I know this question has been asked a million times, but ...

My partner left the lights on after she locked the car on Friday and yesterday we went to get in the car and guess what? Flat battery and now we can't open the doors.

How do you get the doors open when the battery is flat - I can't find out from the owner's manual as it's inside the glove box!!

I have tried fiddling with the doors and the key but nothing. Can someone please help! How do you get the door open with a flat battery. BTW it's a 88 525 with central locking but not remote locking.

thanks in advance

Andrew

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Am Piobaire

My partner left the lights on after she locked the car on Friday and yesterday we went to get in the car and guess what? Flat battery and now we can't open the doors.

How do you get the doors open when the battery is flat - I can't find out from the owner's manual as it's inside the glove box!!

I have tried fiddling with the doors and the key but nothing. Can someone please help! How do you get the door open with a flat battery. BTW it's a 88 525 with central locking but not remote locking.

thanks in advance

Andrew

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1. insert key into passenger side door lock
2. lift door handle and hold it up while turning the key to the emergency unlock position (position #1 in diagram).
3. you may have to exert extra strength turning the key to lift the lock pin since you are lifting it manually instead of the usual electrical assist.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...4_366_full.jpg http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...4_366_full.jpg

If you are unsuccessful on the passenger door, try the drivers door lock...just remember that the drivers door positions are the mirror opposite and the key must be turned n the opposite direction.
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...4_150_full.jpg http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...4_150_full.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Am Piobaire

My partner left the lights on after she locked the car on Friday and yesterday we went to get in the car and guess what? Flat battery and now we can't open the doors.

How do you get the doors open when the battery is flat - I can't find out from the owner's manual as it's inside the glove box!!

I have tried fiddling with the doors and the key but nothing. Can someone please help! How do you get the door open with a flat battery. BTW it's a 88 525 with central locking but not remote locking.

thanks in advance

Andrew

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My driver's door is a little touchy at times. This forum and the bmwe34.net has the emergency unlocking proceedure, which is basically to turn your key on the driver's door to the unlock position then lift up on the handle while still holding the key in the same position. After you lift up on the handle you should be able to turn your key to the 9:00 position that will manually lift the door lock. Let go of the handle and then lift it again. The door will open and the key will return to the 12:00 position allowing you to take it out.
If that's too confusing or doesn't work - check out the bmwe34.net site. I think the proceedure is under the troubleshooting section.

Just to add for anyone interested, when I was doing a stack of work on the car and it was off the road for quite a while, my battery was nearly flat (loads of opening doors and boot, messing with starter etc) and I managed to lock it and the battery died part way through the central locking, making some dodgy sounds..... it then wouldn't unlock at all using the manual procedure. I was planning to pop the hood and connect jump leads to the battery (already had the front grille off so was going to be reasonably easy to work out how to pop with a screwdriver), but I waited 15 mins then the manual emergency unlock worked and let me pop the hood the proper way :)