Door latch, front remove and install

# Door latch, remove and install.

Drivers door: Gently pry out mirror switch and disconnect. |
Passenger door: Pry out plastic cover from armrest where mirror switch would be located. |
Remove screw in opening. |
Remove 2 screws in bottom of armrest. |
Slide armrest forward to disengage clip from storage compartment, remove armrest. Follow green arrows to remove and white arrows to install. |
Lower window, dead electric motors can be over ridden (on earlier cars) with the Allen key from the tool kit, remove plug from door panel. |
Remove rubber plug from window motor. |
Insert Allen key crank handle and wind window down. |
Pry inner door handle surround towards rear of car, and lift off door panel. |
If door lock button has a knob on top, unscrew it. |
Use a trim tool or gently use a flat screwdriver to pop door panel clips from door, start at the lower front corner where damage will be less noticeable if you make a mistake. |
Once clips are disengaged on bottom and sides of panel, lift panel straight up. Window seal may come out with panel. |
Pull plastic splash sheet down from top rear corner. |
Remove screws from inner door handle and push handle into door. |
Remove nut from reversing lever and push lever into door. |
Remove two screws for door lock actuator, unplug connector from actuator and remove rod. |
Outer door skin has been removed to show relation of actuator to linkage. |
Remove the three screws around the door latch mechanism. |
Twist the latch mechanism so that it disengages the actuating lever on the rear of the lock cylinder. Green arrow shows where lock cylinder engages latch. Move latch in direction of white arrow until it disengages cylinder. Door skin has been removed for clarity, photo is shot from outside of door. |
Remove latch and inner handle as a unit. |

### Installation:

Lubricate latch with grease. |
Install latch with inner handle and rod already connected. It is not possible to install the rod after the latch is installed.
Lock inner door handle rod into clip on reversing lever. Insert reversing lever in locating hole of door.
Pre-load inner door handle slightly by sliding it forward before tightening screws. |
Install rod and electrical connector and mount lock actuator loosely in door. Rod is installed in lower hole of latch, with short end of hook facing the door skin. This photo is taken from the side of the door skin, with the door skin removed. |
The "pistol grip" faces to the rear of the car. |
Use a screwdriver to rotate the door latch to the fully closed position and press the lock button down, locking door. |
Press the actuator's nose all the way in. Slide the actuator down to take up any slack in the linkage and tighten screws. |
Align door lock rod with hole in door panel. |
Position window seal on door, not panel, replace any damaged clips. Seal clips go over dimples in sheet metal. |
Replace any damaged door panel clips. |

E30 M3 Repair Manual V2.7. Copyright ©1999-2001 Koala Motorsport & Brett Anderson