Lock cover is missing from driver's side door - did someone try to break in?

[repenttokyo]

After parking the car in the street all day - quiet, peaceful neighborhood, directly in front of a neighbor's house - my gf came home to find the car unlocked and the cover for the locking mechanism missing.

Now - the handle is still there, undamaged, nothing taken from the car, ignition not even scratched - but the cover for where you insert the key is just missing.

I tried to find it on the ground, but by the time she told me about what had happened, it was dark and I had to give up the search until tomorrow. I was hoping to find it and see if it had been forced off or not.

My question is - can this cover pop off on it's own? And by on it's own, I mean can it pop off due to use? If so, this is a high mileage car, I can see it possibly coming loose - although I have never had this happen on another vehicle.

My next question - can I replace it? Can I buy a cover that just snaps in over it? The lock still works fine, but I want to protect the mechanism from the elements, which I can't do without this cover.

Thanks to anyone who has the answers to these weird questions.

[Tiger]

If you can't find your cover... look at the car to see if there is damage around that cover... Probably a good possibility that someone broke into your car and maybe you got nothing they want.

Yes, dealer has new cover... easy to install but you have to know how to lock it in... on the side of the door, there is a cover.hole in line with the upper part of the cover... shine a flashlight into it... you will see a level where you can push to release and pull to lock that cover in... you need a small hook to operate that level...

With the cover off... as you move the level in and out, you will see at the upper holes that it basically slide a plate into the hole area and away from it.

[repenttokyo]

I called BavAuto and EuroDepot and they seemed convinced that I would have to replace the entire lock cylinder, for some reason. So there is a chance I can just replace the cover?

There's no damage around that cover, cash that was visible in the car is still there - it's weird. I honestly live in an ultra safe neighborhood, and this would have to have been done in broad daylight - the car was not in the street at night.

I will give the dealer a call and see what they say. Thanks very much for the information on how to replace it - I really, really don't want to replace the lock cylinder unnecessarily.

[repenttokyo]

called the dealer - they can sell me the lock cylinder in its entirety, keyed to my car, for $68, but they can't sell just the cover :(

[Tiger]

Strange! I actually ordered just the cover alone from dealer... a couple of years ago... let me see if I can source it...

[repenttokyo]

Strange! I actually ordered just the cover alone from dealer... a couple of years ago... let me see if I can source it...

that would be AMAZING if you could! thanks!

[Tiger]

AutohausAZ has it...

https://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=aqhymiaf0xslnbvqb3zcqa55&makeid=800003@BMW&modelid=1012431@540I&year=1994&cid=13@Body,%20Trim%20%26%20Lighting&gid=1024@Door%20Handle,%20Exterior

Call up dealer with this part number and see if they can get it.

DUDE! That's BMW OE parts!

[repenttokyo]

tiger - what I am looking for is the metal piece that fits into the round hole in that cover in your link - the piece that is at the very top of the lock cylinder. that is what has popped off the car. it's the guard that keeps dirt and dust out of the cylinder itself.

[Tiger]

Oh! You mean the keyhole slit cover... that the key push in to keep out dirt... Mmm... does that even come apart? I'll have to take a look at the extra locks I have. Yes, I got spare parts.

[repenttokyo]

Oh! You mean the keyhole slit cover... that the key push in to keep out dirt... Mmm... does that even come apart? I'll have to take a look at the extra locks I have. Yes, I got spare parts.

yes exactly - if that could be replaced, I would love to buy one off of you. I called around, but no one will sell me anything other than the entire ignition lock. I even tried to find broken locks just so I could replace that piece, if possible, and everyone was like 'we don't keep broken parts around' - which I understand.

[Ross]

If you are talking about the rectangular cover over the key slot it is probably still there just stuck.
Opening a locked E34 is difficult, I cannot imagine anyone doing so and not following through with the theft. More likely someone forgot to lock it or the central locks are acting up.
The cover will only be sold as part of the lock cylinder.

[repenttokyo]

If you are talking about the rectangular cover over the key slot it is probably still there just stuck.
Opening a locked E34 is difficult, I cannot imagine anyone doing so and not following through with the theft. More likely someone forgot to lock it or the central locks are acting up.
The cover will only be sold as part of the lock cylinder.

Not just the rectangular cover - the entire round metal cover that the rectangular slit cover sits in the middle of is missing.

I agree with you that I don't think someone tried to steal it - but the cover is completely gone, so it must have fallen off while driving, or during locking / unlocking.

[Ross]

You're stuck with buying a new cylinder unless you can get another lock and are able to cobble it together.

[repenttokyo]

You're stuck with buying a new cylinder unless you can get another lock and are able to cobble it together.

i am hoping to do the latter - since it pops off, in my mind, it should pop on, at least somehow.

[repenttokyo]

I called BMW again to see about getting a lock cylinder that is keyed to my car.

They told me this time that it's impossible. They said I would have to go to a locksmith to get the new cylinder keyed to my car. I asked them what they would do if I brought the car in and had them do it, would they call a locksmith? They said that they hadn't 'encountered' this particular scenario in the years that the person on the phone had been with the dealership, because in his experience the lock cylinders all come keyed.

So now I really don't have any reliable information from BMW regarding whether it is possible to get a workable key cylinder at a reasonable price or not.

[repenttokyo]

I just ordered a handle with the lock cylinder attached from a scrap yard, going to see if i can take off the part I need and install it on the car.

Since the cover has to turn with the key, I am somewhat at a loss as to how I should attach it, however, if it doesn't just snap right in. Maybe if I glue it to the top of the lock cylinder, it will turn with the cylinder?

[bubba966]

I called BMW again to see about getting a lock cylinder that is keyed to my car.

They told me this time that it's impossible. They said I would have to go to a locksmith to get the new cylinder keyed to my car. I asked them what they would do if I brought the car in and had them do it, would they call a locksmith? They said that they hadn't 'encountered' this particular scenario in the years that the person on the phone had been with the dealership, because in his experience the lock cylinders all come keyed.

So now I really don't have any reliable information from BMW regarding whether it is possible to get a workable key cylinder at a reasonable price or not.

So they told you they can get you an un-keyed cylinder for your door that you'd have to get keyed to match at a locksmith, but that they couldn't get you a cylinder that's already keyed to your vehicle?

Sounds like whomever you were talking to didn't know what they were talking about. Never heard of anyone being told this. And while I haven't ordered a door cylinder yet I did order an ignition cylinder that was keyed to my car. Though I recall that being about $100.

See no reason why you can't get a parts cylinder and swap your keyed guts into the parts cylinder so that it's keyed to your key and all back together again. Not sure of the particulars as I've not pulled a cylinder out of a door yet so I don't know exactly what it all looks like.

[Tiger]

Yeah, it sounds stupid... they have all the keycodes for all the BMWs produced but they can't make a lock to match that keycodes they have.

[632 Regal]

I pulled plenty of locks and it sucks, If someone tried to pull the lock from outside with a dent puller it is possible they just pulled the outside metal protector deal. I can't see just reinstalling the outside without replacing the whole assembly. Looking back I don't see how that's possible to replace.

[genphreak]

You can, I've done this and re-keyed my own before.

It is fiddly though, so look out. Plenty of light, watch out for the little springs and things. Take pics of it before pulling it down, else you **WILL** be wondering which way round some of the less conspicuous parts go... ;)

[repenttokyo]

I pulled plenty of locks and it sucks, If someone tried to pull the lock from outside with a dent puller it is possible they just pulled the outside metal protector deal. I can't see just reinstalling the outside without replacing the whole assembly. Looking back I don't see how that's possible to replace.


if it comes off clean, surely it can go back on clean.

i think we've ruled out theft / break-in at this point.

[repenttokyo]

update - so randomly, today, I kicked a piece of metal in the driveway and found that it was the lock cover! The piece snaps right back on and seems to be secure there - I couldn't pry it out with the key. The metal door is missing, so there is still an open slit into the lock cylinder, but this is a big improvement. Now I need to figure out a way to protect that slit from the elements.