Im looking for all the things about e46?s that the manual and dealers wont tell you. For example,, is there a way to program the locks to not lock at 8 miles an hour. I know there are alot of things that arent common knowledge and I?d love to hear about them.
The dealer would be more than happy to tell you all about reprogramming the door locks, since you'll be charged for it unless you just bought the car (first time is free). You can find a car and key memory programming checklist easily enough by poking around on roadfly.com or by using Google to search. For example, see
JRE
Theres that self test you can make it do, by holding in the mileage rest button on start up and then all the dials, lights, etc run a self test.
Why would anybody care that the doors lock automatically, they unlock by pulling the door handle.
I get the general nature of the question, but the specific example of door locks whizzed right over my head ...
I have this function on my E60. (it's settable trough iDrive). The point is that no one should be able to get into your car when stopping for a red light etc. This might not be a big deal in some parts of the world, but in other parts it's important. This is for example standard in most U.S. cars.
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On the other hand, if you have an accident, it is far easier and quicker for rescuers to get to you if the car is unlocked. (I actually did come across a crashed VW Beetle once, with dazed occupants - the doors were locked, but luckily one window was partially open).
If I am driving in a questionable area, I can lock the doors if I want to. I don't want or need the car to do it for me. Same goes for daytime running lights, and automatic transmissions.
That's why, in a crash, your BMW will automatically unlock the doors. The newer ones will even call the emergency services for you if you've ticked the right options boxes.
Seriously, you don't think BMW (and most other manufacturers) consider things like this nowadays?
Current BMWs (1999 forward for E46's, at least) unlock the doors if the airbags deploy.
JRE
Come on! In certain (winter dark) countries, daytime running lights are required by law - why wouldn't you want to make that automatic?? And some countries are generally unsafe/questionable (especially when you drive a BMW), so it think this is a wonderful feature if you decide to activate it. You do it on your free will in a BMW.
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In an accident, the doors unlock themselves automatically. The radio also turns off, the emergency flashers turn on, and the interior lights come on. In my accident, the engine also shut off, but that could have been me mashing the brake pedal to the floor without benefit of also using the clutch. I can't imagine that it's even possible that I can mash the brake so hard and NOT use the clutch, but in the fog of screeching rubber and folding metal, it's hard to remember this detail. I suspect the ignition is disabled in a wreck, but it could have been me ...
It does not require deployment of the airbags. The airbags will unlock the doors, that is true. But the doors will also unlock if the bags do not deploy.
I watched a TV show on PBS or the like the other day on the German Autobahn. They are down from a height of 25,000 annual deaths a year in the 80's to about 6000 a year at present. The only response to accidents are strategically placed helicopter response sites. They do not run ambulances down the road.
I suspect that some of the choices BMW makes in the car design is based on German experiences.
If the doors are locked automatically, above a specific speed, when an accident occurs, people are less likely to be thrown from the wreck into traffic or other things, than if the doors were not locked. Probably they have statistically figured out that people do not consciously lock the doors when they go out driving at high speeds. I see lots of people start their cars and drive off and never do up the seatbelts.
I can't quite see how whether the door is locked or not would have much effect on the doors flying open on impact.
I would say that the auto door locking is more to protect the occupants from being accosted (by pedestrians) at stop lights, etc. I realize it cannot prevent a car-jacking where the purp waves a gun, but the more casual criminal types would not be able to just fling open the door and grab you or your belongings.
-Fred W
This is true, and the auto industry attempted to devise automatic seat belts, but everybody hated them. The automatic shoulder belts were less safe than no belt, and the full automatic belt simply doesn't work. So, we are back to people having to buckle themselves into the car.
Personally, I think auto locking doors are a good thing, especially when they can be opened easily by pulling the inside handle instead of fussing around looking for the button.
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