BMW 4 Series Won't Start, Locked Wheel & Access Issues

Hi there! I've got some experience working on BMWs since I own a 2019 BMW 3 Series (also had a 5 Series before). I actually faced a very similar issue, turned out to be a faulty door handle sensor unit. The symptoms were pretty much identical: locked steering, error messages, and the car wouldn't recognize the key properly. Super frustrating! Had to take it to my trusted workshop, and they diagnosed it as a defective exterior door handle electronics. The whole repair, including parts and labor, set me back about 480 Euro, but it fixed the problem completely. Before we dig deeper into your case, could you share: Which door handle is acting up (driver's/passenger's)? Are you getting any specific error messages? Does your key fob work normally otherwise? This info would help me better understand if you're dealing with the same issue I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My BMW has done 100812 KM and had its last service about 2 months ago. The driver's side handle is definitely acting weird, sometimes it won't respond at all. Getting a "Vehicle key not detected" message most of the time, though the key fob still locks/unlocks from a distance. Your door handle sensor issue sounds exactly like what I'm experiencing. Might take it to the dealership since it should still be under warranty. Really appreciate the detailed explanation, especially about the repair costs, gives me a good idea of what to expect if warranty doesn't cover it.

Hey again! Glad I could help earlier. Yeah, after reading about your mileage and symptoms, I'm even more convinced it's the same door handle sensor issue I had. The "Vehicle key not detected" message is exactly what I got too, and my key fob was working fine for remote locking/unlocking just like yours. Since you mentioned your car's still under warranty, that's definitely the way to go! Wish I'd still had warranty when mine acted up. Just a heads up though, when I had this problem, the dealership initially tried to tell me it was just a battery issue with the key fob. But I knew it wasn't because, just like in your case, the remote functions were working fine. Make sure you tell them about all the symptoms, the steering lock, error messages, and especially how the driver's handle sometimes doesn't respond. That's the key detail that helped diagnose my issue. From my experience, they'll probably need to keep the car for a day or so to properly diagnose and fix it. Let me know how it goes at the dealership! Always curious to hear if others with the same model have similar fixes.

Thanks so much for the detailed advice! Really good to know about that potential key fob battery runaround, I'll make sure to be clear about all the symptoms when I take it in. I've actually just booked an appointment with the dealership for next week. You're right about the warranty being a lifesaver, hopefully it'll save me from that 480 euro hit you had to take! Funny how these luxury cars can have such specific issues, right? I was honestly starting to worry it might be something major with the electrical system, so hearing about your identical experience with the door handle sensor has put my mind at ease. I'll definitely keep you posted about what they find and if it ends up being the same problem. Thanks again for all your help, this is exactly the kind of first-hand experience I was hoping to hear about when I posted!