Door Lock Question - '04 X-3

Purchased an X-3 last week and it has a quirk that I am not particularly
fond of.

When I stop the car and turn off the engine and then try to open the door,
on the first pull the door locks lift up but the door doesn't open. On the
second pull the door opens. In addition, my service manager tells me
'that's how the X-3 works' (he's only been on the job 2 weeks btw) and he
suggested that I wait a few seconds before opening the door.

Well, I've sat there for 30 seconds and it makes no difference.

Is this really how the doors to vehicle are supposed to work?

Thanks,
RichieP

"RichieP" > wrote in message
...
> Purchased an X-3 last week and it has a quirk that I am not particularly
> fond of.
>
> When I stop the car and turn off the engine and then try to open the door,
> on the first pull the door locks lift up but the door doesn't open. On
> the
> second pull the door opens. In addition, my service manager tells me
> 'that's how the X-3 works' (he's only been on the job 2 weeks btw) and he
> suggested that I wait a few seconds before opening the door.
>
> Well, I've sat there for 30 seconds and it makes no difference.
>
> Is this really how the doors to vehicle are supposed to work?

Your door are self locking when you're on the move, to unlock the doors
press the "unlock" button on the dashboard.

-
Marba

"Marba" > wrote
> "RichieP" > wrote
>> Purchased an X-3 last week and it has a quirk that I am not particularly
>> fond of.
>>
>> When I stop the car and turn off the engine and then try to open the
>> door,
>> on the first pull the door locks lift up but the door doesn't open. On
>> the
>> second pull the door opens. In addition, my service manager tells me
>> 'that's how the X-3 works' (he's only been on the job 2 weeks btw) and he
>> suggested that I wait a few seconds before opening the door.
>>
>> Well, I've sat there for 30 seconds and it makes no difference.
>>
>> Is this really how the doors to vehicle are supposed to work?
>
> Your door are self locking when you're on the move, to unlock the doors
> press the "unlock" button on the dashboard.

You can have the dealer change the auto-lock feature if you don't like
the doors locking when the car begins moving.

Floyd

This is by design. Same on the E46 3-series, and (?almost) all other BMWs
since the late 90s...

You can unlock the door by either:
1) 1st pull of the door handle (2nd pull to open it)
2) Press the unlock button, or
3) Press 'unlock' on the remote.

Option 1) takes a little while to get used to but once you do you'll never
give it a second thought.

I actually quite like it - the fact that you can unlock the door with the
same handle that you use to open it - no fiddling for buttons or knobs, etc.

There is no 'time delay' for the doors to unlock, that is nonsense. You can,
as previously suggested, remove the 'door lock on drive away' feature if you
wish.

There IS a time delay if you unlock the door with the remote and open no
doors - it will relock in 30 seconds (this is also user configurable)



Paul

"RichieP" > wrote in message
...
> Purchased an X-3 last week and it has a quirk that I am not particularly
> fond of.
>
> When I stop the car and turn off the engine and then try to open the door,
> on the first pull the door locks lift up but the door doesn't open. On
> the
> second pull the door opens. In addition, my service manager tells me
> 'that's how the X-3 works' (he's only been on the job 2 weeks btw) and he
> suggested that I wait a few seconds before opening the door.
>
> Well, I've sat there for 30 seconds and it makes no difference.
>
> Is this really how the doors to vehicle are supposed to work?
>
> Thanks,
> RichieP
>
>

RichieP wrote:
> Purchased an X-3 last week and it has a quirk that I am not particularly
> fond of.
>
> When I stop the car and turn off the engine and then try to open the door,
> on the first pull the door locks lift up but the door doesn't open. On the
> second pull the door opens. In addition, my service manager tells me
> 'that's how the X-3 works' (he's only been on the job 2 weeks btw) and he
> suggested that I wait a few seconds before opening the door.
>
> Well, I've sat there for 30 seconds and it makes no difference.
>
> Is this really how the doors to vehicle are supposed to work?


Yes, this is standard BMW behavior. I think you can change it.

"RichieP" > wrote in message
...
> Purchased an X-3 last week and it has a quirk that I am not particularly
> fond of.
>
> When I stop the car and turn off the engine and then try to open the door,
> on the first pull the door locks lift up but the door doesn't open. On
> the
> second pull the door opens. In addition, my service manager tells me
> 'that's how the X-3 works' (he's only been on the job 2 weeks btw) and he
> suggested that I wait a few seconds before opening the door.
>
> Well, I've sat there for 30 seconds and it makes no difference.
>
> Is this really how the doors to vehicle are supposed to work?

Yes, if the doors are locked, the first pull unlocks them. Why would you
not be fond of this. It is a safety feature (automatic door locking) and a
convenience feature (same handle unlocks and opens the door).

Soon you will be telling all of your friends about what a great feature this
is and how glad you are that you bought a BMW...

-Fred W

"Fred W." <Fred.Wills@'remove this to reply to' myrealbox.com> wrote in
message ...
>
> "RichieP" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Purchased an X-3 last week and it has a quirk that I am not particularly
> > fond of.
> >
> > When I stop the car and turn off the engine and then try to open the
door,
> > on the first pull the door locks lift up but the door doesn't open. On
> > the
> > second pull the door opens. In addition, my service manager tells me
> > 'that's how the X-3 works' (he's only been on the job 2 weeks btw) and
he
> > suggested that I wait a few seconds before opening the door.
> >
> > Well, I've sat there for 30 seconds and it makes no difference.
> >
> > Is this really how the doors to vehicle are supposed to work?
>
> Yes, if the doors are locked, the first pull unlocks them. Why would you
> not be fond of this. It is a safety feature (automatic door locking) and
a
> convenience feature (same handle unlocks and opens the door).
>
> Soon you will be telling all of your friends about what a great feature
this
> is and how glad you are that you bought a BMW...
>
> -Fred W
>

Fred,
Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I realize that it is a safety feature, it's just a bit annoying at the
moment to remember the double pull.

Please note that I am not new to the auto-locking feature as my X-3 is a
replacement for a MB ML320. However, on the MB, while the doors would lock
upon hitting 10 mph, they opened with a single pull (providing you had
stopped the vehicle).

While I'm on the subject of my '01 ML320, with the exception of my wife's
'72 Triumph Spitfire, it was without a doubt the worst vehicle I ever owned
and that includes every car I have bought since age 17 (I'm 50 now) -
Chevrolet, Mazda, Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Volvo, Isuzu, Lincoln, Mercury,
Honda and Cadillac.

RichieP

"RichieP" > wrote in message
...
>
> While I'm on the subject of my '01 ML320, with the exception of my wife's
> '72 Triumph Spitfire, it was without a doubt the worst vehicle I ever
> owned
> and that includes every car I have bought since age 17 (I'm 50 now) -
> Chevrolet, Mazda, Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Volvo, Isuzu, Lincoln, Mercury,
> Honda and Cadillac.
>

Well, better luck this time, eh? Being a first model-year car, nobody can
tell you for certain how the X3 will be, but if past model performance is
any indicator I think you will be pleased. In all likelyhood, you'll be
buying a second bimmer (a sedan of some sort) before too long. It's
contagious I tell ya'... ;-)

While I do not buy new cars myself (nevermind first model-year new cars) for
financial reasons, I have become an avid BMW fan. They are more reliable
than most (even after 10+ years and > 100k miles), and provide driving
pleasure like no others IMO.

Best of luck,
-Fred W

The best car I ever had: a year-1977 1500 FH type. Perhaps because I bought
it in a junkyard in 1983 for the equivalent of 450 Euros. I completely
restored it. It took almost two years and then I drove it for 17 years with
the same pleasure.
I released it to make place for a Z3 coupé model 2002 I had to wait 5 months
for ! Another wonderful car but too much fragile in my opinion and not
possible to maintain by my self except minor services as oil replacement and
brake pads. No way to tune the engine and no carbs to synchronize <grin> !!
Otoh US made with US quality. Nothing to deal with German Qual. Burrs under
the hood, bad paint finish where usually "normal" people looks at, lotta
chips on the hood and I drive 95% of the time on the highway, leather
rubbing against the console, hardened rubber seals, moving seat in mountains
roards, shall I use a rope ?...

Next time, I'll make sure the car is built in Europe !


"RichieP" > a écrit dans le message news:
...
>

> '72 Triumph Spitfire, it was without a doubt the worst vehicle I ever
owned
> and that includes every car I have bought since age 17 (I'm 50 now) -
>
>

On Tue, 02 Nov 2004 19:12:56 GMT, "RichieP"
> wrote:

>Yes, I realize that it is a safety feature, it's just a bit annoying at the
>moment to remember the double pull.

I think the double pull is fine. It's the auto locking which is lame
(but it can be disabled).