X5 Bowden cables freezing
Discussion
My X5 has frozen both front doors shut while my wife was taking it to work (I'm offshore just now).
We had problems last year with the same thing and the garage I bought the car from apparently replaced the bowden cables in both doors.
Do these freeze up every time or is it likely that the garage has bodged them?
Would new cables have the same problems? If they do I might consider getting something else.
We had problems last year with the same thing and the garage I bought the car from apparently replaced the bowden cables in both doors.
Do these freeze up every time or is it likely that the garage has bodged them?
Would new cables have the same problems? If they do I might consider getting something else.
Just spoken to a different garage that said stripping and greasing the latch mechanisim may fix the problem.
Edit, BMW Aberdeen are saying that it's a known problem with the door locks, there is no soloution apart from BMWs reccomendation to sit for about half an hour beofre driving off to allow the locks time to de-frost. Or pour hot water on the outside of the door to warm them up.
My 1989 Audi 90 had heated door locks, why dosn't my 2004 BMW?
Would retro fitting heaters be possible? I suppose the heated mirror circut could be extended slightly...
Edit, BMW Aberdeen are saying that it's a known problem with the door locks, there is no soloution apart from BMWs reccomendation to sit for about half an hour beofre driving off to allow the locks time to de-frost. Or pour hot water on the outside of the door to warm them up.
My 1989 Audi 90 had heated door locks, why dosn't my 2004 BMW?
Would retro fitting heaters be possible? I suppose the heated mirror circut could be extended slightly...
Edited by Speed addicted on Wednesday 1st December 15:01
I've had this same problem with two of the E39's I've owned. Likewise with a couple of E34's too.
Really embarrassing having to be stood with a hairdryer blowing on the door to free them up, when my next door neighbour with her Vauxhall Zafira looking on.... (she had no problems getting into her car..)
Not quite what you'd expect from BMW is it...?
P.S. The hot water trick didn't work to well for me...
Really embarrassing having to be stood with a hairdryer blowing on the door to free them up, when my next door neighbour with her Vauxhall Zafira looking on.... (she had no problems getting into her car..)
Not quite what you'd expect from BMW is it...?
P.S. The hot water trick didn't work to well for me...
This is my 6th BMW, and this is annoying enough to put me off. It's not that BMW don't know there is a problem it's that there is no fix.
My wife won't wait and just gets in a locks the doors, forcing the latch to close. Of course when she gets to her destination they won't open so she climbed out of the back door. I'm now expecting to need a new dash too.
Not sure what to replace it with really. Landrover/rangerover seem a bit underpowerd and rolly. The Tourag feels a bit cheap, but I have yet to drive the 5.0 V10. Audi Q7 might be OK but they're holding money really well.
Or I can see if it's possible to fit something to heat the locks up.
My wife won't wait and just gets in a locks the doors, forcing the latch to close. Of course when she gets to her destination they won't open so she climbed out of the back door. I'm now expecting to need a new dash too.
Not sure what to replace it with really. Landrover/rangerover seem a bit underpowerd and rolly. The Tourag feels a bit cheap, but I have yet to drive the 5.0 V10. Audi Q7 might be OK but they're holding money really well.
Or I can see if it's possible to fit something to heat the locks up.
sounds daft to sell a car simply due to the fact on cold days your doors freeze, how many times a year does that happen? happens to me maybe 5-10x a year max, in my 1982 bmw. firstly, i'd try thoroughly degreasing (i'd recommend bilt hamber surfex HD) the door locks, hinges etc etc and then liberally applying thick grease or zinc powder. if you can find an auto electrician, get them to retro-fit a heating device, can't be that hard! be cheaper than selling your car, buying a new one. might also be worth treating your rubber door seals with a seal feed and protectant to stop the seals freezing up. i'd also spray something like wd40 (i use bilt hamber ferrosol) down the door handle mechanism (i.e. pull the handle out, and spray some inside, behind the handle...should help to stop that freezing.
where is the car based? if it's not too far from southampton, i know a seriously good auto-electrician who should be able to do the job no problems.
where is the car based? if it's not too far from southampton, i know a seriously good auto-electrician who should be able to do the job no problems.
Edited by E21_Ross on Thursday 2nd December 22:00
I live near Aberdeen, it was apparently -12 at 5.30 yesterday when my wife was driving home from work. This isn't a couple of days a year it's more like every time you want to go anywhere for a couple of months.
I had the same problem last year that was temporarily fixed by the garage stripping and greasing everything.
I've changed cars because of rattles let alone inoperabe doors!
It's mainly the fact that I've got the most expensive car I've ever owned and it's got a stupid fault, my 1980 E21 always let me in!
Plus the fact that I'm stuck offshore for the next two weeks and my wife will just climb out of the back or passenger door (she scratched the dash last year doing this). I even looked into fitting the park heating function to the webaso heater, but it's £500.
It's the lock mechanisim that freezes, the seals etc have all been treated. I'll try to find an auto electrician to bodge lock heaters.
I had the same problem last year that was temporarily fixed by the garage stripping and greasing everything.
I've changed cars because of rattles let alone inoperabe doors!
It's mainly the fact that I've got the most expensive car I've ever owned and it's got a stupid fault, my 1980 E21 always let me in!
Plus the fact that I'm stuck offshore for the next two weeks and my wife will just climb out of the back or passenger door (she scratched the dash last year doing this). I even looked into fitting the park heating function to the webaso heater, but it's £500.
It's the lock mechanisim that freezes, the seals etc have all been treated. I'll try to find an auto electrician to bodge lock heaters.
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