Central Locking function not responding

[TheFinanceGuy]

I was on the phone with Charlie last night, and was unsuccessful to find any faults. Anyone have any other ideas before I rip the GM5 module out and send it off to a rebuild?

Issue: Tried to get into the car yesterday, and the fob wouldn't unlock the door. The fob was able to release the trunk. I used the key in the drivers side door to unlock the door. I pressed the central lock button and nothing responded.
This happened about two weeks ago as well, however the central lock button responded, went home, and everything was normal. I didn't think about at all until last night.

Research:
From www.BMWGM5.com as well as e46f I've seen this


4-door - all 4 doors fail to unlock -> GM5
4-door - all 3 passenger doors fail to unlock -> GM5
4-door - only 1 of the passenger doors fails -> Actuator
2-door - both doors fail to work -> GM5
2-door - only the driver's door fails -> indeterminate
2-door - only passenger door fails -> indeterminate
Problem seems to be worse in hot or cold weather -> GM5
Fuel filler door doesn't unlock either -> GM5

This leads me to believe my GM5 unit is not functioning at this moment.

Tests:
I've pulled the negative battery terminal off last night to try a force a re-set. All that did was make me rest my clock.
Checked all the fuses, they all look good. They yellow 5amp fuse in spot 48 was a little dirty, however, there was no visible cracks. The smallest fuse I had on had was a 10, and didn't want to try that.
The glove box light goes out everytime you pull a fuse, on once you return the fuse. Is that normal? I've never worked with fuses in the E46. (E36, sure, all the freakin time....).
Hazard lights work. So, the button seems to be responding to input. Just not the lock/unlock function

Currently my car is parked in the lot with not locked, because I'm afraid it won't unlock!

[Aesora]

Out of curiosity, when you press the lock button on your remote, do your interior lights come on even though the car doesn't lock?

My car did something similar a few months back, and it ended up resolving itself after I opened and closed all of the doors several times... I'm sure it was a funny sight to see. Me doing laps around my car trying to narrow down a door that may have been acting up. I still don't know which one it was, but what I did eventually figure out was that even though the dome light was going off like all of the doors were closed, the car thought one of them was open.

[cakM3]

I hope Terra can chime in here....

[Karl Lazlo]

Before tearing into the GM unit, try re-initializing the key(s).

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?660142-DIY-BMW-E46-key-fob-reprogramming

[TheFinanceGuy]

Out of curiosity, when you press the lock button on your remote, do your interior lights come on even though the car doesn't lock?

My car did something similar a few months back, and it ended up resolving itself after I opened and closed all of the doors several times... I'm sure it was a funny sight to see. Me doing laps around my car trying to narrow down a door that may have been acting up. I still don't know which one it was, but what I did eventually figure out was that even though the dome light was going off like all of the doors were closed, the car thought one of them was open.

Interesting you ask this. My the car does respond to my remote and the interior lights come on.

I can't open any of the doors, because they are all double locked.

[TheFinanceGuy]

Before tearing into the GM unit, try re-initializing the key(s).

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?660142-DIY-BMW-E46-key-fob-reprogramming

Wouldn't the central unlock/lock button need to respond in order for this work? Currently, mine won't respond.

[Karl Lazlo]

Do your hazard lights work?

[TheFinanceGuy]

Yes. Hazard lights work. Edited top for that nugget of info.

So the button seems to function.

[cakM3]

Before tearing into the GM unit, try re-initializing the key(s).

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?660142-DIY-BMW-E46-key-fob-reprogramming

+1


It's worth a try Patrick....

[Aesora]

I just re-read the emails I exchanged with Scott at bmwgm5.com, and your situation sounds very similar to mine. If your driver's door is open, the central lock next to the hazards won't function. But if your door is closed, it should. Since yours isn't functioning either way (that's how I'm interpreting this, at least) I think it could be your driver door ajar sensor/actuator. If you decide to try to troubleshoot this and find it is at fault, then here is a fairly detailed description of how to replace it.

http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=242785

I can't say with 100% certainty that this is at fault though.

[TheFinanceGuy]

I just re-read the emails I exchanged with Scott at bmwgm5.com, and your situation sounds very similar to mine. If your driver's door is open, the central lock next to the hazards won't function. But if your door is closed, it should. Since yours isn't functioning either way (that's how I'm interpreting this, at least) I think it could be your driver door ajar sensor/actuator. If you decide to try to troubleshoot this and find it is at fault, then here is a fairly detailed description of how to replace it.

http://m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=242785

I can't say with 100% certainty that this is at fault though.

I could see, logically, as being a fault. I think I'll go down this hole this weekend.

Thank you for the help fellas!

EDIT: However, no lights on my dash light up telling me that my door could be ajar. Was that the same for you?

[Aesora]

Yeah, when I was troubleshooting mine, all of the door ajar lights on my dash were working correctly. That is why I was so convinced at first that it was my GM5. Scott stayed up late emailing me from his phone to ask me additional questions to try and help me narrow it down, but eventually he even said he didn't know what was going on. That's when I got fed up with it and just started opening and closing doors one at a time and seeing if anything changed.

[TheFinanceGuy]

Wait, when you say the door ajar lights were functioning correctly, you mean when the door was closed, the light was off?

[Aesora]

Sorry, I'm in a meeting at work and may have partially misread your post. With all of my doors closed, the dome light would fade out like normal and no lights on my dash said a door was open.

[TheFinanceGuy]

Sorry, I'm in a meeting at work and may have partially misread your post. With all of my doors closed, the dome light would fade out like normal and no lights on my dash said a door was open.

Nope you understood correctly. I just wanted to make sure I understood. Thank you!

[TheFinanceGuy]

Thought I was different, but nope, I'm just like everyone failing GM5. It now works. I guess this is going to be an intermittent battle.

Most likely, I'll yank it, and send it to Scott for a rebuild. I can't have this happen again.

[Aesora]

Ah dang. I guess I lucked out with mine. It worked every great once in a while before I "fixed" it. Scott will get you squared away if it truly is a GM5 issue, though. (Speaking on behalf of the loads of reviews I read online, and having only conversed with him over email.)

[TheFinanceGuy]

I never got around to pulling this out and sending it for repairs. However, the issue is very intermittent. Seems to happen at the worst possible times. Like, say at daycare when I need to get my daughter in the backseat... Or when someone asks for a ride, and the doors won't unlock.

I've had luck just cycling the button inside the cabin several times. At some point it starts to work. However, I know this isn't a solution.

[hickatew]

Two years later, add me to the list of people with this problem :D. Going to try the door open / closing trick, see if that helps at all. I was planning to go to NYC tomorrow - hopefully my wipers and windows don't just stop working all of a sudden.

[TheFinanceGuy]

I just came across this thread and wanted to provide an update.

I did pull the GM5 unit and sent it for repair to www.BMWGM5.com The guy there did a great job, he was fast and efficient. Having had the repair done about 1 year ago, I can say that was the issue.