E36 boot jammed

The boot on our 1987 saloon is jammed shut. Possibly remote locking solenoid is stuck, but also key doesn't work (hasn't done for a long time). Key doesn't turn, but the button presses in freely.

Any ideas how to get into it? Remove rear seat?

-- Tony

Reply to
Tony
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Talk to a locksmith, they can open the thing up from the outside. What happens on these is that people pull the keys out when the lock is in some intermediate state and they get the discs jammed up into some state where you can't make a key turn.

Usually the electrical locking system problems are from the plastic guides deteriorating... the solenoid actuates, the lever moves, but the lever has fallen out of the lock because nothing is left to hold it there.

Get the locksmith to open the lock, disassemble it, and reassemble it properly so the key will work. It won't be very expensive. Once you have the lock out, the electrical locking system problem will become obvious.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Sorry its 1997 saloon, 323i, UK.

Also of interest, door mirror controls seem dead aswell.

-- Tony

Reply to
Tony

Den 2010-07-22 skrev Tony :

It's the same as the front doors. Turn the key ccw.

Reply to
Gunnar Gren

I'll consider that, thanks.

Is there no way to get into the boot by removing the rear seats or parcel shelf?

-- Tony

Reply to
Tony

Probably, but that's a lot more work than a five-minute lock picking job. And you're going to have to get a locksmith to disassemble the lock and fix it anyway so you might as well do it all at once.

Removing the rear seats is a major pain in comparison.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Can't help with the boot (mine hasn't done that - yet!) however the joy stick mirror control is not the most wonderful, contacts are fairly average. If nothing ever tries my guess would be the fuse panel. Fuse probably not blown just the contact between the blade fuse and the fuse box corroded. Remove it and reinsert it a couple of times. Sometimes works wonders....of course the wiring to the door is another possibility....BMW electrics are a source of endless amusement, as long as you have a beer in one hand and no immediate need for the car :)

Dave in NZ

Reply to
DC

See rest of thread, however a common cause is some cloth or plastic getting caught over the locking post. Try pressing down hard (e.g. sitting on it) the boot while operating the lock.

You could try some WD40 to where the locking mechanism is, but NOT into where you put the key.

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

Your 1987 is not an E36.

The key is the Valet Key. You give this to the valet driver and lock your stuff in the trunk, and the valet can't steal it. That's the idea.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Oh, that's another good possibility! I like that one!

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

The Valet Key won't even go into the lock, so maybe that one isn't correct for the trouble here.

Since the lock doesn't turn, and maybe the last time the key was used in it, it was turned to the right, then the lock is set to not respond to the Central Locking System commands anyhow. The lock has to be turned to the left.

If the keyhole is sideways, then it is in the Lock position and will not respond to the Central Locking System. The keyhole must be verticle to react to commands from the Central Locking System. No matter how the key hole is oriented, the button will go in, but it won't do anything if it is sideways.

Reply to
Jeff Strickland

Depends on the series etc., although IIRC the earlier valet keys had different blanks, although obviously this was vulnerable to the key valet key being recut onto the correct blank.

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

Well the car is my recent Ex's, so I probably won't be doing any more work on it. It was a favour for financial reasons.

Anyway got the boot sorted; Took seats out and drilled out the ski flap (not fitted). Managed to reach the striker plate bolts and then wrenched the striker plate up through the plastic internal fitting by pulling hard on the boot. Broke a little bit of plastic off, but hardly noticeable.

Lock was corroded or super glued, hasn't worked in years. One of the central locking motor wires had broken at the hinge, and alot of the other wires were damaged.

I tried to fix the lock by heating the internal barrel but ended up melting it, its made of lead so not sure about corrosion. After some filing managed to get it functional enough.

-- Tony

Reply to
Tony

I disassembled the lock and the key part is frozen solid, but the central locking was functional until the wires frayed. Fixed that so still relying on central locking, know how to get in next time.

-- Tony

Reply to
Tony

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