1984 400i left hand door lock not locking with key

Not sure exactly of your question but I’ll throw this out there incase it might help. If I remember correctly you have to use the key to lock the door. You can push down on the plunger when the door is closed but not when it’s open. After you exit the car you must use the key to lock it. If you try to force it you will bend or break something. I think of it as making it so you can’t accidentally lock your keys in the car.

 

Anthony
I started having same issue a few weeks ago while on a road trip and needed to be able to lock car. I tried a lot of combinations of liock and levers. Finally, I found a 'work around '. With door open I pushed inside lock onlet door to lock position and closed the door. I reopened door and lock now worked.
It continted to wwork for days. We found if we hit a bad pothole problem comes back,but the 'fix" wors every time.
I tried adjustments to lnkages but no luck.
Try my work atound but I will follow this thread for better fix.
Ken

 

Hot rodders have been using solenoids forever. They make solenoids for any application that yo can dream up..just research them and select one that fits you very application. Jq.

 

hey all. slight revival of an old thread. related but unrelated
I really need to lubricate my door locking/unlocking mechanisms.
the locks work...but I damn near feel like I'm gonna break a key...
Does anyone have an easy way to do this without taking anything apart? Or can I simply remove the metal cover plates (where the doors latch to the frame) to address sticking parts?
thanks in advance.
Jay

 

I found it easier to remove the inside door panel then the end plates. Once panel is out you get to see everything even if not easy to reach. It sounds like something is binding not just needing lubrication.

Door panel removal is easy once you know where all the hidden screws are. Is your car Series I or II?
Ken

 

series 1 - '78 manual 400GT

That's funny... this all started when my ignition key did not work my door locks... or so I thought.
I started to remove the door panel but got stuck - I had removed nearly all screws but there's something holding me up in the mid section behind where the grab-handle is. I got the screw behind the speaker grill that holds a diagonal metal strut - but there's probably a top screw and I wasn't sure where it access it - maybe one of the 2 screws where the inside door handle is?
In any case I fiddled with the lock a bit and voila - the key did work after all! So I keenly reassembled all that I had removed already and called it 'a win'.

First person to respond to me - " just take the door card off"

But you're right, and I guess I'll go do it 'the right way'....

So holding the door-card on:
remove the trim around the inside handle, 2 small bottom screws, many peripheral plastic snaps, one screw behind the speaker grill, and one more.....?
Any input on where that last screw is?
thanks!

 

There is a relatively small Phillips head screw directly behind the hand grip about 2/3 - 3/4 way up the grip. Feel first with a finger and use a longer shank screwdriver. That one was my first hurdle, but you did good to find the one behind the speaker on your own. That had me stumped because one side did not have that screw.
Ken

 

Huh… Man, I looked right there, but I guess I didn’t look well enough!
OK, I’ll take a look later today after work. Thanks for the input.

 

Any chance you can snap a pic of where that hidden screw is? that might help
otherwise I'll figure it out
ty again

 

Man, do I feel like an idiot! You’re right. Open headed screw right in front of my face just under the handle. I simply did not lean down low enough to look.
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I'm too old to lean so I use my finger to find it!
Glad you got it! Ken

 

OK door card off - and I might say pretty easy after all
So all my door handle and lock armature looks good but I just think the hinge and fulcrum points need a little lubrication
anyone have an opinion of using white lithium grease?

 

White lithium grease is okay for points where the lube is needed on an external moving part, and you can apply grease in both positions. Some parts the lube has to wick into a hidden mating surface. For these I use two options: a Teflon or Moly liquid that is thin enough to wick into the moving surfaces. If that point is hard to reach, I use "chain lube" that comes with a thin tube to reach where you need to get. The nice thing about chain lube is that it sprays thin to wick into tight places, and then the solvent evaporates leaving a low viscosity grease on the bearing surface. Just one guy's opinion.
Ken

 

thank you - appreciate the input.... I happen to have chain lube, having recently redone a beach cruiser...