Door locks problem , Please help !

[zaidallas]

The locks on my 93 J30 are driving me crazy. They don't lock all the way when I use the remote , power door lock button or even manually. The locks seem like they want to lock but they just don't go far enough. to actually lock. Also same thing when unlocking. I have to use the key to unlock my driver door , hand the key to the passenger so they can unlock the passenger door with the key from outside because I can't unlock it from the inside. Using the power door lock button , the locks will attempt to lock/unlock but go back to their original position. I don't know what broken or weak. I've opened both doors and can't find the problem. Any ideas ?thankszaidoun

[juiceman]

I am not sure but it could be the door lock timer relay? It is a relay under the dash. It gave me problems like locking the doors on me etc. Bought new one fron Scottsdale and all door lock gremlins gone.

What do you guys think?

[zaidallas]

juiceman : thanks for the reply . I did do a search and yielded a thread or two about this lock timer relay problem but it didn't seem to me that it applied to my problem. However that's a good start anyways. How much did it cost ? Any other input would be helpfull too.zaidoun

[juiceman]

$60 at infinitipartsusa.com

I looked in the manual and there are many pages on troublshooting the door locks and remote.

Does the trunk release still work? or is the remote completely diabled?

Do you have the manual? Let me know, if you do not i will scan the pages tonight and email them to you if you like. You would need a multimeter. Is this something you want to try? Otherwise find a local dealer and pay the one hour diagnosis charge.

Let me know

I checked and you did say that all the locks do not work and the remote will not unlock either. In the circuit the only thing other than the door lock timer is the ignition switch and rmote unit. You say both the remote and interior switch will not owrk so i doubt it is the remote unit.

Ithink I have my old door lock timer, it has gremlins but works to unlock and lock the doors. I would be willing to send it to you so you can try it before spending the money. You would need to get under the dash and use a 10mm socket to remove. Not too bad but need to get up there.

Let me know

[Mayhem_J30]

Have you had a door panel off at any time? Broken window, speakers...?? If something is restricting the door from locking all the way it will go back to the unlocked position automatically. Start with the inside door handle locks. Try each one (manually) and see if it moves easily or not. Sometimes the plastic "thing" behind the door hand and lock needs to be popped in properly to prevent rubbing.

[juiceman]

I did not read it properly before, I was kind of half asleep.

Did you check the voltage on the door actuators when you had the door open? Is there voltage applied to the actuators even when you do not press the lock button?

Is this happening to all the doors front/rear? or just the two fronts? Like Mayhem said was work done to the doors recently?

[zaidallas]

yes I do have the full manual , I guess I'll sit down and read that a bit . Only the front door locks don't work and not all four . The front lock have to be locked/unlocked only with the key (from outside) , nothing else will work. When I try to lock it by pushing the lock (not switch but the lock by the handle) it doesn't want to lock all the way in as if something is obstructing it. NO work was done on the doors/windows before this problem started happening . It first started doing it with the drivers door then the passenger door started doing it too . zaidoun

[jtesensky]

Search the threads, there are a few old ones that tell exactly what the symptoms are...

[autotech43]

Having installed several door lock/latch assemblies for the same problem. There is a plastic bushing in the latch mechanism that wears out, the lever from the electric door lock actuator attatches to the latch at that point. The electric door lock actuator will get put into a position of either not being all the way locked or unlocked, when that happens, the door may lock or unlock on its own depending on the position of the electric actuator (will have a mind of its own). You can remove the latch assembly and inspect that area to confirm the diagnose before replacing any parts.

[zaidallas]

I did a search awhile back and all I got was lock timer relay which I don't believe is the problem . I guess I'll open the door and inspect those bushings. We'll see what happens.thanks for the input zaidoun

[zaidallas]

Fixed ! Thank you for the help guys. The door lock motor was not working correctly, it looks like it wears out on the inside and I don't think it can be fixed. I got two new ones from the junkyard and it fixed it. The motor consists of two mechanical pieces , on hanging inside the door and another one attched to it that has the actual lock that comes out of the side of the door that goes on the latch.zaidoun