318i central locking question

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dsio
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 239
Joined: Tue May 03, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Brisbane Australia

Post Thu May 05, 2005 8:33 am

Im trying to sort out the my '85 318i at the moment. It is a tired looking car, with a bad interior, bad features, and things broken, but the engine has only done 130,000 odd and has been maintained well (even if nothing else has).

The driver's side door latch has cracked, and cant be opened from the inside, and in conjunction with that the lock is very stiff. I get the impression the stiff lock could be why the central locking system isnt working. I read about a slow burning fuse (the resister) inside the central locking module, and I figure that the lock motor not moving could have triggered that to blow.

My question is, do all 318i E30s have central locking?

Its an '85 Australian model, so its right hand drive, but I have looked in the driver's side A pillar housing behind the speaker and it isnt there. I was told that central locking was standard on E30s during the entire production run, with 84 and on having the double lock feature. I dont really care about double lock, but central locking would be a great help.

Is it possible that the car could have it in the passenger's side?
Though its a right hand driver car, the bonnet opener is in the passenger's footwell, so it might make sense that the unit is in there as well.

What do you guys think?
Ziggy
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 11534
Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: floating round my tin can...

Post Thu May 05, 2005 12:12 pm

The bonnet opener is in the left footwell on all rhd cars, & the CL module should still be in the rhs where you looked... It's below the speaker rather than behind it, but I'm sure you looked there!

My guess is that it's been taken out, but the actuator's still attached to the lock; hence you're pushing against it when you turn the lock. Take the trim panel off the door & have a look! :thumb:



:offtopic: someone look at my thread & tell me why mine will lock but not unlock?! :cry:
E30 in need of wiring loom smoke since April '11...