Dead door button
Discussion
The other half went to get in her Chimaera at the weekend, only to find the door release button under the wing mirror (driver side) does not work any more.
Any ideas? Is this a quick fix or back to the dealer? (It's only just come back after the self same door mirror "wilted", I wonder if there is a loose wire from the switch to the door solenoid).
I keep telling her to get a car without doors but she won't listen!
Any ideas? Is this a quick fix or back to the dealer? (It's only just come back after the self same door mirror "wilted", I wonder if there is a loose wire from the switch to the door solenoid).
I keep telling her to get a car without doors but she won't listen!
I snapped a wire by folding the mirror against the car. Assuming that everything else behaves as normal, e.g. other door switch works, solenoids all clunk as you would expect when you arm/dis-arm the alarm, then it's reasonable to assume a wire has come adrift.
First port of call would be to take the speaker out of the door and have a look inside. This is dead easy.
If you have to take the wing mirror off, it might be worth taking it to a dealer, as i have been told it is a fairly significant pain in the arse to remove. However, another pistonheader may be able to give instructions on how to do this ...
First port of call would be to take the speaker out of the door and have a look inside. This is dead easy.
If you have to take the wing mirror off, it might be worth taking it to a dealer, as i have been told it is a fairly significant pain in the arse to remove. However, another pistonheader may be able to give instructions on how to do this ...
Could be...
1) The button (corrosion)
2) The relay that the button activiates (which I think is somewhere in the dashboard)
3) The solenoid in the door
4) The multi-plug connector that hooks the wires up to the solenoid.
If you can get in the other door, sit in the car and get someone else to press the button on the mirror. If you can hear a little click, then the button and relay are probably OK.
My problem was that the multiway connectors in my car were just plan crap. So I furtled around under the flap behind both seats, pulled the connectors apart and (using a small jewellers screwdriver) forced the metal bits in the female connector to be a slightly tigher fit. (They're round barrels with a slit, and this widens as time goes by, meaning that the male half of the connector doesn't make such good contact any more. You can get a small screwdriver between the plastic shell of the connector and the metal of the barrel.)
I also did the same to the connector to the deadlock.
At a stroke, I solved all my intermittent drivers door release problems, and my intermittent passenger deadlock problems. While you're in there, it's probably worth greasing the machanical bits that are in there too. That too contributed to my locking problems. The dealer never managed that... Sigh.
As an aside, if you hit the central locking button in the middle of the golfball, and the light doesn't come on, it's a hint that one of the solenoids probably hasn't engaged.
>> Edited by Marshy on Monday 25th February 13:26
1) The button (corrosion)
2) The relay that the button activiates (which I think is somewhere in the dashboard)
3) The solenoid in the door
4) The multi-plug connector that hooks the wires up to the solenoid.
If you can get in the other door, sit in the car and get someone else to press the button on the mirror. If you can hear a little click, then the button and relay are probably OK.
My problem was that the multiway connectors in my car were just plan crap. So I furtled around under the flap behind both seats, pulled the connectors apart and (using a small jewellers screwdriver) forced the metal bits in the female connector to be a slightly tigher fit. (They're round barrels with a slit, and this widens as time goes by, meaning that the male half of the connector doesn't make such good contact any more. You can get a small screwdriver between the plastic shell of the connector and the metal of the barrel.)
I also did the same to the connector to the deadlock.
At a stroke, I solved all my intermittent drivers door release problems, and my intermittent passenger deadlock problems. While you're in there, it's probably worth greasing the machanical bits that are in there too. That too contributed to my locking problems. The dealer never managed that... Sigh.
As an aside, if you hit the central locking button in the middle of the golfball, and the light doesn't come on, it's a hint that one of the solenoids probably hasn't engaged.
>> Edited by Marshy on Monday 25th February 13:26
quote:
The other half went to get in her Chimaera at the weekend, only to find the door release button under the wing mirror (driver side) does not work any more.
Andy,
Bandit here. Try checking if there's a broken finger nail, jamming the button. You know what women are like.
Can't believe you let you missus drive the Beast. Mine can't even close the door properly without chipping the paintwork. In fact, she can't put it in gear, pull the handbrake on, or let the clutch out without us taking off at Mack 4.
AND YOU WONDER WHY THERE'S NO FORMULA ONE DRIVERS!
Cheers
Bandit
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