Auto locks intermittently working

[justinwilson77]

This started happening a few weeks ago when it got really cold for the first time this year...about a week before the blizzard. I press the button on my key to unlock my car and nothing happens. Keep pressing and nothing happens. Use the manual unlock by putting the key in the door which should, if you turn it twice, unlock all of the doors. I keep turning it and it only unlocks the driver side door. Then I'll try to reach in and unlock the rear door by pulling the handle, but that doesnt work either...for any of the doors including the front passenger door. The button on the interior of the car wont unlock the doors, nothing will. But the next day I try again and it works perfectly...:confused

Please for the love of all that it good and german...help me... :begging

[KevinC]

Start here.. good luck!

https://www.bmwgm5.com/GM5_Repair_Service.htm

[justinwilson77]

Just sent that guy an email. I just find it weird that even the door handles wont unlock or open the door...I didn't know that had anything to do with a relay module.

[KevinC]

Might not turn out to be the GM5.. he knows his stuff so his reply should be helpful, even if the GM5 module is eliminated as the source. Good luck!

[GotZHP]

I am experiencing this with my rear passenger door.

How old is the battery in your car? I read a few threads on another board and apparently the doors locks can be finicky with voltage. Don't know the validity of this but I have read it more than once. Also, my car's battery is really old, and the problem just started for me.

[ryankokesh]

I had a similar problem with the Xi... wasn't the GM5, but never really figured it out.

[Sockethead]

Our cars have a lockout feature that completely disables the whole locking system after a pre determined time. That's why it seems like nothing is working. The remote is supposed to wake it back up. I imagine inserting the key in the ignition and turning to position 1or 2 would wake it up too.
It does sound like the GM5 relay for the doors is failing. Mine does that periodically too but I can't recall the last time it did it. You can replace the module yourself if you're good with a soldering iron. I have the relay but it's already packed up for our move and it may be several months before I can get to it..,

[justinwilson77]

I am experiencing this with my rear passenger door.

How old is the battery in your car? I read a few threads on another board and apparently the doors locks can be finicky with voltage. Don't know the validity of this but I have read it more than once. Also, my car's battery is really old, and the problem just started for me.

Battery is a year old so I know thats not the issue. The only thing is that I do a lot of traveling and being without a GM5 module for even a couple days...i.e no wipers and stuff like that, would be horrible.


Our cars have a lockout feature that completely disables the whole locking system after a pre determined time. That's why it seems like nothing is working. The remote is supposed to wake it back up. I imagine inserting the key in the ignition and turning to position 1or 2 would wake it up too.
It does sound like the GM5 relay for the doors is failing. Mine does that periodically too but I can't recall the last time it did it. You can replace the module yourself if you're good with a soldering iron. I have the relay but it's already packed up for our move and it may be several months before I can get to it..,

I'm not bad, I've wokred with it before on my Angel Eyes wiring harness. I suspect that this would be some very small guage solder.