central locking dead - first steps?

[hepblo]

Hi,

My central locking system has only been working intermittently this spring, and recently it has totally shit the bed. The auto locks for the whole car do not work at all, the passenger door is frozen and cannot be unlocked with a key, or even by pulling the lock knob (doesn't move).

I hear a buzzing sound in the driver wheel well area when I do the full turn of the key on the driver side.

I've read through some previous posts, but wanted to get final advice before I start tearing things apart.

My plans:
- open up the panel behind the drivers speaker and see if there's any corrosion or obvious stuff happening in there
- pull off the door panels and see if I can find out why the passenger door lock is frozen
- replace the lock module by the speaker
- replace door locks - do you think this is needed?
- possibly just add a remote lock kit

OR
Is is possible just to pull out all the central locking stuff and just use the key for all the doors and truck (cheapest solution?)

Many thanks for any advice...

JC

[poopin04]

I'm having the same issue. I just picked up a lock cylinder repair kit for my driver side door. But after I see the results from that I might just add locking system so I can be cool.

[bernzpeed]

could be just the actuators

[hepblo]

Update

I started pulling stuff apart today to try and isolate the issue. Lots of photos here:

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjw63v5s

I pulled out the relay as described here:
http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/i...lems..andcould not find any sign of damage to the board.

Next - look at the connectors in the A pillar. The boot was loose and there has been a crap-ton of rain this summer, so moisture has surely gotten in there. There was some corrosion on the pins and connectors, but I'm not sure how to clean them up. Advice?

I then opened up the door panel to see if I could find anything obvious. No luck. If is is the actuator as is above suggested (thanks!), then would that mean that the signal to unlock is not getting sent to the relay, and therefore the passenger door remains in lock-down?

If the actuator is dead, could I pull the one out of the truck to replace it with? Is there any other way to test it?

The drivers door has a dent that has compromised the rubber seal and water does get into the door, so any electronics could have finally given up. (it's been that way for 10 years..)

Is there any way to jumpstart the actuator, unlocking hte passenger door, and then could I just unplug the relay and use the doors with non-power locks?

[hepblo]

@ bernzpeed: thanks. do you know how to test the actuators? Or do you think it would work to pull the one out of the truck and put it in the drivers door?

[techterr]

Just about every one of our problems was because of corrosion in the door jamb plug... spray it with corrosion cleaner and then with wd40... that and a go with a toothbrush fixed ours.
Good luck

[hepblo]

Locks Fixed - door plug sanded

Just about every one of our problems was because of corrosion in the door jamb plug... spray it with corrosion cleaner and then with wd40... that and a go with a toothbrush fixed ours.
Good luck

Fixed! After tearing everything else apart, I sanded the connectors on the door jam plug and that fixed the locks.

Many thanks for the advice.

[bernzpeed]

@ bernzpeed: thanks. do you know how to test the actuators? Or do you think it would work to pull the one out of the truck and put it in the drivers door?

i know this is late, but i tested mine by accessing the trunk actuator and took it off the mounting and manually pulled it up and down which cause the front passenger lock and rear left passenger door go up and down. so i assumed that the rear right passenger actuator was bad. the driver side door was already disconnected bec. it was causing some trouble as well. so it might need a replacement.