Door handle issues
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Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 15
Likes: 11
Door handle issues
I have had my e53 for a couple weeks now and it’s amazing except for an issue I keep having with the door handles. Occasionally the door handles won’t extend and touching them literally does nothing. Obviously if I press unlock on the fob they will extend but that defeats the whole purpose of keyless entry.
When I touch the little notch on the handle it repeatedly locks or unlocks the car rather than extending the handles. I have to fumble with them several times before I can get them to extend.
The manual says you can touch the handle anywhere in the center zone and it should extend but it seems like the only thing that makes them extend is a swipe, where the center sensor gets touched first and then the notch gets touched at the end of the gesture.
It’s almost like the sensors aren’t sensitive enough or the documentation in the owners manual is completely wrong.
Does anyone else have this same issue?
When I touch the little notch on the handle it repeatedly locks or unlocks the car rather than extending the handles. I have to fumble with them several times before I can get them to extend.
The manual says you can touch the handle anywhere in the center zone and it should extend but it seems like the only thing that makes them extend is a swipe, where the center sensor gets touched first and then the notch gets touched at the end of the gesture.
It’s almost like the sensors aren’t sensitive enough or the documentation in the owners manual is completely wrong.
Does anyone else have this same issue?
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Joined: Aug 2014
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From: Tennessee
W214 E450
My E450 has done this on occasion. I've noticed this more when I've been near the car for more than a minute or so and I do not open the doors. Such as when loading groceries in the trunk and then closing the trunk. I walked up and by not pressing buttons I can open the trunk with a kick, load things, in and then close with the left button on the trunk. Then walk around to the door and the handles don't pop out. In most cases, a swipe or tap on the depression in the handle will retract them, but I have had to use the remote in some rare instances. If I do the same thing, but walk away for a moment such as to return a cart, it will pop the handles out when I approach the car again. There are other instances where I may walk up and not immediately open where I've seen this happen or if I just locked and walked away, but came back seconds later.
For me, I think it's just a software issue where the car does not expect the behavior and doesn't react properly. It's rare and not a huge deal, but can be annoying when it does happen. On even less occasions, it will retract as I grab the handle to open. It hasn't cought my hand, but it feels like it would have if I didn't pull away quickly. This may be my fault as I've really only had this happen when I use one or two fingers and am not centered on the handle. I've tried to replicate it but it never does it when I try.
For me, I think it's just a software issue where the car does not expect the behavior and doesn't react properly. It's rare and not a huge deal, but can be annoying when it does happen. On even less occasions, it will retract as I grab the handle to open. It hasn't cought my hand, but it feels like it would have if I didn't pull away quickly. This may be my fault as I've really only had this happen when I use one or two fingers and am not centered on the handle. I've tried to replicate it but it never does it when I try.
Last edited by L1Wolf; Apr 9, 2025 at 11:58 AM.
Member
Joined: Nov 2024
Posts: 97
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From: California
E53 (2025), C300 4MATIC (2014)
I have read here, and found myself, that if you swipe 2 or more fingers (front or back of fingers) across the center of the handle it will extend 95% of the time. It helps to stay away from the notch when doing so. The swipe can be as little as half an inch. I have even just tapped the back of my fingers on the center of the handle (no swipe) and it works. Seems like multiple fingers is somehow important here.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,440
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From: Philadelphia, PA (USA)
2025 E53 Hybrid
Touching the "notch" at the end of the swiping gesture may be interpreted as a locking signal. I usually swipe across the handle towards the front of the car.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2025
Posts: 15
Likes: 11
I have read here, and found myself, that if you swipe 2 or more fingers (front or back of fingers) across the center of the handle it will extend 95% of the time. It helps to stay away from the notch when doing so. The swipe can be as little as half an inch. I have even just tapped the back of my fingers on the center of the handle (no swipe) and it works. Seems like multiple fingers is somehow important here.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,945
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From: Tennessee
W214 E450
From what I have found through my own observations, touching the notch is a toggle where it will lock the car if unlocked and unlock the car if locked. That is assuming you have the key with you. I think problems arise when the car is not recognizing the key for some reason and doesn't respond to touch. I have had my car allow me to unlock the doors, get in, and then throw a message on the display saying it cannot find a key and refuse to start when the key is in my pocket. Then immediately start after a second press of the start button. While not what the OP initially posted, it does give support to the car losing sight of the key for a moment and not functioning properly. Since it's radio waves, it can be subject to all sorts of interference that could not only disrupt the signal, but also corrupt the data to where the car doesn't see the key is the correct one. If this is happening when you go to touch the handle, it could be the reason they don't retract on first attempt.
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Member
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 218
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From: Harrison, ME
2025 S580
Same as the original problem and swiping across the handle will pop out the handles, though it may take a couple of swipes. Only time it really annoys me is when it's winter and I'm wearing gloves. Doesn't respond at all with the gloves on.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2024
Posts: 488
Likes: 160
From: DFW Texas
GL450, E450, Porsche 718 GTS
My car did this today. Touching the handle only locked the car and honked the horn. I had to unlock with the fob.
I had another glitch for the first time today. Pulled into the driveway and shut the car off to vacuum the front mats before moving into the garage. Started the car, put in drive and it wouldn’t move. The tach showed it was running at idle but an alert popped up saying “speed severely restricted”. I shut it off, restarted and same thing. After the third time I was able to drive it into the garage but wasn’t sure if it was sluggish or not.
I had another glitch for the first time today. Pulled into the driveway and shut the car off to vacuum the front mats before moving into the garage. Started the car, put in drive and it wouldn’t move. The tach showed it was running at idle but an alert popped up saying “speed severely restricted”. I shut it off, restarted and same thing. After the third time I was able to drive it into the garage but wasn’t sure if it was sluggish or not.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,945
Likes: 689
From: Tennessee
W214 E450
My car did this today. Touching the handle only locked the car and honked the horn. I had to unlock with the fob.
I had another glitch for the first time today. Pulled into the driveway and shut the car off to vacuum the front mats before moving into the garage. Started the car, put in drive and it wouldn’t move. The tach showed it was running at idle but an alert popped up saying “speed severely restricted”. I shut it off, restarted and same thing. After the third time I was able to drive it into the garage but wasn’t sure if it was sluggish or not.
I had another glitch for the first time today. Pulled into the driveway and shut the car off to vacuum the front mats before moving into the garage. Started the car, put in drive and it wouldn’t move. The tach showed it was running at idle but an alert popped up saying “speed severely restricted”. I shut it off, restarted and same thing. After the third time I was able to drive it into the garage but wasn’t sure if it was sluggish or not.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,440
Likes: 541
From: Philadelphia, PA (USA)
2025 E53 Hybrid
Pressing on the message should clear it and you will be able to drive through your garage wall as fast as you want to.
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Joined: Jul 2013
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From: Venice Florida
2018 S560
I have this door popper opening issue too but only with the drivers door off course and not all the time. One thing I do now to help out is I just lock the car at all times when I leave it whether in my garage or anywhere. This way the doors pop out when I get near the car it makes me feel special lol. Plus locking the doors cuts down on the battery drain. Leaving the car unlocked after the 4th or 5th day I get the low battery warning. Or if the car is unlocked for some reason I can just go to any of the three other doors and they all pop out every time.
