Door Button / Actuator / Latch

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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
Posts: 1227

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

I have an aftermarket immobilizer that also opens and closes the door buttons.
Today I noticed that one of the buttons is erratic - once in five times it does not open or close.
Can anyone direct me before I remove the door card to disect? :twisted:
Last edited by BonBon on Thu 02 Oct, 2014 11:14, edited 3 times in total.
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Robert T
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Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Door Button

Post by Robert T »

Sounds like the actuator. You could hear mine struggling before it finally packed up. In your case, lubrication might help, rather than having to replace.

Cheers R.

Sent from my Galaxy SII using Tapatalk 2
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
Posts: 1227

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button

Post by BonBon »

After removing the door card - is there access to lubricate the actuator with silicone spray without having to remove the actuator (which seems to be a pain to remove)?
I'll also check the boot loom.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button

Post by BonBon »

Well the loom looked fine so I removed the door card and sought to spray the actuator to with silicone spray - without removing it.
It proved a lot more difficult that I thought.
Firstly just seeing the area is a challenge - I used a headlamp and a small mirror.
To stream the spray to the right place was also an issue due to the angles - so I connected two red sprayer straws with tape and fed it into the mechanism.
Then I had to take a 5 minute pause due to a local siren - and emerged from the house to see a puff of smoke from the Iron Dome which took out a missile.
I proceeded to spray the hell out the whole area.
Now what remains to be seen is what comes first - another button failure or a cease fire. :wave
stupot50
Joined: Tue 07 Aug, 2012 08:35
Posts: 237

  Z3 roadster 2.8
Location: Torquay, Devon

Re: Door Button

Post by stupot50 »

BonBon wrote:Well the loom looked fine so I removed the door card and sought to spray the actuator to with silicone spray - without removing it.
It proved a lot more difficult that I thought.
Firstly just seeing the area is a challenge - I used a headlamp and a small mirror.
To stream the spray to the right place was also an issue due to the angles - so I connected two red sprayer straws with tape and fed it into the mechanism.
Then I had to take a 5 minute pause due to a local siren - and emerged from the house to see a puff of smoke from the Iron Dome which took out a missile.
I proceeded to spray the hell out the whole area.
Now what remains to be seen is what comes first - another button failure or a cease fire. :wave
Did spraying it work? Keep safe
1999 2.8 Arctic Silver Z3
1987 Black Renault Alpine GTA V6 Turbo
2007 325d Msport - remapped
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
Posts: 1227

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button

Post by BonBon »

I will let you know in a week - it was an intermittent fault.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button

Post by BonBon »

So far so good - I am confident enough to put back the door card. (update - now December 17th - no problems since)
(it is so difficult to spray to the correct area - that if you have a bit more confidence than me - remove the actuator to lubricate - it will be faster and easier)
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
Posts: 1227

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator

Post by BonBon »

For the record.
Started to act up again today. Sprayed WD-40 via the button and the latch and it seemed to do the job???
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button

Post by BonBon »

Again for the record - 12 months to the day and started acting up again...... (seems like nothing ever changes...Also Iron Dome back in action)
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: Door Button

Post by Southernboy »

.... after 5000+ years did you expect anything else...referring to the Iron Dome.... :wink:
"Normal is overrated"
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button

Post by BonBon »

This week will get a breather in London and Western Ireland. Will pick up a replacement fuel level gauge and a door actuator waiting for me.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
Posts: 1227

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button/ Actuator/Latch

Post by BonBon »

Finally got fed up with repeatedly fussing with silicone spray to get the actuator/latch to work properly. Picked up a used part from Steve at BMWerks.
Used a couple of guides:
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17528
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/sh ... k-Actuator
By far the most difficult part is to slide the window guide back into place. The job took me 1 hour 45 minutes - but the last 45 minutes was the time it took me to realize that if I removed the two rubber window seals I can view from above and raise the window guide into place in 30 seconds.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

OK - back to where I started.
Mechanism is acting up again - 2 months after putting in a used mechanism (actuator and latch)
I'll try lube again and see how I go. I wonder what point there will be in putting in a third latch/mechanism (unless I go for a new part...)
Last edited by BonBon on Thu 04 Dec, 2014 17:21, edited 1 time in total.
Jonco
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2011 07:24
Posts: 402

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by Jonco »

Sounds like you need to buy new actuator which is where I ended up after similar saga.

Might be worth checking you have the link rods in the right way around. I got mine wrong first time - latch worked but erratically - re-assembled until I got it right and worked ok since.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

I like your insight about the position of the link rods. I did not think there was more than one way to insert.
Which one are you referring to? The inner handle or the button and how do I know which is the "right" way?
Jonco
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2011 07:24
Posts: 402

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by Jonco »

BonBon wrote:..............Which one are you referring to? The inner handle or the button and how do I know which is the "right" way?
Sorry can't remember now and I didn't take any pics. I had inserted one of the hook ends in from the wrongside of the location hole :oops: which threw the alignment out. It was ok when freshly lubricated but stuck once it `dried out'. I'm sure somebody will have a picture or it may show it on real.oem diagram.
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BonBon
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

I removed the door card and had a look and found that my rods are connected properly as per the picture below. (the rod on the left is to the inner door latch the rod on the right is the button)
The mechanism seems to be moving well - nevertheless I doused it again with silicone spray - not 100% sure, but it looks like once and a while there is increased resistance to movement. I now realize that both the actuator and the latch mechanism have mechanical moving parts and thus either can be the culprit that resist the movement - is there a way to identify which one it is?
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BonBon
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

For some reason I'm gambling on the actuator and don't fancy going for another second hand one. (If I was not afraid of screwing up the other door, the best idea would be to swap the actuators on both doors and see where the problem ends up)
Anyone tried this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VDO-BMW-3-5-Ser ... b2&vxp=mtr
Jonco
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2011 07:24
Posts: 402

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by Jonco »

Price looks good but can't comment on that particular one otherwise.

For comparison I paid £53 earlier this year for a Meyle manufactured one - supplied by Motormec. OEM Part number is 67111387726
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BonBon
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

What was you mode of failure - I'm still trying to figure out if it's the actuator or the latch assembly beneath it.
A hint that it's the actuator is that it works when the sun is shining and is more erratic when it's cold outside. A Pelican tech claimed somewhere that this indicates it's probably the actuator.
Last edited by BonBon on Mon 29 Dec, 2014 14:08, edited 2 times in total.
Jonco
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2011 07:24
Posts: 402

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by Jonco »

BonBon wrote:What was you mode of failure - I'm still trying to figure out if it's the actuator or the latch assembly beneath it.
Similar saga to yours i.e. erratic operation - worked for long periods then not - responded to lubrication then didn't. Complicated along the way by boot loom failure. In the end `grasped the nettle' and changed actuator. Worked ok since but there is a slight delay (wouldn't notice it normally) on closing.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

Ok - thanks for the inspiration. I did it once - it'll take under a couple hours.
I was stupid to put in a complete Actuator/latch assembly from a breaker considering the cheap prices on new actuators.
Motormec don't seem to stock this actuator anymore and the best deal seems to be the VDO part mentioned above.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

While waiting for my Actuator to arrive - came across this fix that has been nagging me for a while:
Stiff door latch action.
This may also benefit others -
http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showt ... ing-issues
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
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  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Door Button / Actuator / Latch

Post by BonBon »

The second time was simpler....52 minutes door card to door card.
OK a week later - so must have been the actuator.
BTW - the OEM actuators are manufactured by VDO :wink:
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