BMWs may be exposed to malfunction in the door locking system. This system is an extremely important part of your vehicle. No one wants to get locked out, find themselves unable to secure their car, or worse, become stuck inside their vehicle. Below we will go into more detail regarding the causes of a malfunctioning door lock system and how to fix the broken door lock.

Your BMW’s Door Locking System

Vehicles today add so many convenient factors to the driver. Unlike older vehicles where everything is done manually, modern-day vehicles provide electronic systems for just about every aspect. From operating your radio to opening and closing your doors, convenience is key in today’s generation.

As with any electronically-powered system, the door locking system may be exposed to malfunctions or failures. If one part in the whole stops working, it causes the entire system to fail.

Common Causes of Failure

Due to the many parts working together within the system, there are a multitude of reasons it may experience some type of failure.

Key Fob Failure

One of the most common causes of failure within the door locking system is a faulty key fob. The modern-day key fob provides the ease of locking and unlocking your doors, opening the trunk of your BMW, sounding the alarm, and even starting your vehicle.

It may experience failure from a glitch in programming, technology error, but is most commonly caused by battery failure. Your key fob is powered by a small battery. If the battery is going dead or completely dies, your key fob will not be able to perform the convenient features it is designed for.

Some common signs that your battery is going dead include reduced signal strength of the key fob, having to press a button more than once for the fob to perform the needed operations, or if it does not function consistently.

Blown Fuse

A fuse is essentially an electrical safety device used to provide overcurrent protection. The actuator cannot handle a large amount of electrical energy coursing through the vehicle, so the fuse acts as a “blocker” to stop it and convert it to a smaller amount of energy before reaching the door-locking actuator.

If only one door lock is not functioning, the malfunction is most likely a blown fuse. The fuse box is typically located behind a cover within your glovebox. A professional BMW technician will access the box, use the diagram provided to determine which fuse could be affected, and pull the fuse to see if it is blown. If a blown fuse is found, your mechanic will remove and replace it with a new one. The power door locking system should function as normal again.

Faulty Door Lock Actuator

A door lock actuator is an electrically powered device responsible for sending a signal telling the doors to either lock or unlock, depending on the button that is pressed. It is found on the door panel of vehicles with power locks. This part is critical to the function of the door locking system.

Common signs of a door lock actuator malfunctioning include the doors locking or unlocking on their own, the locks working sometimes but not all the time, if the door makes a weird noise when unlocking, and the car alarm may sound for no apparent reason. If the door lock actuator fails, the entire power door locking system is rendered useless.

Das EuropeanAutohaus for Your BMW

Have you found yourself with a BMW with malfunctioning door locks but are unsure where to go? Das European Autohaus is here for you. Our auto shop is in Spring, TX and we proudly provide vehicle services and repairs to customers located near and around Spring and Houston, TX.

Das European Autohaus has been named the #1 European automobile service and repair auto shop in Spring. Our team consists of highly-trained mechanics with decades of experience in the diagnosis and repair of BMWs. To schedule an appointment with us, call our office today and a member of our team will be happy to assist you. We look forward to becoming your BMW specialists for all your future car care maintenance and needs.