Did you know... Door lock.

[Ferret]

Did you know if you lock your door using the actual key into a keyhole (not using your remote), passengers inside cannot unlock it from inside and they are trapped inside?

Yup - all of the E34s were fitted with deadlocking - the point being that you cant open the doors if you smash a window to get in... makes it a right pain in the arse when your battery is flat and you need a way in.

[Rick L]

Did you know if you lock your door using the actual key into a keyhole (not using your remote), passengers inside cannot unlock it from inside and they are trapped inside?

[Paul in NZ]

on the early cars the deadlock is an extra turn,ie turn lock aprox 45 degrees to lock then past a resistance and another 45 deg to deadlock

[nirvana19]

I always thought the car undeadlocked when the battery died. If not then would there be ANY way to open the door, I would think the emergency unlock procedure wouldn't work if the actuator was truly frozen.

[stx133]

if you stuff it up properly you can dead lock yourself in. i did that once and took 1 hour to get out. i now keep an allen key in the ash tray to open the sun roof in case of problems. (see previous post)

[Ferret]

I always thought the car undeadlocked when the battery died. If not then would there be ANY way to open the door, I would think the emergency unlock procedure wouldn't work if the actuator was truly frozen.

It's a swine to do, but it *is* possible... with a lot of jiggling of the lock and the door handle. I had a major problem with my 525i as the passenger side (left) actuator was shot - which is where the emergency unlock lever was!

On the 540 I've tried forcing the lock, and there must be something there as it set the alarm off!

You can hear the actuator pull across mechanically when the deadlocks engage separately on an early E34. The later ones just deadlock with no questions asked... they dont have a two-step locking mechanism.

I dont think the deadlocks would only stay engaged while the car had battery power - the amount of current they'd have to draw would flatten the battery over a day or two...

[Jehu]

I will probably wish i'd never read this. Now that the information is in my brain i am sure to do this while trying NOT to do it..lol.. THANKS!

[Rick L]

It is safely concern. It happened to one of my friend. His girlfriend locked the door from outside while he and the kids were in the car with windows closed on a warm day. He tried to open the door but couldn’t and was trapped inside until she came back! Not sure why she took the keys and locked from outside?!?!