but I knew it was just going to come back. I removed the latch and ran it through the parts washer. You really want to take it out and thoroughly clean it -- you won't get to all of the junk with a can of brake cleaner and it still in the door. To remove the mechanism on an E34, you'll have to pull off the rubber door seal (on the frame) to expose one of the screws, believe it's a phillips/could be a torx. You'll also have to remove the window track furthest away from the front of the car, which is held in place by two or three screws.

Relatively easy procedure, shouldn't take you more than an hour if you've pulled a door panel before.

best, whit