Central locking - yet again

[pigpen]

I know there's been loads of threads on this but I think this is slightly different. When pressing the alarm fob the car alarms & immobilises but the doors don't lock. After knocking the alarm off, get in & start engine - doors lock ? What to do? Any ideas from you long standing owners? It used to be ok.

Cheers

Mike

[ribol]

Assuming the car battery is fully charged(?), the first thing I would check is the earth on the alarm unit. If you have any doubts run an additional one from another source.

Ivan

[pigpen]

Hi Ivan

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, battery is fine - central locking obviously works (actually - just turning the ignition on locks the car after a few seconds delay - don't need to start the engine as indicated earlier). The alarm works ok too - if I try to start when still alarmed then we get the loud noises!

Like you I suspect an earth problem. If I open the doors from the central knob after they've locked then they stay unlocked so don't think it's a stuck relay.

Ta for your help or any more ideas.

Mike

[Ballistic Banana]

Do you have a total Closure button ona Chimeara.

I mean it seems strange they lock when the Ignition is on and may have something to do with the total closure circuit?? Which works when the ignition is on.

I could be leading you on a Ghost Chase, but just a thought??

Have you checked all the earthing points too for loose ones..Swapped Relays, cleaned connectors in door pillars, had the door sensors out for a clean,is the plastic pad on the door opposite the push button still there??

I know you have probably done some of these

BB

[ribol]

Mike,

The one thing you have said that puzzles me is the delay on the doors locking when you turn the ignition on.
I think at this point I would disconnect the pulse wires from the alarm to the central locking relay so as to eliminate a faulty alarm unit. I am assuming that the earth to the alarm has been checked and even the supply (permanent) although that is less likely to be at fault.
If the problem still persists with the alarm out of the picture then central locking relay supply/earth problems could be the cause, or even the button on the central knob if you have one.

Ivan

[SMB]

Do you know what alarm you have, some have an anti-hi-jack option which loacks the doors a set time after you turn the ignition on, so they may not be a fault at all. Have you changed the alarm recently, or is this a new car?

worth checking , as in most cases this is switchable, has anything happened that might have reset the alarm settings?

[pigpen]

Thanks all for your replies.

We have progressed a touch further & I'm afraid I found I hadn't given you the whole story. It turned out that the passenger door did lock at all times and the drivers door didn't lock at any time therefore obvious problem with drivers door. I soon found this - the 'ring' on the end of the locking solenoid was not located over the shaft on the lock mechanism thus whilst the sol'd was operating it wasn't actually moving anything on the lock. The lock was obviously not refitted correctly after some recent paintwork. So at least the Chim can now be locked.

Obviously the auto locking - or anti-hijack mechanism - after starting is still there so something changed when the recent work was done. I can live with that even if it's a puzzle. When I get around to doing the dash I'll check all the relays & alarm out.

Once again, thanks for the replies & help

Mike