Most likely the drivers door lock actuator is bad and needs to be replaced. It could also be a wiring/connector problem like the connector from the door to the car by the hinge, but, that is more rare.

 

Thanks, I read a few of your other posts on door lock problems. Either the actuator or GM5 could be the problem. I think it is all related to the car thinking the door is open. I tried again disconnecting the battery, this time for about an hour and I also manually flipped the door latch with a screw driver a few times then connected the battery and it all seems to be working again. For how long? We'll see.

 

Exactly, all of your trouble is related to the car thinking that the door is open.

I don't know how the Door Closed Switch works on the E46, but on my E36 the switch is inside of the latch. I had to open the latch to find the switch, and there is a pivot point that was crusted over with corrosion.

 

You are finding out what the Door Closed Switch does.

Open the door.
Operate the latch to mimic closing the door.
Use a suitable tool to overtravel the latch and see if you can affect the symptom set. If yes, then you found the problem.

 

Is the door closed switch a separate switch from the actuator or are they the same?

 

The entire door lock actuator must be replaced. You can find the PN for the actuator for your car here www.bmwgm5.com/E46_Actuator.htmhttp://www.bmwgm5.com/E46_actuator.htm

 

Big help .....thanks

 

The part linked in Post #7 is what I would call the door latch mechanism.

I'm not saying that it is not the actuator, I'm only saying that when you work the door latch manually then try to over-travel it, I meant this part. I took this part apart on my E36, but the comparison is an apples & oranges kind of thing.

 

i'm sure OP appreciates. been bothering him for almost 8 years.