cannot open driver's side door

[passat05]

Hi, please can someone advise

I cannot open the driver's side door on my 2001 x reg 320d from the outside.

This has just happened this evening.

I pull on the handle and it seems like something's snapped inside.

I can open the door from inside.

I think it may have something with the window.

The window has been really slow going up sometimes stopping a quarter way up. Evertime i open the window I hear a click around halfway down like if it's catching on something.

Can someone please advise on this and if they have had a similar experience.

I sit easy to open the door panel to have a looks like if I will have to climb through the passenger sidein order to pen the drivers door.

Many thanks in anticpation

[gizze]

I would look on e46fanatics.com in the how to section, there is a bit on removing the door cards, bet the cable has popped out of the socket.

[Highlander]

I used to have a 330 ci, the same thing happened to me.

The cable had come off the back of the door handle. Mine was under warranty & it took the dealer about 3 hours to sort it.

I could still open the windows using the remote, so didn't have to resort to entering through the passenger door.

The noise when operating the window is probably the mechanisim fouling on the loose cable.

Apparently, this is a known weakness on E46's - might be worthwhile enquiring with your local BMW dealer to see if they still cover it after the warranty runs out.

[GavR]

As above really, will prob be the cable popped of and like highlander said, use the comfort opening for the windows by keeping your finger on the unlock button to drop the windows then reach in and open from inside.