Dead Door Lock Switch Resolved

[amarv12]

This issue has been discussed on the forums before... that's how I knew how to fix it actually; but I don't believe there were any pics posted... so i figured I would toss some up.

The problem was that one day my lock button on the driver's door just stopped working all together. After searching I found that there is a splice where all the lock button wires join together in the door sill area of the rear driver side door and the splice commonly fails from corrosion. After fixing the lock splice, of course, the unlock splice failed a few months later.

The wires from the two door switches join together with the keyless entry wire and the rear hatch lock switch wire under the door sill in that little conduit / cable tray thing. You just need to pop the cover off the tray. The color on my car for the lock wire was pink with a yellow stripe and for the unlock it was pink with a green stripe. The lock splice was further forward than the unlock splice. The splice basically just corrodes inside the heat shrink wrapping (despite some kind of sealant that was used) and severs the splice to one or more switches.

The following pics illustrate the problem areas. You can see the old patch that I did for the lock function and you can see the separated wires for the unlock function.

I just soldered in some patch wire and slathered some silicone over the electrical tape in an attempt to seal out moisture.

Anyway, post up if there are any questions... hopefully this helps some folks.

Keywords: door lock unlock switch button dead not functioning working severed corroded splice disconnected open

 

[Shurtman]

Thanks for the pics - my unlock isn't working. I took a look at my wires along the front and rear door sill and it doesn't appear that my pink with green wire is spliced anywhere so I'm assuming mine uses different colors. How did you determine the wire color used for the lock/unlock? Assuming you looked at the underside of the armrest console, but what specific wire?

 

[avidmar1978]

Thanks for the pics - my unlock isn't working. I took a look at my wires along the front and rear door sill and it doesn't appear that my pink with green wire is spliced anywhere so I'm assuming mine uses different colors. How did you determine the wire color used for the lock/unlock? Assuming you looked at the underside of the armrest console, but what specific wire?

I just went through this!

The wiring diagram for your vehicle will tell you the color. You'll need to test the connections at your relay box, which is most likely in the jack compartment. For me, the wires were frayed less than 6 inches back of the relay box, not in the main run.

On my 2000 Explorer Sport, the unlock wires are Pink/Lt Green for the front doors. There would be a Pink/Orange for the rear doors on a 4-door.

You could also have a faulty unlock relay.

 

[bobflood]

Thanks for the pics - my unlock isn't working. I took a look at my wires along the front and rear door sill and it doesn't appear that my pink with green wire is spliced anywhere so I'm assuming mine uses different colors. How did you determine the wire color used for the lock/unlock? Assuming you looked at the underside of the armrest console, but what specific wire?

Great free source for wiring diagrams - I use this all the time:
Auto - Online Repair Info
http://search.ebscohost.com/
ID: rrcc
PW: rebsco
Select: Auto Repair Reference Center
Fill in: Find Your Vehicle
Follow prompts down to Wiring Diagrams.

Your PK/LG is defintely spliced at the rear door sills, as is the PK/Y. PK/Y is lock and PK/LG is unlock to operate the relays that control all of the locks on the 1997 wiring diagrams. PK/BK is lock and PK/OR is unlock to actually operate the door/liftgate lock/unlock solenoids.

Does just one switch not work?? Another common failure point is in the wire bundle from the door to the body - I've repaired the driver's side unlock wire in that bundle twice in the last couple of years.

If all switches, plus the keyless, don't unlock then the control wires (likely but not always at the splice) or the relay itself is most likely the problem. The relays are in a relay box just forward thru the jack panel at the driver side rear of the cargo area.

 

[Shurtman]

Thanks for the continued help on this. Just the drivers door didn't work. I found the splice - it looked great. I then ran a temporary wire from the splice under the rear seat to the underside of the unlock button where all the connections are and the button worked. So I knew I had a break in the wire somewhere. And sure enough, it ended up being in the rubber boot between the door and car body. Problem resolved!