NHTSA Complaint #769561 — 2000 BMW 318IC

ON 11/10/02, DROVE VEHICLE A SHORT DISTANCE, STOPPED AND TURNED OFF ENGINE. I PULLED DOOR LATCH TO OPEN DOOR. DOOR LOCK WOULD NOT UNLOCK AND DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I PUSHED WHILE ENGAGING LATCH, BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I HAD TO STOP A PASSENGER, TO WHOM I GAVE MY CAR KEYS, TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR FROM THE EXTERIOR. NOTE: THIS SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH A RELATIVE WHO PURCHASED A 2000 328CI AT THE SAME TIME, FROM THE SAME DEALER. IN THAT CASE, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED AT LEAST 3 TIMES. SHE WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND HAD TO CLIMB OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE AND EXIT THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR. IN AN EMERGENCY, THE DRIVER WOULD BE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND EXIT THE VEHICLE. DT