Central locking issues, advice needed please.

crakrz · 02-11-2010, 01:49 PM

Today when I hopped in my car and shut the door, the central locking cycled a couple of times. Now when any of the doors are opened or closed again, the central locking cycles once. The alarm and central locking all work fine once activated but its just doing this weird crap every time a door is opened or closed. Any ideas.........?

Thanks

-Craig

bartsau · 02-11-2010, 02:30 PM

My sisters car a 98 futura did this when I swapped one of her door actuators as it was broken. At first I put a good one in from a series 2/3 and then later on I got one from a series 1 and put that in and problem fixed. No idea why as the wiring and actuators as far as I know are all the same.

Rhys

TK-421 · 02-11-2010, 04:56 PM

would anyone know if rear wagon and sedan actuators are interchangeable?

thanx.

grandpa_spec_F6 · 02-11-2010, 04:59 PM

There is a 'How To' in the useful threads section on how to replace these (I'd know, I wrote it

)

Sounds like a door actuator, other thing you could do is take the door trim off and check the cable hasn't been over stretched or pulled just past the point of 'no return'.

Any of the S1,2 or 3 door actuators will work

You can repair them as someone on here did before however I am unsure of the best method.

bartsau · 02-11-2010, 05:14 PM

To my knowledge wagon or sedan rear door actuators are interchangeable. Feel free to correct me on this. As for how to fix them the most common problem is the white gear driving them snaps or wears beyond the point of working. You can replace just this gear. You can get them from any door actuator as they are all the same or you can buy them off fleebay.

Link to ebay sales for the gear that will most likely be broken

Rhys.

**GasoLane** · 02-11-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IntechAU

would anyone know if rear wagon and sedan actuators are interchangeable?

Seeing as the doors are the most expensive part on a car to re-tool I'd say that they are the same door.

And if you are lazy (like me) and don't want to repair the old actuator these guys have changeovers. Service is very fast or in Melb you can pick them up.

TK-421 · 02-11-2010, 06:37 PM

i was at the wreckers today and saw an actuator that someone removed from the door, then removed the gear bit and left the rest???? thanx for the replies fellas.

crakrz · 02-11-2010, 07:02 PM

I've just been and had a bit more of a play. Whats actually happening is- When ever you open or close ANY door, it sounds like the central locking is actuating but its not actually locking the door, the drivers door button never actually cycles up and down.

I tried a little exercise, with the door open I used a pen pushed into the actuator sideways to simulate when the actuator comes into contact with the pin/bar on the body. I tried this on all 4 doors. On all 4 doors you can hear the central locking motor cycling but the drivers door lock button never drops down and the doors stay unlocked. Its doing exactly the same thing as when you press the unlock button on your remote but the car is already unlocked.

If you use the keypad to lock the car or push the drivers door button down or even use the switch on the dash, everything functions as normal.

Do you guys still think its a door actuator? It just seems strange that all 4 doors have the same symptoms. Or if its the drivers door actuator thats affected, does this affect the other 3 doors.

I appreciate your help so far with your advice.

-Craig

crakrz · 03-11-2010, 10:27 PM

bump

JK EX CHASER · 03-11-2010, 11:38 PM

Driver side actuator gear broken just take it out and you can have a proper look.

JaguarDave · 03-11-2010, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crakrz

It just seems strange that all 4 doors have the same symptoms. Or if its the drivers door actuator thats affected, does this affect the other 3 doors.

I appreciate your help so far with your advice.

-Craig

in my experience with both my Fairlane and my LTD when one door actuator is faulty and failing to lock - if you lock the car and then operate the exterior handle of the one door that is not locking, all the other doors will suddenly unlock.

**GasoLane** · 04-11-2010, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

And if you are lazy (like me) and don't want to repair the old actuator these guys have changeovers. Service is very fast or in Melb you can pick them up.

Oops, forgot to post the link....

http://stores.ebay.com.au/STRUT-ACTU...2&_sc=1&_sop=1

crakrz · 04-11-2010, 10:58 PM

Thanks for your help on this one guys.

I didn't want to start pulling everything apart without having some sort of idea of what is going on. I have the day off tomorrow so I will take a real good look at it and post up what I find.

-Craig

crakrz · 05-11-2010, 01:00 PM

Well I'm stumped. I cannot find anything wrong with any of the mechanical operation of the actuators.
Here is a couple more symptoms- when you unlock the car with the remote, but not open any doors- the central locking is not re-locking the doors as it normally does after a minute or so.
Also when you sit in the car with all doors closed and press the central locking button on the dash, you can hear the door lock motors activating but the locks won't lock or unlock. But if you open the drivers door and press it, all doors lock and unlock as normal.
Does this still sound like an actuator problem?

Every little test I have tried has been done individually tried on all 4 doors. I have tried with one lock unplugged at a time but still cannot get any one of them to fail individually.

I think I will have to look a central locking/alarm or the BEM/BCM or whatever its called.

Any further tips would be very helpful as I have every door pulled apart and still no love.

Thanks,
Craig

crakrz · 05-11-2010, 01:43 PM

Well there is more to add. I have had all actuators apart. they all in perfect condition and working order.

But I did a little test and I think there is an electrical or signal problem.

Whenever any door is closed or opened, all 4 actuators are getting an unlock signal.
The only way to get them to actuate to the lock position is by drivers door lock button or remote keypad.
I currently have single stage remote unlock with the keypad. I will try setting the keypad to 2 stage unlock and then see if by opening the drivers door only, whether the others stay locked.
I'm betting as soon as I lift the handle that the other 3 will unlock- which they shouldn't.

More to follow............

crakrz · 05-11-2010, 02:08 PM

I just reset the keypad to 2 stage unlock. Now it only unlocks the drivers door no matter how many times you press the remote. It won't unlock the others.

I then reset it back to single stage unlock and all 4 unlock again. And yet the dash cental locking button still doesn't do anything unless the drivers door is actually opened. I can't find a common theme.

I know that its possible that nobody can help me with this one, but what direction do you think I should go. AutoElec, replace BEM, any other ideas???

Thanks again,

Craig