muncie21

Learned this by accident today.

Got in my car and was driving away when I noticed the dash message that my door wasn't fully closed. I was only going like 10MPH, so I tried to open the door so I could close it fully..no go. Window would drop as it is supposed to but the door mechanism would not open. Curious, I made sure it was unlocked and tried again. You've got to come to a complete stop (or very close) for the door to open using the button.

I wasn't curious enough to try the manual release on the floor, maybe one day when I'm a bit more bored, I'll test that out.

TEXHAWK0

The doors automatically lock when the car gets above a certain speed. Are you sure it was really unlocked? How about pushing the open button twice.... I have not tested, but I know that on my other GM cars with an inside door handle will unlock and open the door but you have to pull it a second time.

direct007

If the car is in gear, the doors are locked. The car needs to be in park for the doors to open.

LT1 Z51

Manual will always work. Might have to be pulled twice if the door is locked, but it opens at any speed.

Also check to see if your door was locked. I think I've opened my door at speed once (to reboot the car while doing a rolling key cycle).

muncie21

Trust me fellas, the door was unlocked when I tried opening it the second time. Push the door open button (the one on the door panel) as many times as you want, the window will drop each time you push button, but the door mechanism won't release.

I should mention that I have a M7, not sure if that matters or not.

Give it shot for grins and see what happens

vbdenny

Tried it before, won’t open when moving.

Kevin A Jones

I guess GM figures it's a not good idea to open your door while your car is moving, they're probably right.

Avanti

Huh? Maybe a max speed thing. Mine opens perfectly well while moving, though moving quite slowly.

I always open my door when pulling into my shop because I wish to check a marker on the carpet (yeah, carpet) to see if I'm in far enough (and, do NOT want in too far).

defaria

Hmmm... often when dealing with gated communities, I find it hard to punch in the gate code. What I do is hit the unlock door button and then open the door. At this time I believe I'm still in gear but not rolling and the door opens. IOW I don't think that you cannot open the car door if in gear but rather if you are moving.

defaria

Instead of hitting the door open button try hitting the unlock button, then the door open.

///ADMAN

You can't pop the rear hatch either

JGarland

Sure makes it hard to do those Mannix barell-rolls out the door at 60 mph.

Olden Slowe

Hey if it’s any consolation, I hear you can pop the removable roof while the car is moving....

Frodo

Well, when you think about it, you don't want the door to open by accidental knee bump or something stupid. It's probably a safety issue. They could have built in a work around, like a double click or click sequence to allow the door to open but with only a few exceptions nothing good can come of opening the door while the car is in motion. You sure as hell can't make a Mannix rolling exit from a Corvette, not and get style points.

defaria

If you can get your knee to bump that button to open the door then you're 1000 times more flexible than your average bear!

People can use "it's a safety issue" or a "security concern" to justify just about anything!

For some 80 years cars has just door handles that could be opened at any speed and we all managed to survive!

And there is good that could come from it like the OP said - to open and close the door fully.

walleyejack

i have a hard time shaving with the car moving above 75, it is a bit of a trick, but can be done.

eboggs_jkvl

Wife unlocks her door all the time as we are driving and almost pulling into the driveway. We are moving, she presses unlock, the lights signify that the door is unlocked. She has NOT tried to get out or open the door while we're still moving but the lock light goes out. When I stop the car, she opens the door without me shifting into "Park". That doesn't answer the question of can you open the door while moving does it??? I'll have to try it the next time I get into the car.


Elmer

DPC57

When I was driving home on the 200 mile drive in the rain after my purchasing the car, I hit a bump as I was getting off the turnpike (at about 60 MPH), my left knee hit the door button, and the door popped open.

Only time it has ever happened and I can't explicitly open it at speed.

direct007

There most likely is a difference between automatic and manual transmission cars regarding the door opening while in gear. Automatics...the door won’t open unless in park.

owc6

I've experimented, and on the A6, the threshold is anything 3mph or above the door will not open via the button, but will open via the floor handle at any speed whether locked or not.