I have a dead battery in my 98 528i, and naturally my doors are locked
so I can't open the hood to jump it. I've done a search, and can't
find anything that works. Turning the key while raising the handle on
the driver's side door doesn't work. The is no lock on the passenger
side door. I can access the battery via the trunk, but I'm sure that I
read that connecting to the battery while jumping is a bad thing. (To
add insult to injury, my owner's manual is locked in glove
compartment).
Any suggestions? Many thanks.
Dan Buchan - 28 May 2007 22:47 GMT
> I have a dead battery in my 98 528i, and naturally my doors are locked
> so I can't open the hood to jump it. I've done a search, and can't
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> add insult to injury, my owner's manual is locked in glove
> compartment).
Connecting to the battery is fine.
Lifting the handle and then turning the key all the way clockwise works
on mine; I've just tried it. Yours must be stuck. Mine is also a 98,
and was a little sticky. Mine is RHD, so if your drivers door is on the
left, yours might need to go anticlockwise.
danm.528i@gmail.com - 28 May 2007 22:48 GMT
On May 28, 5:38 pm, danm.5...@gmail.com wrote:
> I have a dead battery in my 98 528i, and naturally my doors are locked
> so I can't open the hood to jump it. I've done a search, and can't
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> compartment).
> Any suggestions? Many thanks.
Nevermind. I just had to exert a little bit more force than wanted to.
I'm all set now.
Thanks.
Dave Plowman (News) - 29 May 2007 01:18 GMT
> I have a dead battery in my 98 528i, and naturally my doors are locked
> so I can't open the hood to jump it. I've done a search, and can't
> find anything that works. Turning the key while raising the handle on
> the driver's side door doesn't work. The is no lock on the passenger
> side door. I can access the battery via the trunk, but I'm sure that I
> read that connecting to the battery while jumping is a bad thing.
The jump point under the hood is simply at the other end of the battery
cable. The bit about connecting to the battery tends to be a safety thing
- under certain conditions a spark could cause an explosion. But you're
safe enough with a flat battery which can't be gassing.

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Jeff Strickland - 29 May 2007 04:16 GMT
Why would it be a bad thing to connect to the battery? 99.99% of cars
require such a connection, only BMW and a very few others do not put the
battery in the engine bay where it is easy to connect the jumper cables.
>I have a dead battery in my 98 528i, and naturally my doors are locked
> so I can't open the hood to jump it. I've done a search, and can't
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> compartment).
> Any suggestions? Many thanks.
BBO - 29 May 2007 07:16 GMT
> Any suggestions? Many thanks.
I see you have gotten the doors open now, but for next time:
Over the years grit and grime gets into the keyhole and you may want to
use some WD40 or similar on the key and into the keyhole to get the grit
and grime loose. Let it work for a while then try again. The lock should
turn without exerting excessive force.
Remember to lube up the locks after using the WD40 as it not only
removes grit and grime...
Also - only using the remote opener will make the same thing happene
again in the future. Use the key once in a while and it wont happen again.
Cheers,

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Jeff Strickland - 29 May 2007 16:45 GMT
WD40 is perhaps the worst product to use for this application. I like the
idea, but not the product.
WD40 is an attractant, it collects the very dirt and grime that caused the
problem in the first place. It also dries out and turns to goo, so even if
it does not collect dirt and grime, it'll make the lock so sticky on the
inside that it will become difficult to operate.
>> Any suggestions? Many thanks.
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> Cheers,
Dave Plowman (News) - 29 May 2007 17:08 GMT
> WD40 is perhaps the worst product to use for this application. I like
> the idea, but not the product.
> WD40 is an attractant, it collects the very dirt and grime that caused
> the problem in the first place. It also dries out and turns to goo, so
> even if it does not collect dirt and grime, it'll make the lock so
> sticky on the inside that it will become difficult to operate.
Agreed. Although its penetrating and lubricating properties - plus its
wide availability - might make it a reasonable choice. But after the lock
has freed, it should be cleaned with a pure solvent and lubricated with
graphite powder.

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BBO - 29 May 2007 18:28 GMT
>> WD40 is perhaps the worst product to use for this application. I like
>> the idea, but not the product.
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Agreed. Although its penetrating and lubricating properties - plus its
> wide availability - might make it a reasonable choice.
I agree with both of you. Maybe I didn't explain myself good enough. The
usage of WD40 or similar product was to free the stuck luck rather than
risk breaking the key in the lock because of exerting too much force or
perhaps even have to resort to breaking a window to get into the car.
It's an emergency procedure to get into the car. Hence I wrote "Remember
to lube up the locks after using the WD40 as it not only removes grit
and grime..."
> But after the lock
> has freed, it should be cleaned with a pure solvent and lubricated with
> graphite powder.
Exactly. I tend to forget that I write on a group where certain things
have to be spoonfed. ;-) No offence.

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Jeff Strickland - 29 May 2007 20:34 GMT
>> WD40 is perhaps the worst product to use for this application. I like
>> the idea, but not the product.
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> has freed, it should be cleaned with a pure solvent and lubricated with
> graphite powder.
I'll buy that. Use WD40 to make the lock operable again, then flush the WD40
out and put in some good stuff -- that works ...