Door hinge resistance gone! It won't stay open now!
 

When I opened my driver door today I heard a loud clunk like something has fallen off the inside of the door at the hinge end, into the door itself.

Sure enough, now the door has no resistance when you open it and as you all know, it normally has 3 stages where the door will stay when open so it doesn't just slam shut all the time. Something has obviously either fallen or broken off the hinge (as usual somewhere I cant see!).

Anyone know anything about this problem, whether its fixable or even how the whole 3 stage thing works before I start dismantling the door to look inside, or for that matter if you can even see the hinge with the door card off?

That happened to my 03 MCS while it was still under warranty. It is the door hinge spring. It is probably not a difficult install.

It's the door check. you'll see it in the middle if the front door jamb between the hinges. You'll need to remove the door panel to change it. Shouldn't take long, and I can't see it costing too much.

I also had the detent replased on my 03. I think parts and labor came to about $100.00. That is something I noticed about my 09 JCW, very solid feel to the doors with good positive dentent when the door is open.

From looking at the diagram on RealOEM (here)

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...59&hg=41&fg=40

Does anyone know if its possible that the part that actually provides the resistance could come apart from the part thats bolted to the car/door. E.g. it may be a case of pushing it back together? Or if there is no resistance this means it has actually 'broken' off and needs replacing?

Just wondering as if its physically broken/ snapped it will defo be covered under warranty, if it just needs putting back together it may not be covered?

That's what is broken.(#4) It should be under warranty either way. It's called a "door check" on most cars. I guess the Germans have to make it sound more important.

A close-up of the mechanism.
http://www.lonestarminiclub.com/gall...0/DSCN1261.JPG

Geez. looks like a sturdy bit of kit. hard to imagine it breaking? :eek:

Any more pics from the other side by any chance?

Me thinks most if not all of your questions could be answered by taking the inner door panel off and looking. You're going to have to take it off anyway.

YD