Door locks not working except one function.

[281pony]

i haven't had power door locks since i got this notch. one of the prior owners f'd them up apparently. here is the symptoms;

drivers side controller does zero to either door lock. power windows work fine.

passenger side controller will UNLOCK the passenger side only, ocassionally on the first push it will nudge the drivers side actuator also. it has also caused the drivers side actuator to make an electric buzz noise, while pushing the unlock control from the passenger side.

i paid to get this diagnosed by a shop, it left me inconclusive. he tested them, both actuators do work. he did some kind of jumper wire deal and it made the doors work together. he was getting no power to the drivers side, but would get small bursts of power when i would push the passenger side controls. this is just observations i saw, i am worthless with electrical. especially on this level.

long story short, he left me with saying "its gotta be the buttons, if it's not those bring it back and i'll rewire everything. it will be 200-300".

i've tried spare buttons i had on each side. no change. if the wiring is working fine for my windows, i dont see how both door lock controls fail. fuses are all good. im confused, and apparently so are shops.

so what, off these symptoms, would you guys do next?

 

[woob]

Seeing as how no one is answering yet, let me butt in and say I'm suffering from the same symptoms. At first, everything but the driver lock was working... as in, I would push lock, and passenger door would lock. All windows continue to work.

Now, I was thinking of doing jrichker's lock actuator mod, which I think is something like $30 in parts to get much better designed actuators. When I push the unlock/lock button down, it tries to push the door lock rod up/down, but doesn't seem like it has enough juice to make it... I figure, failed actuator............... Well, I'm sorry, it's New Years, so I apologize if my post is incoherent.

Here's the website on how to do it: Mustang Door Lock Actuator Retrofit

and here's a stangnet post that might help you out:
http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/753946-door-lock-actuator-retrofit-bomb.html

 

[281pony]

thanks for the help. i read over that actuator deal before i had them tested. i thought it would be my actuators too. he did test them and said they are operational.

if it's not the actuators, or the switches, that leaves the wiring. perhaps i'll just pay someone and get it over with. all i'm going for in the end is keyless entry.

 

[2BADSTANGS]

Check your wiring going between the switches (Driver door- passenger door) These wires are pink/ yellow and pink/green. I would start in the driver's kick panel and look for splices, an aftermarket alarm or keyless entry could have been/ is in there. The wires run from the door switches, into the vehicle and up just under the top of the dash to the pass. side and can be accessed by removing the kick pannels and the dash speakers. Use a multimeter and make sure you have a full 12volts on the wires, 1 will show 12v for lock and the other will show 12v for unlock. Check the connectors going into the doors for corrosion. Both of these wires MUST be good, as they "flip flop" between 12v and ground to activate the actuators, if one of them is not 100% good, you will have issues. Replace the fuse just incase, I've seen some fuses that look good but dont conduct, also inspect the terminals where the fuse plugs in. I dont suspect this will fix the the problem as you obviously have power at the pass. side. The power for the windows and locks is seaperate, thats why windows will work only with the key on, but the locks work all the time. Let us know what you find...

 

[tannerc91gt]

i recommend supplying the actuators to whoever you have replace them (if you end up going that route).

Had a shop replace my window motors (laziness on my part) and they attempted to order my new actuators for me...they wanted $275 a piece for them. i obviously declined and then bought them myself new for $45

also inspect the wiring that goes from the door into the main body, there is a wire sleeve that protects the wires from the weather, a lot of times they end up cracking and holding water. Just something to check

 

[281pony]

thanks guys, real solid info.

i will check what i feel comfortable with. obviously the dude at this last shop still knew ALOT more then me. the best i can do at this point, is just chase wires like you mentioned. if i see anything sketchy, i'll go from there.

if i can't find any wiring issues, i am just going to take it to another shop. a friend of mine had his 89 gt fixed by another local shop. they replaced actuators and everything for $400. so they seem to have better shop rates/experience over the one i tried.

off in 20 minutes to get my dyno tune. hopefully i have no complications there either

 

[Repostyle]

The locks work in a line, meaning if one fails they both don't work. I can't remember which one is first, I think it's the drivers side, so if that switch goes bad the pass side won't work either, even if the switch on the pass side is good. I found this out when I was replacing my switches with some in better condition, hooked up one side and it didn't work, had to hook up both sides and they worked fine. If you hear both actuators engaging (would be very quite if they're going out) but not moving it's not the switches. If you push the switch and don't hear anything, replace your switches (since it was tested and power is good). You can also pull the door panels and check for power at the actuators, if there is none, it's wiring, if there's power... first check to see if the rods are clear and can move freely. If so, replace actuators.

 

[2BADSTANGS]

thanks guys, real solid info.

i will check what i feel comfortable with. obviously the dude at this last shop still knew ALOT more then me. the best i can do at this point, is just chase wires like you mentioned. if i see anything sketchy, i'll go from there.

if i can't find any wiring issues, i am just going to take it to another shop. a friend of mine had his 89 gt fixed by another local shop. they replaced actuators and everything for $400. so they seem to have better shop rates/experience over the one i tried.

off in 20 minutes to get my dyno tune. hopefully i have no complications there either

If you decide to have someone else do the troubleshooting, consider a shop that installs alarms+ keyless entry's. Good install shops usually employ MECP certified installers. (I've got my 1st class cert.) These guys should have the knowledge to build a power lock system from the ground up, with that understanding, diagnosing your issue shouldn't take long.

 

[SMOKEDYA]

The locks work in a line, meaning if one fails they both don't work. I can't remember which one is first, I think it's the drivers side, so if that switch goes bad the pass side won't work either, even if the switch on the pass side is good. I found this out when I was replacing my switches with some in better condition, hooked up one side and it didn't work, had to hook up both sides and they worked fine. If you hear both actuators engaging (would be very quite if they're going out) but not moving it's not the switches. If you push the switch and don't hear anything, replace your switches (since it was tested and power is good). You can also pull the door panels and check for power at the actuators, if there is none, it's wiring, if there's power... first check to see if the rods are clear and can move freely. If so, replace actuators.

I beg to differ! My coupe the passangerside dosent have a acuator on it and the driverside still works fine.John that car use to have an alarm in it i ripped it out when i did all the work and ever since then the locks seem to only work when they want? When the alarm was in the car i never used it and didnt have a clicker for it,but it would always lock and unlock the doors whenever you would start the car and shut it off. peace













john

 

[old_blue]

Let me give you my experience with these. I had the same issues you are having. I didnt really care until I installed my alarm with (also) keless entry. I wanted it to work so I started on the same path that you are on. using Jrichtkers actuator system (cost like $5.00 per side I think... maybe less) see his sig for the link I made him LOL. THat took care of the actuators being at fault. they worked great when I jumped them but not at the switches. So I tried a few junkyard switches.... nope. Soo I pulled the kick panels off and traced the wiring back into the door. Didnt see anything wrong initially. It turns out being a Hawaii car for soo many years the wiring in the door jam area had corroded and the wires broken in several different areas. SO I got (I think it was 12ga. may have to check on this) wire and replaced about 6"-8" through the door and into the kick panel. Did the driver side and it worked flawless. even better with the new actuator. Passenger side was the same.

It was hard to find because it was in the wire loom in the door jam area that you see when you open the door. I wasnt even gonna look at it because I had to cut all the loom off and that is when I found it all corroded. apparently condensation builds up in the areas of the loom/tape and it eats up the wire. the areas I replaced were frail and brittle. Now I have seen the progress pics of your car and seriously doubt this is beyond you. a little tedious as it is a small area to work in but if this is the same on yours then just go slow and work one wire at a time. When I heard the first *plunk* from the door it was all worth it. Now I gotta install an alarm on my current notch... not fun.

 

[old_blue]

I wish you lived closer. I would wire it for ya for the price of a few beers.

just saw it had an alarm. could just be a wire shorting out. JUst need to know where the wires for the alarm were yanked out of. i.e. if it was just unplugged and the alarm harness is still in the car of did someone just start cutting away at it. Might just need to cap off an exposed wire to the door locks. Good luck.

 

[Repostyle]

I beg to differ! My coupe the passangerside dosent have a acuator on it and the driverside still works fine.

I was talking about the switches, not the actuator.

I didn't know it had an alarm... look for any relays in the door... there shouldn't be any... If it has one or more it probably had keyless entry which could be causing the malfunction.

 

[87GT Drop Top]

I had the same problem as the OP. The problem was the contacts on the switches were corroded. When you push the switch the contacts look like points on an older car. I took the switches out and popped them a part. Then I got a point file from work (I sell auto parts). I had to grind the file down a little so it would fit in there. Once it fit in there I filed down all the contact and now they work great. I would bet a weeks pay you have the same problem.

 

[281pony]

i did have the premier audio shop within 30 miles of me look at the car. it was the owner infact. he couldn't make much of a diagnosis like i said, cause it didn't make sense to him.

i'm gonna take it back there tomorrow if there open and have it gone over again. since i know now, that it had an alarm, it should help find the problem.

 

[Mercedez]

Several times we had to change the door actuators and the power window switches not once but 2 times or more. These are the weak areas of these cars.

 

[2BADSTANGS]

i did have the premier audio shop within 30 miles of me look at the car. it was the owner infact. he couldn't make much of a diagnosis like i said, cause it didn't make sense to him.

i'm gonna take it back there tomorrow if there open and have it gone over again. since i know now, that it had an alarm, it should help find the problem.

Hmmm, most installers worth their salt should understand the system and also how this could occour. If he dosn't already know, tell him that these are a "Five wire" reversing polarity lock system. If he dosn't understand what you're talking about, get your vehicle outta there FAST!!! It might be worth your time to pop off your drivers kick pannel and look for the aftermarket wiring spliced into the aftermarket stuff. (Usually near the drivers kick is where they are interfaced or behind the drivers dash speaker.) To interface these locks with an aftermarket system, you do have to cut the Pink/yellow and pink/ green wires and solder relays inline. Gut the aftermarket crap going to those wires, and connect them back together. If that dosnt fix it, it's one less variable in you've got to deal with...

 

[281pony]

ill yank off the kick panels and check the wiring today. thanks for the help.

Hmmm, most installers worth their salt should understand the system and also how this could occour. If he dosn't already know, tell him that these are a "Five wire" reversing polarity lock system. If he dosn't understand what you're talking about, get your vehicle outta there FAST!!! It might be worth your time to pop off your drivers kick pannel and look for the aftermarket wiring spliced into the aftermarket stuff. (Usually near the drivers kick is where they are interfaced or behind the drivers dash speaker.) To interface these locks with an aftermarket system, you do have to cut the Pink/yellow and pink/ green wires and solder relays inline. Gut the aftermarket crap going to those wires, and connect them back together. If that dosnt fix it, it's one less variable in you've got to deal with...

 

[281pony]

i looked behind the drivers side kick panel. i found one pair of wires, twisted around each other. they come out of a wire harness leading up from that metal "pocket" behind the kick panel. they might link up with the wiring coming out of the door, i couldn't tell yet.

the twisted wires are a single blue and white wire. they don't look oem. its just cut and hanging there. i also felt the stem of cut wires behind the fuse panel. i guess ill take the mounting screws out of the fuse panel and get a look at them.

its so cramped in there with the seat installed. i couldn't really get that good of a look. does this help anyone who knows how alarms are installed?

 

[281pony]

I beg to differ! My coupe the passangerside dosent have a acuator on it and the driverside still works fine.John that car use to have an alarm in it i ripped it out when i did all the work and ever since then the locks seem to only work when they want? When the alarm was in the car i never used it and didnt have a clicker for it,but it would always lock and unlock the doors whenever you would start the car and shut it off. peace

john

i called you on friday john. do you know where the wiring you ripped out came from? did you cut it, rip it, ect?

 

[Mercedez]

It's options like these that wish me made that we had regular cranks for the windows and just manual door locks instead.