BMW X3 Central Locking Failure, Complete System Dead

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2011 BMW 5-Series (also owned an X5 before). I have some experience working on cars, mainly basic maintenance stuff. The central locking system failed on mine too, super annoying! Turned out to be a faulty wiring connection to the door lock actuator. Took it to my regular workshop, and they diagnosed it quickly. They had to replace some corroded cables and a connector. Total repair cost was 95 Euro, and it's been working perfectly since then. Could be the same issue on your X3, but it'd help if you could share: Does it affect all doors or just specific ones? Did it stop working suddenly or gradually? Any other electrical issues you've noticed? Let me know these details, and I might be able to give you more specific advice!

Thanks for the detailed response! Just to add some context, my X3 has 180090 KM on it and just had its service last month. It's affecting all doors and happened suddenly last week. No warning signs or gradual issues before that. The weird thing is, I haven't noticed any other electrical problems, everything else seems to work fine, including windows and mirrors. I was hoping it might be something simple like a fuse, but from what you're saying, it could be similar to what you experienced with the wiring. I'll definitely get it checked out. Was your repair pretty quick, or did they need to keep the car for a while?

Hey again! Happy to help further. It's interesting that your issue came up suddenly, mine was actually pretty similar. When it happened to my 5-Series (had about 165000 KM at the time), it was also completely out of the blue. One morning it just wouldn't respond to the key fob or manual locking. The repair on mine was surprisingly quick, they had the car for about 3 hours total. Since yours sounds really similar to what I experienced (all doors affected, sudden failure, no other electrical issues), I'd bet it's the same problem with the wiring connection. These BMWs tend to have this issue pop up around the mileage you're at. Just a heads up though, you mentioned hoping it might be a fuse, but in my experience (and I've worked on quite a few BMWs), when all doors are affected like this, it's usually not a fuse issue. The fact that your other electrical components are working fine also points more toward a wiring problem. If you're going to take it to a shop, I'd recommend mentioning the possibility of corroded wiring connections to the central locking system. That might help them diagnose it faster. Also, given your mileage, it might be worth having them check all the door lock actuators while they're at it, just to prevent any future issues.

Thanks so much for all this information, it's super helpful! You've definitely put my mind at ease about the repair time and potential cost. I was worried it might be something major that would keep my car in the shop for days. Three hours sounds much more manageable! I'll get it booked in tomorrow and mention the wiring connection issue to them. That's a good tip about checking the other door lock actuators too, might as well prevent future headaches while they're working on it. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, especially since you've dealt with similar BMW issues. Will let you know how it turns out, but feeling much more confident about getting it sorted now!