Door lock woes (nearly solved)

[Richardrix]

Some of you may know that when I bought my Z3 a few months ago there was an issue with the door locks. I was given a single master key for the car. This key has no buttons, just a bog standard key. The key would only turn one way in the door locks. On the drivers side it would unlock, on the passenger side it would lock. You physically could not turn the key the opposite way in the barrel. The key works fine on the boot lid and to start the car.

After much head scratching and pulling out the barrel from the passenger door handle it was decided that the key looks to be so worn that it is not operating the barrel correctly in the doors. With the barrel out we could see that when the key is inserted, the blades all retract as they should, apart from one. This one little blade would not go in. You could push it in with you hand so we know the key is correct for the barrel, just not operating it correctly.

Armed with this knowledge I called Sytners and explained that I wanted a cheap key with no buttons for my car. A key was ordered and two days later picked up. When I tried the new key in the doors it works like a dream (almost). The key will now turn both directions in the door locks and will start the car. Unfortunately the drivers side does not lock the car, nothing happens. I need to take the handle out and see what is going on there. The key also will not go in to the boot lock. Physically, it will not go in. Another trip down to Sytners and it turns out that what me and the guy on the phone had actually come up with was a cheap key alright, it is the service key. Will operate the doors and the ignition but not the boot lid or the passneger storage boxes. Doh!.

The parts guy at Sytners was very good though. He went and looked further in to avalable keys and saw that there is a master without buttons and offered to order me one for cost price so another key was ordered. This arrived today and works perfect, works in all the locks. So the only issue I have now is that when I turn the key in the drivers door to lock the car, nothing happens. Luckily I still have the door card off the drivers side so if the weather is kind to me at the weekend, this will be my weekend job.

As an aside, I can get a full master key from Sytners. This has the buttons on the key and they have said that this should operate the alarm and the remote central locking on the car. It is a 1997 1.9 which I thought needed a separate box to activate the alarm but if this one key will do everything then it is certainly on the shopping list. The downside is the price, currently £178.

I thought I would share this tale with you all in case anyone else comes across the same issue with the key not working as it should. I hope someone finds this of use.

 

[t-tony]

Hi Richard, this may be a daft question but have you checked that the rod from the key lock operates the master solenoid on the drivers door when you turn the key?
That was the main issue with Dawn's boot lock. Does your boot lock all the doors?

Tony.

 

[Richardrix]

The key unlocks the door, does not lock it. Something is connected. I need to get my hand in and maybe get the handle out to take a look.

 

[t-tony]

With the card off you ought to be able to feel, if not see, whether the rod is connected. You will have to close the door catch with a screwdriver etc. so that the locking system can operate.

Tony.

 

[mrscalex]

This is why I always say to get the code read off the existing key and computer milled rather than trace cut. Trace cut keys inherit the wear pattern.

A good locksmith can read the code off the key by looking at the pattern.

 

[Richardrix]

This is a dealer key. Nothing wrong with the key, it's the mechanism in the door or the micro switch.

 

[mrscalex]

This is a dealer key. Nothing wrong with the key, it's the mechanism in the door or the micro switch.

The dealer does the same thing but they have the code on file already.

 

[Mario]

Is the key operating the central locking when you use it in the boot lock and does both lock and unlock? That would be a start. If that works then you can isolate the problem to the door lock, inside there there are two micro switches that tell the car when the barrel is turned in each direction. Maybe one of them is faulty

 

[Mario]

Is the key operating the central locking when you use it in the boot lock and does both lock and unlock? That would be a start. If that works then you can isolate the problem to the door lock, inside there there are two micro switches that tell the car when the barrel is turned in each direction. Maybe one of them is faulty

 

[Mario]

Is the key operating the central locking when you use it in the boot lock and does both lock and unlock? That would be a start. If that works then you can isolate the problem to the door lock, inside there there are two micro switches that tell the car when the barrel is turned in each direction. Maybe one of them is faulty

 

[Richardrix]

The central locking works fine. There is only single micro switch on the handle that I know of. And I have got 2 on the desk and one out of the car. As already noted, I need to check all the linkage but since it operates normally to open I suspect that this is all ok. One thing to not is that my interior light does not come on when I open either door. I suspect the micro switch in the door strike. It could be that because this is not working the car won't let the doors look. Just an idea at this point.

 

[Mario]

You might be right now that you mention it I think the micro switches for locking might be in the door lock actuator aka black box that goes on top and the lock and the handle micro switches control the convenience features like rising or lowering windows when you keep the key turned in the lock right or left

 

[ktnez99]

Hi Richard, this may be a daft question but have you checked that the rod from the key lock operates the master solenoid on the drivers door when you turn the key?
That was the main issue with Dawn's boot lock. Does your boot lock all the doors?

Tony.

Holding strong and working so you know @t-tony

 

[t-tony]

Cable ties are very versatile things Dawn

Tony.

 

[Geoff Crispin]

Could it be an actuator working in one direction only. Had a similar problem and change the boot actuator

Geoff

 

[Richardrix]

Could it be an actuator working in one direction only. Had a similar problem and change the boot actuator

Geoff

No. The central locking works fine from the passenger door and the boot.

 

[Richardrix]

When you turn the key to unlock the drivers door there is a mechanical link to the door button which lifts the button, the central locking kicks in and the doors open. This works great. When you turn the key to lock the doors, the act of turn the key presses a micro switch. This tells the central locking to activate. Today I tried 3 different micro switches and the central locking did not activate. This tells me the issue is not in the door handle and is somewhere else. The interior light not coming on when I open the the doors tells me that there may be something wrong with the micro switch in the door strike. This is going to be my next route to take in the investigation.

 

[Geoff Crispin]

No. The central locking works fine from the passenger door and the boot.

May be its the actuator in drivers door ? worth check it

 

[Richardrix]

So I hear the motor operate on the drivers door when I pull up or push down the button and the drivers door will lock and unlock via the central locking if I use the key in either the passenger door or the boot. The drivers door will unlock with the key but when I try and lock it from the drivers door there is no sound and nothing happens. It is not the microswitch on the drivers handle as I have tested multiple. Does this sound like the actuator on the drivers door then?

 

[t-tony]

I would day so Richard, my Z3 had a similar issue on the n/s door. I got a replacement from ECP.

Tony.

 

[Geoff Crispin]

I had this sort of problem on my boot and when actuator was tested one side did not work purchased a second hand one from Andy spursfaninacoupe an nor problems since. I would suggest that you remove the actuator and put a current through it and see Geoff