This article is one in a series that have been released in conjunction with Wayne's new book, 101 Performance Projects for Your BMW 3 Series. The book contains 272 pages of full color projects detailing everything from performance mods to timing the camshafts. With more than 650+ full-color glossy photos accompanying extensive step-by-step procedures, this book is required reading in any 3 Series owner's collection. The book was released in August 2006, and is available for ordering now. See The Official Book Website for more details. If you are not the original owner of your BMW, chances are there are quite a few things amiss with your car, and you are left wondering how they got broken. There probably isn't a place on the car with more gadgets and devices that break than the door. Not only do you have window glass and potentially leaky seals, but you have door handles, mirror switches, window regulators, door stays, and door panels--all of which are very susceptible to breakage or damage.

Even if you only work on your car from time to time, there is a very good chance you will need to dive into the door to fix something that has broken. This project specifically targets the replacement of the door lock assembly, but because there are so many moving parts on the door, I'll discuss just about everything else as well. The first step in working on your car door is removing the door panel. (An important note: If you're looking to remove your outside mirror, you do not need to remove the door panel; see Project 76.) Photos 1 and 2 detail the process of door panel removal. The toughest part is pulling the panel out from the door, it is attached with 11 plastic clips that can be difficult to snap out of their frames. Also, the door panel often separates as you pull it away from the frame, leaving the plastic door pockets attached. Never fear, though, these are easily glued back on at reassembly time with some 3M Super Weatherstrip glue. With the door panel removed, you should see a foam covering glued onto the back side of the door.

A black, sticky goo attaches this to the door, which can be removed and reused again if material is still pliable. Be careful not to tear the foam covering when you remove it, though. With the panel removed, you will have access to a number of items inside the door. The door stay can simply be unbolted from the door frame and removed. home depot door jambThe plastic door handle can easily be swapped out. custom french doors perthThe window regulator can be removed or repaired (see Project 70). nfc door lock youtubeAny door seals or channel guides that need renewing are accessible to you as well. bi fold doors sg

If any door-mounted speakers are broken, don't forget to replace them while you have the chance. The E36 speakers have a thin outer lip on their housing that often cracks as people bang on the door panel with their feet and knees. Unfortunately, this small lip is an integrated part of the speaker, and you must replace the entire speaker with a new one if you want to fix the broken lip.outdoor dining table cb2 One common failure point of the E36 BMWs is the small switch located inside the power lock assembly. pvc patio door canopyThese switches get a lot of use, and when they wear out, they can cause all sorts of problems. antique french doors for sale ontarioSwitches that are stuck open tell the car the door is ajar all the time.

The dashboard chime may ring continuously, or the gauge cluster may experience some erratic behavior. If the switch is stuck closed, then coupe and convertible owners may have a heck of a time opening and closing their doors because the window won't roll down that 1/4-inch or so to allow you to pull it away from the car. The replacement of the lock assembly is detailed in the sequence in Photo 5. On my 1993 E36, I had a really tough time chasing down a fault with the alarm system and door locks. I thought for sure it was related to the door switches, but in the end, the problem was related to faulty wiring in the trunk. (See Photo 2 of Project 82 for more details on this failure.) Closing up the door panel is straightforward. I always like to use new plastic door panel clips because not only are the new ones cheap, the old ones get brittle and may break in the very near future, causing an annoying rattle. Don't forget to install the foam covering. It's very common to accidentally leave this on your workbench, only to discover it later on when you are putting your tools away!

If you would like to see more technical articles like this one, please continue to support Pelican Parts with all your parts needs. If you like what you see here, then please visit our online BMW catalog and help support the collection and creating of new and informative technical articles like this one. Your continued support directly affects the expansion and existence of this site and technical articles like this one. As always, if you have any questions or comments about this helpful article, please drop us a line. Shown here is the sequence for removing the door panel. A: Slide the outer door handle trim piece toward the front of the car to remove it. B: On this convertible, there's an additional hidden screw on the passenger-side door handle underneath a small plastic plug. The location and quantity of screws varied slightly over the years. C: Below the handle, two small plastic plugs cover two screws that secure the handle of the door panel to the door frame. D: Eleven of these small plastic clips secure the outer edges of the door panel to the door frame.

Carefully pry each of these out of their mating holes to remove the door panel from the door. Shown here is the back side of the left (driver side) door panel from an E36 convertible. There are 11 plastic clips that attach the panel to the door. You need to remove each of these clips from the door prior to removing the door panel. It will feel like you're breaking the door panel, but you will need to apply significant force to pull off each of the plastic clips. Use a stiff plastic spatula to wedge the door panel out without scratching the paint on the door. The blue arrows show the back sides of the two door speakers, and the red arrow shows the side mirror switch. With the door panel removed, you should see the foam covering (top). This material has a plastic back to keep moisture out of the door and a foam front to help reduce noise in the interior. Carefully remove the foam barrier by peeling it back. It's attached to the door with a gooey, black adhesive. Be careful not to tear the piece as you remove it.

The bottom photo shows the door with the foam barrier removed. The purple arrows point to the four rivets that need to be drilled out if you are removing the window regulator. The blue arrow shows the Allen bolt that holds the end of the window regulator to the door. In the inset photo, you can see the back sides of the two door speakers. These speakers need to be disconnected prior to removing the door panel. Reach around the top of the door panel and disconnect the wire harnesses by pulling on them carefully. The mirror switch simply pops out of the door panel (left). If you need to replace this switch, pry it up out of the door and unplug it. If you're removing the door panel, then remove this switch. The plastic door handle is a part that can wear out and break (center). With the door panel removed, replacement is a snap. Simply unbolt the door handle, detach it from the actuator rod, and install the new one in its place. While you have access, you might want to replace your door stay, if it's worn out (right).