New member with Z3 and living in France

Rickypoos

Dedicated Member
French Zeds
Joined
Sep 17, 2021
Points
28
Location
Normandy, France
Model of Z
Z3
Hi everyone
I am a Brit living in Normandy, France and, for the second time, have recently purchased a BMW Z3. This car is a lovely RHD French registered 1998 (Aug 97) 2.8i auto in Atlanta blue. I have just finished a month of maintenance and improvement and it now looks and feels good. Have added a few extras (some more discreet than others) and have attached a couple of pics. Managed to find in perfect condition one of the rare BMW chrome luggage racks so have just fitted that and we are now good to go!
Having just succeeded in reactivating the 3G EWS alarm and remote centre locking so they work perfectly (all except siren), I now have a specific related issue on which I would very much welcome some advice. My normal key-operated centre locking also works fine from passenger door and from boot but, at the drivers door, while the key will open the door when it is locked, it will not lock the door when it is unlocked. As the remote centre locking now works fine on both doors and boot, I think my problem is clearly not the door actuator (or a fuse or boot-lid wiring etc) but a mechanical issue between the key housing in the external door handle, the lock mechanism itself and the tell-tale locking pin on the inside rear top of the door liner which refuses to go down when I turn the key.
The only other relevant symptom I can relate is that, whereas at the passenger door and boot, you turn the key anti-clockwise to unlock, at the problem drivers door, you have to turn it clockwise to unlock!
I cant find any images showing the mechanical connections inside the door and I am reluctant to remove the liner for a non-crucial issue - at least until I understand the problem better. Is there anyone out there who can help please? Would appreciate any views on possible causes and/or fixes. Thanks.
 

Attachments

MisterP007

German Engineering - Italian Clothes
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Points
144
Location
Tunbridge Wells
Model of Z
Z3 2.8
Welcome
 

MisterP007

German Engineering - Italian Clothes
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Jul 24, 2020
Points
144
Location
Tunbridge Wells
Model of Z
Z3 2.8
I have door handles/mechanisms cut out from a Z3 which I can photograph over the weekend and post on here. They may help understand the mechanism.
 

Keet

Zorg Guru (IV)
Supporter
British Zeds
Joined
Apr 22, 2018
Points
171
Location
Mansfield
Model of Z
E89 20i M Sport
Hello and welcome to the forum :thumbsup:
 

Nodzed

Zorg Expert (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
M Power
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Points
231
Location
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Model of Z
Z3M Imola and Z4 (e89)
:welcome: Looks nice. BTW You have your rack on the wrong way round (I may as well be the first) :whistle:
 

Rickypoos

Dedicated Member
French Zeds
Joined
Sep 17, 2021
Points
28
Location
Normandy, France
Model of Z
Z3
Hi there
Thanks for the welcome. I know about the rack. If I had the BMW suitcase to go with it I would put it the other way round but I prefer the looks as I have it here and may never actually use it at all for luggage!! Forest of Dean - lovely!
 

Nodzed

Zorg Expert (II)
Supporter
British Zeds
M Power
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Points
231
Location
Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England
Model of Z
Z3M Imola and Z4 (e89)
Hi there
Thanks for the welcome. I know about the rack. If I had the BMW suitcase to go with it I would put it the other way round but I prefer the looks as I have it here and may never actually use it at all for luggage!! Forest of Dean - lovely!
FRANCE even better ;) ;) :thumbsup: we usually get there once a year, Haute Vienne mostly until COVID came along.
 

hard top

Zorg Expert (I)
Dutch Zeds
The M44 Massive
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Points
213
Location
Netherlands
Mike
I see you are also living in Europe. Can you help perhaps with my query about a black canvas dye for the hood?
Sorry to say that I can't help you out with that, as I never used any products on my soft top, as I had the hardtop on most of the time and when the soft top did get worn out I had a new one fitted.
 
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