Door Locks and Electrics

[Stokebloke1]

Hi All,

My car has been laid up for 3 months due to it having an immobilisor issue.

This and the alarm have now been disconnected and the car starts/drives fine, only issue is that the doors wont unlock/open when i put the key into the lock (Early 94 so doesnt open from the mirrors).

The electrics are a bit of a dogs dinner full stop but the car is driving/running well.

Are the locks/latches faulty or will they only work if the electrics are connected???

Driving me mad.

[s p a c e m a n]

Mine had a meta alarm and the central locking module was controlled from it. Was next to the alarm and looked like this..

https://ebay.us/m/cKUnHy

I'm guessing that's your problem if it's only happened since you removed the alarm, if the cars in lock mode then the buttons won't work so maybe send 12v to it and then the buttons will unlock. You can get cheap universal central locking kits off of eBay.

[pmc_3]

If it's got the key locks like mine (also a 94) the lock barrels themselves don't actually lock the car, the mechanism spins when you turn the key and presses a microswitch which activates the central locking.

[Stokebloke1]

s p a c e m a n said:

Mine had a meta alarm and the central locking module was controlled from it. Was next to the alarm and looked like this..

https://ebay.us/m/cKUnHy

I'm guessing that's your problem if it's only happened since you removed the alarm, if the cars in lock mode then the buttons won't work so maybe send 12v to it and then the buttons will unlock. You can get cheap universal central locking kits off of eBay.

Sounds exactly like what’s happened..

How would I send 12v to it???

The bas&£rd thing has blown its 100amp fuse tonight from the battery to starter..

[s p a c e m a n]

I'm trying to remember how the latches work. The interior knob still works yeah, so you just need to 'activate' the buttons? Can you not pull the carpet back behind the seats and stick the latches into unlocked position?

[Stokebloke1]

s p a c e m a n said:

I'm trying to remember how the latches work. The interior knob still works yeah, so you just need to 'activate' the buttons? Can you not pull the carpet back behind the seats and stick the latches into unlocked position?

Boom… Well done that man… Thanks for taking the time…

Just need to work out why it’s blowing the 100amp fuse now??

[s p a c e m a n]

That's normally just fatigue from age and vibration, stick another one in there and see if it does it again before you go fault finding

[Stokebloke1]

Still blowing the fuse, it’s the 100amp that’s wired to the battery/starter motor in the boot.

Any ideas??

[s p a c e m a n]

If your battery is in the boot someone has moved it because it's originally in the passenger footwell, so I'd have a good look at the cable and routing. There is probably still a live running from the fuse board, over the top of the bell housing and down to the starter motor, that's prone to problems because of the heat.

If the fuse is only blowing when you either turn the ignition on or try to crank it then it's more likely something on the ignition circuit rather than the main cable otherwise it would just blow the fuse instantly.

I don't think there's much that will blow the main fuse because everything else is fused on its own circuit.

[Stokebloke1]

Yes it’s in the boot and I’ve recently had a new ignition so sounds like you’re right.

Where would you start??

Literally as soon as I turn the key it blows, doesn’t even get time to crank

[s p a c e m a n]

To be honest I haven't ever had a problem with mine so I'm not too clued up on what blows that fuse but if you've had new ignition fitted I would start with looking at whatever was involved with that.

Problem is you're probably going to be going through a lot of fuses before you figure it out if it's not an obvious fault, you could change it for a breaker whilst fault finding..

https://amzn.eu/d/7MZd8H9

My simple mind says to get a multimeter, stick it to ohms, put one end on the battery earth and then start poking around on big things that are supposed to be live and see if you get a circuit. Back of the ignition switch, starter motor, alternator. Or unplug them one at a time and see if the fuse blows.

You definitely need someone more intelligent than me for advice

[Loubaruch]

s p a c e m a n said:

T
My simple mind says to get a multimeter, stick it to ohms, put one end on the battery earth and then start poking around on big things that are supposed to be live and see if you get a circuit. Back of the ignition switch, starter motor, alternator. Or unplug them one at a time and see if the fuse blows.

You definitely need someone more intelligent than me for advice

Please dont do that, you will probably blow your meter if you touch a live terminal.

When you say the fuse is blowing before it cranks is it blowing with inginition just on ( ignition switch first position) or when you turn to the second ignition position to crank?

Edited by Loubaruch on Sunday 18th May 16:42

[Belle427]

Provide some photos of where the 100 amp fuse is located too, sounds odd to me.

[Stokebloke1]

Battery relocated to the boot..

It pops the fuse with a spark from the top cable which is direct from the battery, it does this with the key in position 2.

Thx

[Loubaruch]

If it blows the fuse in position 2 you have a problem with the starter circuit. Disconnect the main 12v +ve from the starter motor and see if it still blows . If so you have a problem with the cable to the starter motor. If it does not blow it looks as though your starter has a problem.

[Stokebloke1]

Ok, thats great advice..

Can you advise where the starter is??

Do i need to access it from under the car?

Thx

[Belle427]

Yes car will need to be safely in the air, its on the drivers side underneath.
You could do a visual inspection on that cable too, im assuming it goes from the fuse straight to starter motor?

[Stokebloke1]

Hi Belle,

Yes it does...

I'll get under the car on ramps tonight.

[Belle427]

Just clarify what you mean by position 2 as well, is this the crank position?

[Stokebloke1]

Hi,

Yes, although it trips/pops the fuse as soon as I turn it onto position 2, doesnt even have time to crank.

Thx