Excellent tutorial. When you want to know how to do the job you don't need music, or someone waffling on about nothing. This video was 100% to the point and excellent help.
I wanted to thank you for this tutorial... My dealer wanted $202 for the carrier ($700 installed), you charged me $53 and gave me a tutorial.. Took me about 3 hours (I'm a novice when it comes to auto shop work) but I was successful! This motivated me to begin more projects on my E53
I enjoyed it too. Very helpful video. If your E53 is like my 06, you need to watch every video out there. I've had nothing but trouble with mine. Grill to tail lights. German engineered??? Lol!!!! But video is a great help. Thanks
This is the most helpful and easily understood video of its kind and simplifies the tricky process of replacing the damaged door mechanism on an E53 BMW.
Thank u for being clear, explicit and not having tacky music drowning the tutorial. With your step by step instructions I did both front doors over a two-day period and saved a bundle. Great work sir
Sir, thanks for the video. I have been working on my son's used, 2004, BMW X5. The drivers door latch handle and mechanism broke. I ordered my parts, watched your video, and was able to get the new parts installed. I had been getting in the car through the passenger door which the door latch mechanism was tight. Today the handle would not unlock the door. I will do the passenger door next week. The '04 X5 was making a loud noise from the front of the car. The front differential pinion bearing had gone bad. Removed differential, front half shafts, and front drive shaft, it is now a 2 wheel drive vehicle, and so far is working fine in 2 wheel drive. Thanks again for the door latch mechanism replacement video.
Didn't have the pry tools either. The window switch compartment came out easy with a small screw driver with small, judicious, force. The door panel had been off before, and parts were again removed with a screw driver being very careful. If I had been working on a new or very well maintained vehicle for a customer, the plastic pry tools would be a very good investment.
this was an awesome video -- it was slow enough to catch everything yet fast enough to keep me interested...even better I could understand the announcer perfectly....excellent video!!!
Thank you for an EXCELLENT tutorial. An huge help to me. The only thing I would add is that it's not necessary to completely remove the vapor barrier. Just that top corner can be rolled back and tucked out of the way.
Thanks for the excellent tutorial!! This was my first attempt in replacing the door handle. Successfully completed the job in less than two hours. Thanks again!!
Tip not covered. Take the door cylinder or the blank piece on passenger side, and make sure it slides fully into the inside mechanism before you put it in the door. Also make sure the lift handle part to the front of the vehicle slides in fully too. That's the twist part of that little shaft with the 2 knobs on it. Not all are machined well. Mine needed a tiny bit of filing to fit. I could not get the 4mm Allen head screw in as the door cylinder piece was catching and didn't go in far enough.
Good tutorial. Made the job a lot easier. Getting the cable loose in the door and getting the handle reseated were both a little tricky, but I still got the whole thing done in less than two hrs. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this video. I had to replace my driver side mechanism and it took about one hour and 15 minutes. I called and talked to a sales tech to make sure I was ordering the right parts. They hooked me up with the right parts in just about seven or eight minutes. Again, thanks! I’m sure you saved me $300 in labor.
Thank you for posting this video. It saved me a lot of time, made the job much easier and probably saved me a lot of money by not having to take it to a garage. Thanks once again.
Great video. I have a Certified Pre-owned 2006 X5 which I bought when it had 37,000 miles. It now has 86,000 miles and I am about to replace the 3rd, 4th and 5th door handles. The first was replaced under warranty by BMW Palm Springs where I bought the car. The second was replaced by BMW San Diego who charged $675 for the one door. They claimed it was a different problem to the first problem (it wasn't). My mechanic in Mexico where I now live is going to charge $US 250 to do the 3 doors that are broken now. Seemed cheap having regard to BMW San Diego, but after seeing the video I realize it isn't cheap at all. If there are enough problems with these door mechanisms to warrant making a DIY video surely BMW should have done a recall. I will be interested to see how much BMW will ask for the parts compared with BavarianAuto where I will buy them.
Great video! Attaching Ball clip to stud: I had a terrible time trying to attach the two together because it wouldn't reach the stud. I pulled,pushed in the handle to give a little more slack on the cable but after probably 30 minutes of struggling could not get the two to match up. Finally, I changed the batteries to my headlamp, took a good look inside the door and found that the stud/ball piece is spring loaded so I simply pushed up on the stud and was easily able to match it up to the ball clip. I wish the video would have addressed this situation as it would have probably saved me 45 minutes of frustration. Still I wouldn't have been able to change out the door handle mechanism in both front doors without this video.
This video was on point. Watched it twice I did the job in one hour. A few small points to add. Do not let the door shut at any time. You will catch hell getting it back open (Don't ask). When re-installing the part inside the door, after you turn it counter clock wise, Lift it up higher inside the door or it will hit the lock mechanism. It goes past it but you must raise it up above it. Other then that, the video is AWESOME!
Hi. I know you said don't ask, but my drivers door will not open with either handle and it's not locked. Can you suggest the best way to open the door please?
Can you tell me how you opened it again? My brother toggled the child lock switch and closed the door. Now it won't open from EITHER side. Sorta scratching my head here
WOW! You are a ROCKSTAR! Amazing detail to this video, with step by step instructions that even a ROOKIE (like me) could understand! thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU for taking the time to create this! I know I saved BIG $$$ by doing this myself, with YOUR help! I think I love you...
This video made it possible for me to successfully complete this diy a few hours ago on my X5!!! Cool Minus a few obstacles, I managed to replace both driver front and passenger front within 3 hours. If only I'd known a few things before hand, I can see me repeating this again within 1.5hrs. Be careful when replacing door handles, don't force, no force is necessary. The handle will still allow you to open the door if their broken, but it will become annoying after having to find the hole several times. I'm considering cementing it now. Rather cement it now and replace if and when new mechanism fails again. Double check alignment of new mechanism ( connect ball socket cable and plastic anchor over it after last, after installing handle parts 1 & 2). Quick sign of misalignment: handle won't fall into place effortlessly. Last, a T25 torx with extension works in place of #4 allen. Good luck
Very helpful video. I've had my door apart twice for window regulator but this is my first time for door handle carriage. I had trouble getting the lock module to line up with the screw had to partially pull it out start the screw and then bang it back into place. Works good as new now.
Subscribed and liked this video, we just purchased a 2002 X5 and both doors on the drivers side have the issue of not opening from the outside. This video will help if it comes down to me having to replace these parts myself
Hi BavarianAuto, wicked video footage on the BMW-X5 door handles, i don't have an X5 but i love your step by step on how to do Repairs on the BMW Models, thanks for video's.
Thanks so much guys for this vid. So great being able to go through it step by step on my laptop while working on the car. Only had one problem. I put a battery powered light inside the bottom of the door for extra light as I was having trouble seeing the cable clip. Said to myself, "right, the last thing I should forget is to leave the light in the door" So anyway, the very last thing I forgot!!!
Excellent video tutorial on how to change the door lock mechanism. Easy to follow and some great wrinkles to help you along. Took me a while, but now all done & working! Thankyou for posting! 5*
Just did this job, thanks for info. One thing I had a problem with was re-seating the white plastic accordion piece into it's mount. I'd get it in position and could not get it to seat properly. I eventually was able to get it lined up and push it in with handle of a ratchet. Space is tight and having large hands doesn't help, I got cut up! Live and learn....
Just finished doing this for the first time. Went pretty well, although it took me about 4 hours, going slowly and being careful not to break anything. Ran into a few minor issues. (1) Be very gentle removing the plastic 'clip' thing that snaps over the top of the electrical plug that plugs into your airbag. I broke part of my clip. (2) Had trouble aligning the lock when I was putting it back in the door. The 4mm screw goes in at an angle. Did not look like the door lock was going to line up with its rubber trim until the very last twist of the T-handle tool. Then, it did finally line up. I used the old screw, not the new screw. The new screw seemed like it wanted to strip the female threads. (3) If you are replacing the rubber trim under the handle, get some appropriate glue and affix the front rubber piece, or it will slide around every time you lift the door handle. The rear rubber piece you don't have to glue down, as the lock will secure it. And because the lock is a tight fit on that piece of rubber, you may not want to glue that rubber piece down. You may want to keep it loose so that you can bump it into place as you tighten down the lock. (4} For those who don't know, to disconnect your negative (black) battery cable you have to remove the spare tire from the trunk and also remove the bulbous metal thing that the spare tire rests on. WARNING: One really crappy thing that happened is the airbag warning light came on. This most likely resulted from a slight surge when I reconnected the negative battery terminal. Now I have to buy a stupid tool just to turn the dumb light off. It is a false warning. To AVOID this, simply do NOT disconnect the cable from the door airbag (and so no need to disconnect the negative battery terminal either). Instead, hang the airbag from the inside door lock (the vertical piece that sticks out the top of your door) with a bungee cord.
***** I bought a B800 on Amazon. It's a little yellow 'scan and reset' tool for BMW airbag lights. It was about $20 on Amazon. Haven't used it yet. Now that I know I can turn the light off it doesn't seem to bother me. lol. I may use it next week. If I do I will come back and let you know how it worked.
Thank you for the video tutorial. It was easy to follow and obviously saved me a trip to the mechanic. However, something strange happened after the work was complete. I tested it a couple times and it worked just fine (shut the door and opened it). I then shut it and remote lock it one more time, unlocked it but it won't open (both inside and outside). To make matters worst, it's the driver's door. Any tip on what may have happened?
I hat to raise the part up inside the door higher to get past that particular part. I was getting irritated after the 3rd try but I figured it was not high enough to pass it.
Great video. Removing the outer cover and the lock cylinder, then use WD 40 with a long sprayer. I was able to loosen the inner handle assembly almost cero cost and about three minutes labor
Otto, terrific DIY - Thanks! I'll be attempting as soon as the parts from BAVAuto arrive. One suggestion for ease in ordering parts; please use the exact lexicon under which the part can be located on the website, maybe during the introduction. Example: push clips = door clips. Thanks again! This is about the 5th DIY I've used and enjoy the satisfaction of completing each as much as saving the beaucoup bucks! Mike
Good video. At what point did you reconnect the battery when you plug in the cable for the illuminating light it lit up. Have a working doorhandle now but lock does not engage, unable to lock the driver side door. Any tips?
Thanks for video, only problem I’m having is with the inner door handle release cable putting door panel back on. I can’t figure out how to reattach it, any pointers? When I removed door panel it kind of just slid out and I didn’t see where it attaches to.
very much interested in the video shows all aspects of how to replace the door handle.but I need to know how to release the child lock on the rear drivers door that won't open?
So I just completed this job, which is pretty straightforward. Quick tip. If you order a new carrier and the pull cable is to long or short, in my case it was too long. Removing the pull cable from the original carrier was very easy. Just switch them. Second, use a socket and extension on your ratchet as leverage to push the clip on the ball stud. Save your fingers and it will literally take 2 seconds. I am having an issue with the master control switch not working now, but I hoping it's just a connection issue of some sort. Anyone have any tips?
Great video it really kept me from going at this blind. My door now works great but my airbag light is now on. I must have checked the wiring and connections a dozen times. Am I missing something is there a procedure to reset it. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks for the great videos. Keep up the good work.
great video but i recommend not to disconnect the air bag module let is hang on a strinf or something else because once you disconnect the batter and air bag its time to go to the dealer to reset the airbag light and re register the battery this is for the 2005 x5
john jones I just had my air bag light turned off which costs about $100 at the dealer. So There was no chance in hell I was going to disconnect the air bag. I just taped it so it wouldn't go anywhere after unscrewing it. Nice call!
thank you for a great video. i follow every step and had the job done in 4 hours. but now i have the problem that the brake, DSC and ABS lights all came on. any suggestion? does that have to do with removing the negative pole of the battery as suggested in your video? please advise. really appreciates.
+Jon Chow - H,mmm .... disconnecting the battery should not generate any fault codes, especially traction control and ABS. We would suggest that you have the ABS and DSC faults rear and then cleared. Keep record of the fault codes and see if the faults return. If so, we'll track them down. If they don't return ... chalk it up to a voltage issue, possibly related to the battery disconnect .... and move on.
Hi Otto -- excellent tutorial, as always. I did that job in a few hours on driver's door and never could have done it without that video ! (got my parts from BavAuto). Question: mechanically it's fine now, but the electric window switches now operate intermittently, and the driver's door lock won't operate on the central locking system or key fob. I believe I got all wiring connections buttoned back up properly, tried to be careful. Suggestions ? Many thanks from a loyal B.A. customer
I am working on the driver rear side. When i tightened the Phillips screw just even a little bit it makes the rear end of the carrier pop back inside. I don't know how you got yours to stay flush with the door when you tightened the screw. Also I can't get the hex screw to line up and bite the lock cylinder cover. Spent hours. Gave up. Need advice. It just line up way off. Try wiggling and even an extra set of hands still couldn't get it to line up. I was thinking I should remove the black plastic insert in the carrier for the hex screw so it would give me more room to maneuver. I figure it was there for a reason and don't want to remove it. Never saw anyone who had to remove it. Out of ideas. Someone help. How do you pop the cable back into the groove inside the car lock mechanism? I tried and it just wouldn't pop in no matter what. What tool did you use or recommend to accomplish this objective?
My Driver door wont open. The FOB stopped working and I was using the door cylinder. Well that broke. So had to call AAA they unlocked it by pressing the center console button, but when I immediately tested it the button no longer works. I cant open my driver door from the outside or inside now. I can pull the handle twice while pulling the door knob to unlock but it just springs back down. Any IDEAs?!
Everything is going well until i get to cab;e mounting clip and the ball clip. The cable seems to be too long and stiff to allow the mounting clip to seat into the metal U bracket (minute 13ish) Any tips on this?
You probably have this fixed by now but I had the same issue. I took the pull cable from the old carrier and put it on the new. Worked like a charm. I also used a socket with an extension to push the ball clip back on. Saved my fingers.
I want to do all 4 doors in one day and also replace all 4 window regulators w/ motors as they are beginning to fail as well. Do you have instruction for the rear door handles? Window regulators?
Hi BavarianAuto, I need help after watching this tutorial video, And try to replace the handle carrier of my BMW X5. I encounter a new problem after installation of handle carrier, the front passenger side mirror not working, electronic front passenger door lock and electronic front passenger window. Thank you
Would have been nice if you had mentioned not to turn ignition on while airbag unit was unplugged. I had the airbag unit unplugged and had turned ignition on to do something else. When the job was finished I noted that the Airbag dash warning light is now on. Apparently I have to now take the car to BMW to get the light reset. Thanks Heaps.
Thanks for your tutorial!!!! I have a big problem! in de midle of the process accidentally I close the door and now I can open it from outsid or inside probably is the children loock do you have an idea to how I can open the door? thanks
I'm having trouble re-installing the screw on the lock cylinder securing screw. is there a trick to getting the screw to screw into the lock cylinder housing? thanks
One major problem. The door needs to come straight up when all is loosened since the center support has clips holding a peice if plastic that the carrier sits in. Try to just pull off door break plastic. 06 X5.
Yes, there is a center clip that must be disengaged by pulling the panel upward. When installing, replace the plastic received on the inside of the trim panel and push it onto the receiver tab.
Hi, I have x5, 2004 . the handle of the rear door behind the driver is broken i want to replace it but the door is closed i can't open it from out or inside . what's the solution
My door handle or assembly is broken on my 03 X5. Any way to tell which part is broken w/o taking it apart first? The handle doesnt settle back in to where it should be after you lift it. I have to use key to roll down window then reach in to use inner handle.
I can't get the Handle Carrier out of the left rear door. :\ I've got it free but it won't come out of it's dark hole. Any experience with removing a door carrier from the rear door?
When the rear doors won't open using either the outside handle OR the inside handle, the Child Lock switch is probably switched on. That happened to me and I had to go inside the back seat and "fish" through the inner seal and flip that switch the other way.... it was not easy... and destroyed the rubber on the inner seal... good luck.
The right rear exterior door handle on my 2005 X5 broke. The plastic handle physically broke! Do you have a video showing replacement of this handle? And recommendations re buying a replacement. I don't believe I need the entire assembly. The handle was working fine when a passenger broke it (it actually opened the door).
Great video! Thanks for posting :-) I am doing this repair on my left-rear door. I am struggling to insert the screw (in the video at 12:50). The screw will not insert into the thread. Any suggestions?
After doing this job on both the driver side and passenger side the driver side switches can no longer control the passenger side mirror, windows or lock. What would you suggest to troubleshoot this?
Only issue I'm having is after reconnecting the battery my E53 x5 won't start now would have been good to note you may have to reset something with a scanner tool
BavarianAuto I'm about to do the exact same job on my 04 x5 but on the rear passenger door (both) i have a question since both rear door are stuck closed won't open from inside/outside. center unlock console work fine, fob key works fine but door can't open from inside/outside any idea/tips on how to manually open the doors to do the job.
Great video. Is there an adjustment on the inner handle carrier because once I replaced it, the door is really difficult to open. Like it has to be pulled abnormally hard compared to the other doors to open it. Thanks!
one other thing it depends on which vehicle you have the cable is really not that easy to get to because it is hidden by the door metal and you got to feel your way around behind the the metal
i have question plz if ur eeading this hit me back! when i bought the car the key didnt work so i kept puttin the key in the door, well the other day i put the key in & it just broke i can turn it side to side! well i bought a 200 key now the people at bmw say they cant reprogram the car?! so do i need to all that or what?? help help plz
Why did the door handle fail in the first place, can I just fix that instead of installing the whole mechanism? maybe the cable slipped out of place or something, is that a possibility? (this happened on both front doors of my 2005 x5)
One of the most annoying design failures is the inner door pull illumination assembly. If anybody removed the inner door panel before you, it's almost guaranteed that when they pulled the top of the panel away from the clips, or when they were struggling to disconnect the Bowden cable, they broke the fragile piece of clear plastic where the LED clips in. Even in this video, you can see where the person removing the panel just got very lucky that he didn't break it. The wiring harness is too short to allow for the sudden release of the clips, which results in jerking the panel too far away from the door. I've seen the result of this on every E53 I've looked at. You can't order that clear plastic fragile badly designed piece separately, so you are stuck with gluing it back together to fall apart the next time you remove the panel. And, if you decide it's important enough to you to fix it properly, apparently you have to order the complete inner door handle, which is attached to the door panel by melting the plastic protrusions that extend through holes in the panel. When you look at it, the entire assembly is an incredibly stupid design. If the LED fails, it doesn't seem to be removable either, which just makes me sad. These were broken on all four doors of my X5 by whoever was in their before me. They managed to completely destroy the driver's door panel and the seal panel as well. I'm guessing they had the adventure of the door latch failing in the closed position, based on the extent of damage. Another trip to the junkyard... if I can find a door panel that isn't already ruined. Good video. Wish I'd looked for one like this before the first time I had to open into a door on this thing.
Hello, I have 2001 BMW X5 3.0. Cars driver and passenger door can be opened from inside but not from outside. I can lock and unlock door with key (central locking system). Local car mechanic said I need to change the lock actuator but since pin goes up and down when I press lock/unlock on car key therefore not sure if that's the case is. Appreciate your guidance.
You likely just need to replace the inner handle assemblies, as shown here. We have them in our online store. Just click the link, then ID your vehicle and search "door handle". www.bavauto.com
Dear Bavarian Autosport, I replaced the front passanger side handle carrier assembly, and after put back the door panel, I realized it cannot be closed or opened from the key. The handle works well, I can open the door from the inside as well. Using the car key or the interior locking switch every other doors lock and open fine. But this one can be closed (and opened) only manually using the locking spike. I know, the source of this problem must be somewhere in the locking mechanic, but I can not see iexactly which part went wrong. Do you have any idea? Thank you in advance!
Juan Ramirez The problem was not with the locking mechanic, but with a connection on the panel of window switch... On that panel there are three connection, of which the biggest had problem with contact. You can check it by moving its fixing clip and watch the interior lights, because this one is responsible for detecting the door if it is opened. You should ensure a tight connection, and be careful with the others as well because as I managed to solve this, new problem occured with the connection of airbag...
I am replacing the assembly on the rear driver side door. I followed your instructions but now I am stuck getting the assembly out because of the small lock bar on the door. Can you please help me out?
what parts would I need on 2001 x5 3.0 if my pass door will unlock from the inside but not outside, I think the driver side may have the same problem soon as well. Also the windows go up and down but not well and its very hard to get them up if all the way down. I just want to get all the stuff and have a mechanic do it.
If by "unlock" you mean "unlatch" and open, then this video (replacing the inner handle mechanism) is what addresses this issue. As for the windows, you likely need new regulator assemblies. Go to our online store at www.bavauto.com and search "door handle" for the inner handle assembly and search "window regulator" for the window regulators.
Yes they did leave somthing out!!! You can follow their instructions and pull all day long on the handle but it will not come out till you remove the holding screw on the inside front of the handle that holds it to the frame!!! Apart from that all good so far!!
Excellent tutorial. When you want to know how to do the job you don't need music, or someone waffling on about nothing. This video was 100% to the point and excellent help.
I for one mourn the loss of Bavauto, these videos live on for prosperity! 👍
Best RUclips car repair video to date...didn't leave anything out. Made even the difficult things seem very simple. Great Video!
I wanted to thank you for this tutorial... My dealer wanted $202 for the carrier ($700 installed), you charged me $53 and gave me a tutorial.. Took me about 3 hours (I'm a novice when it comes to auto shop work) but I was successful! This motivated me to begin more projects on my E53
+KompressorV12 - Thanks for the good words and were glad to be able to help!
I enjoyed it too. Very helpful video. If your E53 is like my 06, you need to watch every video out there. I've had nothing but trouble with mine. Grill to tail lights. German engineered??? Lol!!!! But video is a great help. Thanks
This is the most helpful and easily understood video of its kind and simplifies the tricky process of replacing the damaged door mechanism on an E53 BMW.
Thank u for being clear, explicit and not having tacky music drowning the tutorial. With your step by step instructions I did both front doors over a two-day period and saved a bundle. Great work sir
Sir, thanks for the video. I have been working on my son's used, 2004, BMW X5. The drivers door latch handle and mechanism broke. I ordered my parts, watched your video, and was able to get the new parts installed. I had been getting in the car through the passenger door which the door latch mechanism was tight. Today the handle would not unlock the door. I will do the passenger door next week. The '04 X5 was making a loud noise from the front of the car. The front differential pinion bearing had gone bad. Removed differential, front half shafts, and front drive shaft, it is now a 2 wheel drive vehicle, and so far is working fine in 2 wheel drive. Thanks again for the door latch mechanism replacement video.
Did you use the pry tools like in the video? Got the same problem on an ‘05 and don’t have any pry tools
Didn't have the pry tools either. The window switch compartment came out easy with a small screw driver with small, judicious, force. The door panel had been off before, and parts were again removed with a screw driver being very careful. If I had been working on a new or very well maintained vehicle for a customer, the plastic pry tools would be a very good investment.
Wayout West thank you!
this was an awesome video -- it was slow enough to catch everything yet fast enough to keep me interested...even better I could understand the announcer perfectly....excellent video!!!
Thanks, Michael
Otto and bavauto were the best
Thank you for an EXCELLENT tutorial. An huge help to me.
The only thing I would add is that it's not necessary to completely remove the vapor barrier. Just that top corner can be rolled back and tucked out of the way.
Thanks for the excellent tutorial!! This was my first attempt in replacing the door handle. Successfully completed the job in less than two hours. Thanks again!!
Guru Softgurux - Good work ... and, glad we could help.
Tip not covered. Take the door cylinder or the blank piece on passenger side, and make sure it slides fully into the inside mechanism before you put it in the door. Also make sure the lift handle part to the front of the vehicle slides in fully too. That's the twist part of that little shaft with the 2 knobs on it. Not all are machined well. Mine needed a tiny bit of filing to fit. I could not get the 4mm Allen head screw in as the door cylinder piece was catching and didn't go in far enough.
I try turr😮😮❤ try t get 😊
by far the best instructional video on removing the door card. Save yourself time and frustration by following exactly what he does.
Great video, I really like how thorough you guys are with the step by step installation procedure.
Thanks Bakker.
Hey, bakker
it took us about 3 hours total to get this done, but this video was invaluable! Thanks for the detailed instructions.
Good tutorial. Made the job a lot easier. Getting the cable loose in the door and getting the handle reseated were both a little tricky, but I still got the whole thing done in less than two hrs. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this video. I had to replace my driver side mechanism and it took about one hour and 15 minutes. I called and talked to a sales tech to make sure I was ordering the right parts. They hooked me up with the right parts in just about seven or eight minutes. Again, thanks! I’m sure you saved me $300 in labor.
Have just completed the frame replacement using your video. Took me about 2 1/2 hours, you made it so easy. Many thanks.
Mark.
Thank you for posting this video. It saved me a lot of time, made the job much easier and probably saved me a lot of money by not having to take it to a garage. Thanks once again.
Great video. I have a Certified Pre-owned 2006 X5 which I bought when it had 37,000 miles. It now has 86,000 miles and I am about to replace the 3rd, 4th and 5th door handles. The first was replaced under warranty by BMW Palm Springs where I bought the car. The second was replaced by BMW San Diego who charged $675 for the one door. They claimed it was a different problem to the first problem (it wasn't). My mechanic in Mexico where I now live is going to charge $US 250 to do the 3 doors that are broken now. Seemed cheap having regard to BMW San Diego, but after seeing the video I realize it isn't cheap at all.
If there are enough problems with these door mechanisms to warrant making a DIY video surely BMW should have done a recall. I will be interested to see how much BMW will ask for the parts compared with BavarianAuto where I will buy them.
Great step by step guide to replacing the Door mechanism. Really good job gents.....
Great video! Attaching Ball clip to stud: I had a terrible time trying to attach the two together because it wouldn't reach the stud. I pulled,pushed in the handle to give a little more slack on the cable but after probably 30 minutes of struggling could not get the two to match up. Finally, I changed the batteries to my headlamp, took a good look inside the door and found that the stud/ball piece is spring loaded so I simply pushed up on the stud and was easily able to match it up to the ball clip. I wish the video would have addressed this situation as it would have probably saved me 45 minutes of frustration. Still I wouldn't have been able to change out the door handle mechanism in both front doors without this video.
MR2Aviator i spent whole day and i cant put that ball socket into the stud my finger are sore
@@kavernatvdid you use a tool in the end or do it by hand ? Thanks
This video was on point. Watched it twice I did the job in one hour. A few small points to add. Do not let the door shut at any time. You will catch hell getting it back open (Don't ask). When re-installing the part inside the door, after you turn it counter clock wise, Lift it up higher inside the door or it will hit the lock mechanism. It goes past it but you must raise it up above it. Other then that, the video is AWESOME!
Heh ... um, yeah, don't close the door ......
Thanks for sharing your points, Zack.
good to know beforehand, thanks.
Hi. I know you said don't ask, but my drivers door will not open with either handle and it's not locked. Can you suggest the best way to open the door please?
Can you tell me how you opened it again? My brother toggled the child lock switch and closed the door. Now it won't open from EITHER side. Sorta scratching my head here
Thank you for this video. Excellent step by step. It took me 3 hours and $10 for the carrier on Amazon.
WOW! You are a ROCKSTAR! Amazing detail to this video, with step by step instructions that even a ROOKIE (like me) could understand! thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU for taking the time to create this! I know I saved BIG $$$ by doing this myself, with YOUR help! I think I love you...
Watched many videos on replacing handles, this was the best and got me through the job, thanks!
This video made it possible for me to successfully complete this diy a few hours ago on my X5!!! Cool Minus a few obstacles, I managed to replace both driver front and passenger front within 3 hours. If only I'd known a few things before hand, I can see me repeating this again within 1.5hrs. Be careful when replacing door handles, don't force, no force is necessary. The handle will still allow you to open the door if their broken, but it will become annoying after having to find the hole several times. I'm considering cementing it now. Rather cement it now and replace if and when new mechanism fails again. Double check alignment of new mechanism ( connect ball socket cable and plastic anchor over it after last, after installing handle parts 1 & 2). Quick sign of misalignment: handle won't fall into place effortlessly. Last, a T25 torx with extension works in place of #4 allen. Good luck
Good work! And yes, no yanking on the handles!
Very helpful video. I've had my door apart twice for window regulator but this is my first time for door handle carriage. I had trouble getting the lock module to line up with the screw had to partially pull it out start the screw and then bang it back into place. Works good as new now.
Subscribed and liked this video, we just purchased a 2002 X5 and both doors on the drivers side have the issue of not opening from the outside. This video will help if it comes down to me having to replace these parts myself
This is a very detailed and helpful DIY video. Thank you.
Keep up your good work Bavarian.
Hi BavarianAuto, wicked video footage on the BMW-X5 door handles, i don't have an X5 but i love your step by step on how to do Repairs on the BMW Models, thanks for video's.
Thanks so much guys for this vid. So great being able to go through it step by step on my laptop while working on the car. Only had one problem. I put a battery powered light inside the bottom of the door for extra light as I was having trouble seeing the cable clip. Said to myself, "right, the last thing I should forget is to leave the light in the door" So anyway, the very last thing I forgot!!!
Excellent video tutorial on how to change the door lock mechanism. Easy to follow and some great wrinkles to help you along. Took me a while, but now all done & working! Thankyou for posting! 5*
Just did this job, thanks for info. One thing I had a problem with was re-seating the white plastic accordion piece into it's mount. I'd get it in position and could not get it to seat properly. I eventually was able to get it lined up and push it in with handle of a ratchet. Space is tight and having large hands doesn't help, I got cut up! Live and learn....
Just finished doing this for the first time. Went pretty well, although it took me about 4 hours, going slowly and being careful not to break anything. Ran into a few minor issues. (1) Be very gentle removing the plastic 'clip' thing that snaps over the top of the electrical plug that plugs into your airbag. I broke part of my clip. (2) Had trouble aligning the lock when I was putting it back in the door. The 4mm screw goes in at an angle. Did not look like the door lock was going to line up with its rubber trim until the very last twist of the T-handle tool. Then, it did finally line up. I used the old screw, not the new screw. The new screw seemed like it wanted to strip the female threads. (3) If you are replacing the rubber trim under the handle, get some appropriate glue and affix the front rubber piece, or it will slide around every time you lift the door handle. The rear rubber piece you don't have to glue down, as the lock will secure it. And because the lock is a tight fit on that piece of rubber, you may not want to glue that rubber piece down. You may want to keep it loose so that you can bump it into place as you tighten down the lock. (4} For those who don't know, to disconnect your negative (black) battery cable you have to remove the spare tire from the trunk and also remove the bulbous metal thing that the spare tire rests on. WARNING: One really crappy thing that happened is the airbag warning light came on. This most likely resulted from a slight surge when I reconnected the negative battery terminal. Now I have to buy a stupid tool just to turn the dumb light off. It is a false warning. To AVOID this, simply do NOT disconnect the cable from the door airbag (and so no need to disconnect the negative battery terminal either). Instead, hang the airbag from the inside door lock (the vertical piece that sticks out the top of your door) with a bungee cord.
I have the same issue with the airbag light, what tool did you buy to eliminate it?
*****
I bought a B800 on Amazon. It's a little yellow 'scan and reset' tool for BMW airbag lights. It was about $20 on Amazon. Haven't used it yet. Now that I know I can turn the light off it doesn't seem to bother me. lol. I may use it next week. If I do I will come back and let you know how it worked.
Thank you for the video tutorial. It was easy to follow and obviously saved me a trip to the mechanic. However, something strange happened after the work was complete. I tested it a couple times and it worked just fine (shut the door and opened it). I then shut it and remote lock it one more time, unlocked it but it won't open (both inside and outside). To make matters worst, it's the driver's door. Any tip on what may have happened?
I'm going to try this. I hope I can save some money. We paid a mechanic for one door we couldnt afford the other two. ThAnks for showing how.
Jim
I had to take off the latch assembly as well and was able to come out easy after that. Your video was alot of help thank you!
Good input, Valentino. Thanks!
I hat to raise the part up inside the door higher to get past that particular part. I was getting irritated after the 3rd try but I figured it was not high enough to pass it.
Great video. Removing the outer cover and the lock cylinder, then use WD 40 with a long sprayer. I was able to loosen the inner handle assembly almost cero cost and about three minutes labor
Otto, terrific DIY - Thanks! I'll be attempting as soon as the parts from BAVAuto arrive.
One suggestion for ease in ordering parts; please use the exact lexicon under which the part can be located on the website, maybe during the introduction. Example: push clips = door clips.
Thanks again! This is about the 5th DIY I've used and enjoy the satisfaction of completing each as much as saving the beaucoup bucks!
Mike
Michael Van Gheem Good point, Michael .... Thanks!
Good video. At what point did you reconnect the battery when you plug in the cable for the illuminating light it lit up. Have a working doorhandle now but lock does not engage, unable to lock the driver side door. Any tips?
I just performed this job on my X5 and now I am having the same issue you described. Just wondering if you were able to diagnose and fix. Thanks!
excellent explanation not to be found this way in Germany. So thank, very good job, Roland from good old Germany
Muy buena y clara explicación, y aunque no se ingles, la forma de explicarlo no deja duda de nada, felicitaciones.
Followed the video step by step and the job went off without a hitch!!
My Problem started today with my driver door.. but overall, Great Video👍
This is an excellent video, well produced, and explained.
Thanks for video, only problem I’m having is with the inner door handle release cable putting door panel back on. I can’t figure out how to reattach it, any pointers? When I removed door panel it kind of just slid out and I didn’t see where it attaches to.
All DIA videos should be this professional!
good work chief. will this apply to 07' X5 e70 rear driver side door handle too?
very much interested in the video shows all aspects of how to replace the door handle.but I need to know how to release the child lock on the rear drivers door that won't open?
So I just completed this job, which is pretty straightforward. Quick tip. If you order a new carrier and the pull cable is to long or short, in my case it was too long. Removing the pull cable from the original carrier was very easy. Just switch them. Second, use a socket and extension on your ratchet as leverage to push the clip on the ball stud. Save your fingers and it will literally take 2 seconds. I am having an issue with the master control switch not working now, but I hoping it's just a connection issue of some sort. Anyone have any tips?
Awesome video. Just did this and took me about 1hr. Thanks for sharing guys!!
Great video it really kept me from going at this blind. My door now works great but my airbag light is now on. I must have checked the wiring and connections a dozen times. Am I missing something is there a procedure to reset it. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks for the great videos. Keep up the good work.
Your computer has to reset. Sometimes it takes as long as a couple of days for the lights to go out.
Please create a detailed instruction video describing how to remove/replace a 2006 BMW X5 3.0i (E53) alternator.
great video but i recommend not to disconnect the air bag module let is hang on a strinf or something else because once you disconnect the batter and air bag its time to go to the dealer to reset the airbag light and re register the battery this is for the 2005 x5
good to know!
john jones I have done this 3 times, as long as the battery is disconnected you will have any issues with removing the airbag
john jones I just had my air bag light turned off which costs about $100 at the dealer. So There was no chance in hell I was going to disconnect the air bag. I just taped it so it wouldn't go anywhere after unscrewing it. Nice call!
john jones you can clear the airbag warning light with an OBD 2 cable, and a laptop with INPA installed.
I did my replacemant in 1 hr, and save 500$ what is dealeship 3 hr labour plus parts charge. Thank you very much very helpfull
thank you for a great video. i follow every step and had the job done in 4 hours. but now i have the problem that the brake, DSC and ABS lights all came on. any suggestion? does that have to do with removing the negative pole of the battery as suggested in your video? please advise. really appreciates.
+Jon Chow - H,mmm .... disconnecting the battery should not generate any fault codes, especially traction control and ABS. We would suggest that you have the ABS and DSC faults rear and then cleared. Keep record of the fault codes and see if the faults return. If so, we'll track them down. If they don't return ... chalk it up to a voltage issue, possibly related to the battery disconnect .... and move on.
Hi Otto -- excellent tutorial, as always. I did that job in a few hours on driver's door and never could have done it without that video ! (got my parts from BavAuto).
Question: mechanically it's fine now, but the electric window switches now operate intermittently, and the driver's door lock won't operate on the central locking system or key fob. I believe I got all wiring connections buttoned back up properly, tried to be careful.
Suggestions ?
Many thanks from a loyal B.A. customer
We can only suggest that you double check the wiring plug connections at the switch assembly. There really isn't anything else that should be at play.
I am working on the driver rear side. When i tightened the Phillips screw just even a little bit it makes the rear end of the carrier pop back inside. I don't know how you got yours to stay flush with the door when you tightened the screw. Also I can't get the hex screw to line up and bite the lock cylinder cover. Spent hours. Gave up. Need advice. It just line up way off. Try wiggling and even an extra set of hands still couldn't get it to line up. I was thinking I should remove the black plastic insert in the carrier for the hex screw so it would give me more room to maneuver. I figure it was there for a reason and don't want to remove it. Never saw anyone who had to remove it. Out of ideas. Someone help. How do you pop the cable back into the groove inside the car lock mechanism? I tried and it just wouldn't pop in no matter what. What tool did you use or recommend to accomplish this objective?
Thanks for the demonstration, very informative. Is this company based in the UK?
Well done did mine just as you say, took me 2hs many thanks, just take your time. I had lots of tea too.
Hello many thanks for this great guide. It has worked great, friendly greetings from switzerland.
My Driver door wont open. The FOB stopped working and I was using the door cylinder. Well that broke. So had to call AAA they unlocked it by pressing the center console button, but when I immediately tested it the button no longer works. I cant open my driver door from the outside or inside now. I can pull the handle twice while pulling the door knob to unlock but it just springs back down. Any IDEAs?!
Everything is going well until i get to cab;e mounting clip and the ball clip. The cable seems to be too long and stiff to allow the mounting clip to seat into the metal U bracket (minute 13ish) Any tips on this?
You probably have this fixed by now but I had the same issue. I took the pull cable from the old carrier and put it on the new. Worked like a charm. I also used a socket with an extension to push the ball clip back on. Saved my fingers.
Very helpful step by step procedure. Good job and we appreciate. Thank you
This is an awesome video! I hope I can follow this video to get my left side door fix. Thank you and much appreciated.
I want to do all 4 doors in one day and also replace all 4 window regulators w/ motors as they are beginning to fail as well. Do you have instruction for the rear door handles? Window regulators?
Have video on replacing actuator on passsenger front door 2001 BMW X5?
Hi BavarianAuto,
I need help after watching this tutorial video, And try to replace the handle carrier of my BMW X5. I encounter a new problem after installation of handle carrier, the front passenger side mirror not working, electronic front passenger door lock and electronic front passenger window.
Thank you
Would have been nice if you had mentioned not to turn ignition on while airbag unit was unplugged. I had the airbag unit unplugged and had turned ignition on to do something else. When the job was finished I noted that the Airbag dash warning light is now on. Apparently I have to now take the car to BMW to get the light reset. Thanks Heaps.
This is an Awesome Video step by step to do. It looks so comfortable for giving me a try. Thank you for your kind excellent technical talented
Thanks for your tutorial!!!!
I have a big problem! in de midle of the process accidentally I close the door and now I can open it from outsid or inside probably is the children loock
do you have an idea to how I can open the door?
thanks
4 years ago.. hope you got is sorted. I did the same thing and it would not open using finger had to lock then unlock with remote then you can open it
Great video been trying to get the door handle off for 3 days
I'm having trouble re-installing the screw on the lock cylinder securing screw. is there a trick to getting the screw to screw into the lock cylinder housing? thanks
One major problem. The door needs to come straight up when all is loosened since the center support has clips holding a peice if plastic that the carrier sits in. Try to just pull off door break plastic. 06 X5.
Yes, there is a center clip that must be disengaged by pulling the panel upward. When installing, replace the plastic received on the inside of the trim panel and push it onto the receiver tab.
Hi, I have x5, 2004 . the handle of the rear door behind the driver is broken i want to replace it but the door is closed i can't open it from out or inside . what's the solution
+some_one
I have the same problem........do you all redy open it? help!!!
My door handle or assembly is broken on my 03 X5. Any way to tell which part is broken w/o taking it apart first? The handle doesnt settle back in to where it should be after you lift it. I have to use key to roll down window then reach in to use inner handle.
I can't get the Handle Carrier out of the left rear door. :\ I've got it free but it won't come out of it's dark hole. Any experience with removing a door carrier from the rear door?
When the rear doors won't open using either the outside handle OR the inside handle, the Child Lock switch is probably switched on. That happened to me and I had to go inside the back seat and "fish" through the inner seal and flip that switch the other way.... it was not easy... and destroyed the rubber on the inner seal... good luck.
I just want to add my thanks for this information as well helped me out a lot
The right rear exterior door handle on my 2005 X5 broke. The plastic handle physically broke! Do you have a video showing replacement of this handle? And recommendations re buying a replacement. I don't believe I need the entire assembly. The handle was working fine when a passenger broke it (it actually opened the door).
Great video! Thanks for posting :-)
I am doing this repair on my left-rear door. I am struggling to insert the screw (in the video at 12:50). The screw will not insert into the thread.
Any suggestions?
Please share if you were able to find a solution? I'm having the same issue.
@@lindak8765 I got a 10mm drill bit and drilled a counter-sunk hole on the hole. This enables the screw to find its way into the threaded hole.
After doing this job on both the driver side and passenger side the driver side switches can no longer control the passenger side mirror, windows or lock. What would you suggest to troubleshoot this?
Only issue I'm having is after reconnecting the battery my E53 x5 won't start now would have been good to note you may have to reset something with a scanner tool
BavarianAuto I'm about to do the exact same job on my 04 x5 but on the rear passenger door (both) i have a question since both rear door are stuck closed won't open from inside/outside. center unlock console work fine, fob key works fine but door can't open from inside/outside any idea/tips on how to manually open the doors to do the job.
Hi Sir
Please help me by a vedio or a link for how to remove the external door handle of BMW X3 e83 2004.
Thanks
Great video. Is there an adjustment on the inner handle carrier because once I replaced it, the door is really difficult to open. Like it has to be pulled abnormally hard compared to the other doors to open it. Thanks!
soundstream03 ga
one other thing it depends on which vehicle you have the cable is really not that easy to get to because it is hidden by the door metal and you got to feel your way around behind the the metal
very useful and clear video! im gonna try this as bmw charge way to much..
Excellent video .. a great step by step DIY .. thank you.
rear door handle has a speaker where the emblem is. is the 4th screw behind the speaker & if so, what is the secret to removing it?
Awesome tutorial !!
WHo can dislike it ?
i have question plz if ur eeading this hit me back! when i bought the car the key didnt work so i kept puttin the key in the door, well the other day i put the key in & it just broke i can turn it side to side! well i bought a 200 key
now the people at bmw say they cant reprogram the car?!
so do i need to all that or what?? help help plz
Why did the door handle fail in the first place, can I just fix that instead of installing the whole mechanism? maybe the cable slipped out of place or something, is that a possibility? (this happened on both front doors of my 2005 x5)
One of the most annoying design failures is the inner door pull illumination assembly. If anybody removed the inner door panel before you, it's almost guaranteed that when they pulled the top of the panel away from the clips, or when they were struggling to disconnect the Bowden cable, they broke the fragile piece of clear plastic where the LED clips in. Even in this video, you can see where the person removing the panel just got very lucky that he didn't break it. The wiring harness is too short to allow for the sudden release of the clips, which results in jerking the panel too far away from the door. I've seen the result of this on every E53 I've looked at. You can't order that clear plastic fragile badly designed piece separately, so you are stuck with gluing it back together to fall apart the next time you remove the panel. And, if you decide it's important enough to you to fix it properly, apparently you have to order the complete inner door handle, which is attached to the door panel by melting the plastic protrusions that extend through holes in the panel. When you look at it, the entire assembly is an incredibly stupid design. If the LED fails, it doesn't seem to be removable either, which just makes me sad. These were broken on all four doors of my X5 by whoever was in their before me. They managed to completely destroy the driver's door panel and the seal panel as well. I'm guessing they had the adventure of the door latch failing in the closed position, based on the extent of damage. Another trip to the junkyard... if I can find a door panel that isn't already ruined. Good video. Wish I'd looked for one like this before the first time I had to open into a door on this thing.
Hello, I have 2001 BMW X5 3.0. Cars driver and passenger door can be opened from inside but not from outside. I can lock and unlock door with key (central locking system). Local car mechanic said I need to change the lock actuator but since pin goes up and down when I press lock/unlock on car key therefore not sure if that's the case is. Appreciate your guidance.
You likely just need to replace the inner handle assemblies, as shown here.
We have them in our online store. Just click the link, then ID your vehicle and search "door handle".
www.bavauto.com
Dear Bavarian Autosport,
I replaced the front passanger side handle carrier assembly, and after put back the door panel, I realized it cannot be closed or opened from the key. The handle works well, I can open the door from the inside as well. Using the car key or the interior locking switch every other doors lock and open fine. But this one can be closed (and opened) only manually using the locking spike. I know, the source of this problem must be somewhere in the locking mechanic, but I can not see iexactly which part went wrong. Do you have any idea?
Thank you in advance!
The same here
+Neno N Tell me your e-mail, I managed to solve this problem, l would send some photos...
Bálint Jankovics I'm having the same issue. Can u tell me what u did to fix it? Jesus9535555@yahoo.com
Juan Ramirez The problem was not with the locking mechanic, but with a connection on the panel of window switch...
On that panel there are three connection, of which the biggest had problem with contact.
You can check it by moving its fixing clip and watch the interior lights, because this one is responsible for detecting the door if it is opened. You should ensure a tight connection, and be careful with the others as well because as I managed to solve this, new problem occured with the connection of airbag...
Bálint Jankovics yes I did discover that was the problem got it working again. Without the airbag issue. Thanks for the reply!!!
I am replacing the assembly on the rear driver side door. I followed your instructions but now I am stuck getting the assembly out because of the small lock bar on the door. Can you please help me out?
We have not done the replacement on a rear door.
what parts would I need on 2001 x5 3.0 if my pass door will unlock from the inside but not outside, I think the driver side may have the same problem soon as well. Also the windows go up and down but not well and its very hard to get them up if all the way down. I just want to get all the stuff and have a mechanic do it.
If by "unlock" you mean "unlatch" and open, then this video (replacing the inner handle mechanism) is what addresses this issue. As for the windows, you likely need new regulator assemblies. Go to our online store at www.bavauto.com and search "door handle" for the inner handle assembly and search "window regulator" for the window regulators.
(2004 X5) should i disconnect the battery before removing the airbag?
Yes, as an extra step of precaution, your battery should always be disconnected before you do any work on any vehicle..
Yes they did leave somthing out!!! You can follow their instructions and pull all day long on the handle but it will not come out till you remove the holding screw on the inside front of the handle that holds it to the frame!!!
Apart from that all good so far!!