L322 Drivers Door Lock Mechanism replacement.....

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Saint.V8

Dyed-in-the-wool 100% RR Junkie
Full Member
Recently the L322 key has been playing silly buggers despite changing the battery a few times in the last couple of weeks, still says battery low, and the remote CDL was intermittent, and now doesn’t respond at all to the fob buttons.

No probs, me thinks I’ll just use the door lock with the key for a while till I figure on what to do next (might just have to bit the bullet and get a new key from LR !!)

But, tried the key in the door lock and in true L322/Land Rover style….it didn’t work!

So, took the latch out to inspect and the geared drive from the door key drive that actuates on the locking mechanism has stripped teeth on the gears, and as such turning the key did feck all!

Ebizzle produced a replacement S/H latch mechanism and here is the How To on changing the Drivers Door Latch Mech….(same process on all the side doors really, just minus the door key mech.)

As we will be disconnecting and removing the door side impact airbag you MUST disconnect the battery. Make sure the windows are fully up before you disconnect the battery.

Process is to open the bonnet and boot, wait for the little red light to go out on the Sat Nav drive (if fitted) and then disconnect the negative battery lead.

NOW WAIT FOR A MINIMUM OF 10 minutes…I recommend at least 20 minutes then disconnect the positive battery lead…..you MUST wait as the positive lead contains a disconnection pyrotechnic charge and the SRS system contains storage capacitors that keep the SRS system active for a period in the event of a crash and the battery pyro goes off to isolate the battery from the car, the SRS remains active incase of secondary impact ….i.e. you have a frontal and the steering wheel and passenger bags go off and the battery disconnects….then a secondary impact occurs from the side, the side airbags can deploy even though the battery is disconnected.

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Next, is to use a T20 torx bit to take the 3 bolts out that hold the door card on, and prise the ‘Airbag’ logo off the top of the door card and undo the T30 Torx bolt that hides under that!

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Now, carefully pop the card off the door undoing the little trim clips all the way round and then lift the door card up and away from the door SLIGHTLY…fiddly so take your time.

I said slightly as there is a myriad of wiring connectors to the door card to undo so spot them and undo them, you can now move the door card away from the door!

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The internal door release cable is a ‘quick fit’ connection that just clips on, hard to explain, but you’ll see how it fits!

Now to disconnect the airbag module. On the side is the connection, you have to lever up the little cover on top of the connector and then pull the connector off the module.

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Then undo the 3 T30 bolts and remove the module. Place it FACE UP to one side.

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You can now peel the sheet away from the door to get to the inside of the door frame.

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Reach inside and remove the sill button/rod, it just pops off the little drive dog, then remove throw the hole where it goes.

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Next reach back in and remove the exterior handle release cable, this is done by unclipping the cable sheath from the holder and then releasing the cable from the lever….just like a bike brake cable!

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Now, I released the cable tidy clip from the door as I couldn’t get a good hold on the electrical connection from inside the door….

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Pop out the little rubber bung on the side of the door and undo the T30 torx bolt that holds the door key lock mechanism in place. Withdraw the door key lock.

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Undo the 3 T30 torx bolts on the side of the door frame and remove the latch mechanism and remove the latch mech from the door aperture….guiding the interior release cable out of the hole in the door….you can now remove the electrical connector easily!

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Refit is, as Haynes says, the reversal of the process….make sure the drive dog that the door key lock mech engages with us central and refit the latch to the door, remember to put the interior release cable back through the hole.

One hand inside the door and one outside the door refitting the door lock mech, guide the drive spindle into the drive dog and re bolt the door lock mech in place. Refit the rubber bung!

Refit the exterior release cable and the electrical connection…replace the door foam/sheet thingy, refit the air bag module, refit the door card…the interior release cable just clips back in place. Reconnect all the electrical connections and re-hang the door card in place.

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Rebolt the door card in place, reconnect battery…positive first then negative.

All done, grab a coffee!!
 
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Top marks Ant, I will use this when I finaly get around to sorting out why my drivers door inside door handle doesn't always manage to lift the button enough to open the door. I pull the lever and sometimes it feels like the mechanism slips a bit and the button doesn't lift fully.
I thought removing the door card would be simple .....
Thanks for posting mate
 
Your posts are ab fab!

Puts me to shame when I do a job and don't take photos ...

Do you think that the L322 is better made than the P38 in this area?
 
Hi Saint,

Thanks for a great how to, I have exactly the same problem. The key turns left and right in the lock and does nothing.

My remote fob does nothing either so I may have another problem but I've been using the key for a while (2 years) so I expect my current problem is the same as yours.

To that end, you mention the replacement part but where did you get it from?

Charlie
 
I got the replacement door lock mechanism from Ebay.....I believe it was supplied by a well known and respect Range Rover breakers called Furness or something like that. Have ordered a few parts from them for various vehicles previously and have never let me down! (No affiliation btw)
 
I got the replacement door lock mechanism from Ebay.....I believe it was supplied by a well known and respect Range Rover breakers called Furness or something like that. Have ordered a few parts from them for various vehicles previously and have never let me down! (No affiliation btw)

Saint,

Thanks for the response, appreciated. My problem was different to yours, my lock/ley barrel was broken. Door card removed etc which was a not required but hey ho. I then managed to manually lock the door by turning the lock latch on the lock itself. I of course shut the door and it was then stuck shut, nothing manual would open it, the only way was to re attach the wires to the unit that controls the windows etc (the unit needed to be removed from the door card) and then I could use the door button on the dash - what a head ache. 18:40 on a dark February evening in the street - awesome!

Here's a pic of my lock if anyone else has the same problem. Note you can remove the lock with one torx screw on the side of the door behind a rubber grommet.

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Not sure what to do next but the next steps are for another day.

Thanks again,

Charlie
 
The key needs to sync with the EWS unit under the centre cubby box area.....usualy way is to remove the EWS unit and take it and the key to a specialist who will scan the EWS unit for the rolling sync code than program the key and the unit to match eachother.
 
Thank you again. I found some links that say an e46 BMW key barrel repair kit works, I'll report back if it does...

https://vod.ebay.co.uk/vod/FetchOrderDetails?ViewPaymentStatus&purchaseOrderId=737233315011
The early L322's were based on the E53 X5 models, the electronics etc come from the E38, E39 and E53.....

I am not saying your research is incorrect, but it would be the first time I have heard the E46 as a reference for interchangeable parts on the L322.....that being said, they could be generic BMW parts common to all the E models from the same period....so could work, ensure you do further research to affirm your original source.
 
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