Central Locking Problems

[Wardie]

So, everything been working fine recently; no lock problems. Unlock my car, go on a 20 minute drive. Lock my car, come back and it wouldn't unlock from the trunk. Luckily everything still can be manually unlocked.

I get home, thinking its the actuator but when I try to unlock from the side doors I get nothing. I took out the central locking mechanism with the battery unplugged. I examined the board inside and everything seemed to be in order. I plugged it back in, then plugged the battery back in. The doors unlocked and relocked about two or three times. Yet when I try to unlock them from anywhere I still get nothing...

Any suggestions? My car is a 1985 325e

EDIT: The passenger door magically won't unlock now. Going to take it apart.

EDIT2: Passenger door actuator is locked up as well as the gas door. Thinking it might be the central locking mechanism.

[Wardie]

Anyone got any input on this?

With the actuator out I can unlock the door no problem (Still no central locking), but fully assembled the door can not be unlocked. Plus the gas door in still locked as well.

[Quadrajet]

Search and see if someone has posted the Central locking troubleshooting instructions from BMW. I know they are in the wiring diagram manual from BMW for E30's, I just can't locate mine at this time.

But I would suspect the Central locking "thinks" that it is not getting the unlock signal, thus not working.

[bmw325csi]

i think its the module in the driver kick panel. Mine would do the same thing. Took the thing out and it looked good visually but was toast. Put in a good used one and all my locking problems were solved.

[rav320uk]

Have you looked at the C/L ECU located in the footwells??

This may be of some help.

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Central_Locking_problems#Central_Locking_Relay

[Wardie]

i think its the module in the driver kick panel. Mine would do the same thing. Took the thing out and it looked good visually but was toast. Put in a good used one and all my locking problems were solved.

I took mine out, all the solder looked fine, and the pin was still connected on it. I am trying to find a replacement.

Have you looked at the C/L ECU located in the footwells??

This may be of some help.

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/i..._Locking_Relay

Yeah, I've taken both of them out and inspected them. I couldn't find anything wrong with them.

Search and see if someone has posted the Central locking troubleshooting instructions from BMW. I know they are in the wiring diagram manual from BMW for E30's, I just can't locate mine at this time.

But I would suspect the Central locking "thinks" that it is not getting the unlock signal, thus not working.

I will give it a look over, I am horrible at following schematics for electrical work unless its a circuit board in front of me.

I've replaced the fuses and no dice either.

Note: I can't manually unlock the passenger door with the bolt or key unless I remove the actuator.

[rav320uk]

Next thing if you've done all that is to modify the Thick RED/BLACK wire.
Basically, all it does is loop in the door back into the Door plug with a constant live, and corodes the plug terminals.
The MOD works by bypassing the loop in the door.
Alot of guys over here have done that, and have no issues after that.

BMW use a logical wiring system where all red wires are constantly live. One of these wires, coded with a black stripe, makes a loop into and out of the driver's door via the A pillar socket. This is known to cause corrosion and general mayhem both within the socket and to other wiring in the area.

The fix is to eliminate the live loop through the door. The modification to the red/black wires will cure 90% of locking faults, and it is not necessary, or desirable, to dismantle the door hinge pillar plugs and sockets to do so. All the work can be done through the speaker hole.

Note that Cabriolets have a slightly different wiring arrangement, for some reason known only to the E30's original designers, and you will have three red/black wires to connect together.

[Quadrajet]

IIRC it has tables of what to check and see if the CL module is shot. But from what you're describing it's sounds like the unit is not getting the unlock signal or is just "frozen" in the lock position.

I wish I had one you could try, but I sold the last one I had in stock, just before Christmas.

[Wardie]

Next thing if you've done all that is to modify the Thick RED/BLACK wire.
Basically, all it does is loop in the door back into the Door plug with a constant live, and corodes the plug terminals.
The MOD works by bypassing the loop in the door.
Alot of guys over here have done that, and have no issues after that.

BMW use a logical wiring system where all red wires are constantly live. One of these wires, coded with a black stripe, makes a loop into and out of the driver's door via the A pillar socket. This is known to cause corrosion and general mayhem both within the socket and to other wiring in the area.

The fix is to eliminate the live loop through the door. The modification to the red/black wires will cure 90% of locking faults, and it is not necessary, or desirable, to dismantle the door hinge pillar plugs and sockets to do so. All the work can be done through the speaker hole.

Note that Cabriolets have a slightly different wiring arrangement, for some reason known only to the E30's original designers, and you will have three red/black wires to connect together.

Alright I am going to give this a go right now, by the way headlights are still working wonderfully ;)

IIRC it has tables of what to check and see if the CL module is shot. But from what you're describing it's sounds like the unit is not getting the unlock signal or is just "frozen" in the lock position.

I wish I had one you could try, but I sold the last one I had in stock, just before Christmas.

Damn, yeah would be nice just to test one.

[rav320uk]

LOL, never had a doubt on those.:D

[Wardie]

LOL, never had a doubt on those.:D

Just gonna post a clarification picture for which wires I need to splice.

Big clump of wires is for the unit, small for relay.

Drew two arrows, picture was so friggen big though can hardly see them.

[rav320uk]

Follow the RED/BLACK wires to the A pillar Plug, if your car is a coupe, you will have 2 wires going to the plug.
They are quite thick wires, MAKE SURE THEY ARE RED/BLACK, and NOT BLACK/RED!!!!!

Cut those off, and temporarily together, and try the C/L, with YOUR DRIVERSIDE WINDOW open!!!!;)

[Wardie]

Follow the RED/BLACK wires to the A pillar Plug, if your car is a coupe, you will have 2 wires going to the plug.
They are quite thick wires, MAKE SURE THEY ARE RED/BLACK, and NOT BLACK/RED!!!!!

Cut those off, and temporarily together, and try the C/L, with YOUR DRIVERSIDE WINDOW open!!!!;)

So the wires I want to cut is red with a black stripe correct?

Just needed to triple check before I go to town hacking at wires.

I have a wire going from the unit to the plug, and one from the relay going to the plug.

[rav320uk]

Yes, Red with black stripe.
Oh, and disconnect the battery first as the are constant live!

[Wardie]

Yes, Red with black stripe.
Oh, and disconnect the battery first as the are constant live!

Alright, gonna give this a go, battery is off. Will report back in a moment!