Testing new (used) door lock timer?

[Cool_J30]

I searched and read numerous threads on the symptoms/fixes for doors and particularly the timer. My '95 had the "phantom lock" and it mostly would be days between it locking itself. I knew it was the timer from reading about it here, and before I removed and tried the solder fix, I found one of the later (blue sticker) lock units off a parted '96 on eBay for a whole $7.99 delivered (I know, lucky find...).

Anyway, it was a PITA to change -- I tried to unclip the old one and it was far, far easier to unbolt the one 10mm bolt that holds the timer and other parts up under the dash...

I digress... So the "new" timer is in -- all the locks open and close like they should. What all does the door lock timer control that I could test? Or do I just wait and see if it locks me out some day...?!

Thanks for any help you have to offer

[Infinitiguy19]

The service manual shows you how to test it but if its a hard to repeat thing in your case that won't help much.

Did the solder fix not work for you?

[Cool_J30]

The service manual shows you how to test it but if its a hard to repeat thing in your case that won't help much.

Did the solder fix not work for you?

Thanks Paul, I don't have a copy of the SM -- maybe there's a link somewhere here I haven't seen?

I was going to remove and solder the old one -- excellent directions for how-to-do. But I found the used "updated" unit before I tried to fix the old one, plus I'd have to buy a pencil/thin tip soldering iron. I figured I'd have a "mule" in hand since I hadn't yet read that you can run the car w/o the door lock timer. Worst case I was out $7.99 more and could always solder the old one.

If the "new" unit malfunctions, I'll fix the old one and re-install it. The only symptoms I am aware of I was having with the old timer was the mysterious and unpredictable locking of all doors.

From what I can gather: the electric door locks go through, or rely on, the door lock timer to function, correct? Nothing in the owner's manual indicates the car will auto-lock based on some set of circumstances, so I'm unclear as to what function it actually serves? Since the old timer mostly worked and the locking was impossible to predict or reliably duplicate, and "mostly" was days between events (sometimes hours or overnight, but that was rare). I guess it's a just-don't-trust the new timer for awhile, since it may be hard to test anyway...

Again, thanks for the help Paul.

[driverdriver]

Field Service Manual location:

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/J30/

[Cool_J30]

Thanks, driverdriver -- I'll put it in My Favorites