Locking Problem

[Goseba]

Seat Problem (was Locking Problem)

I have a problem with the remote locking on my Ex.

If I lock and unlock with the key, all is fine. If I unlock with the remote, all is OK.

However, if I lock it with the remote, the light in the cluster stays on permanently rather than flashing, and eventually the fuse in the panel by the drivers door blows.

All was working fine until a couple of weeks ago and I can't figure it out.

Can anyone offer any suggestions please?

EDIT: See Post 11.

 

[SB98UKexplorer]

when you use the remote to lock you are activating the immobiliser. do you know what the fuse is in the hand book?

 

[Goseba]

I know the one that is blowing which affects the remote locking and seats - fuse 18 25A.

With a good fuse in, I can lock and unlock using the fob a dozen times or so in quick succession without problem. The fuse blows if I lock using the fob and just leave it like that, with the light permanently red in the cluster.

 

[Stenasev]

when you use the remote to lock you are activating the immobiliser.

The immobiliser will be passive and arms a certain time after ignition off. The chip in the key disarms it.

SS

 

[Stenasev]

OK I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say the alarm module is faulty! Not hard to guess at that of course but here is what I think is happening.

Pressing fob to arm sends signal to door lock relay but signal stays on instead of stopping. So dash light stays on and so do all the lock motors. OK for normal locking and unlocking but draws too much current to be on permanently so fuse blows.

You may be able to test theory by sitting in car and locking with fob then pressing unlock button on door and see if they fail to unlock or lock again on their own.

I may be way off but at least it's a suggestion!..........

SS

 

[Goseba]

I have just given your suggestion a try thanks.

I sit in the car and lock it with the fob. The warning/flashing light is permanently lit.

I unlock the car with the door switch and the locks unlock and the light is no longer permanently on.

I lock the car with the door switch and the light flashes as normal.

So it only seems like the light stays on permanently when locked by the fob.

 

[janolsson]

This is an interesting one!
As the fuse is blowing after a time then you may be on the right track with something staying permantly on tho it may be a relay. I have not looked into the central locking system but surely the remote system will have a couple of board mounted relays to energise the motors, one to lock and one to unlock so could start looking there.
There is also the possibility that there is a poor earth somewhere in the system that is causing it to earth elsewhere and pop the fuse.
Unfortunately i don't have the wiring diagrams anymore to have a nose.
Good luck with it tho

 

[Stenasev]

Just to add............

Although the central locking fuse is blowing the fault is not in the central locking system. The lock pulse from the key/door switch/remote all go to the same terminal on the locking relay. So if CL were at fault then any method of locking would eventually blow fuse.

You could check the lock relay and see if the lock signal terminal is energised permanently when locked with remote. You may find this easier to check at the boot area lock switch. Look for a wire that is live only when lock button pressed and then see what is showing when remote locking pressed.

I know this is basically what I said before but may be a better test as just pressing the unlock button may cancel the lock command. If this fails then I will be quiet until I think of something else!

SS

 

[Goseba]

Update.
I am sure it wasn't happening the other day when I checked.

Now when I lock the doors centrally using any of the 3 internal locks, as well as the remote, the red light stays on permanently.

Locking with the key is fine though.

 

[Goseba]

I've not had a chance to have another look yet, but now the fuse will blow anyway after a few days, even having used the key to lock.

Using the remote, the fuse will blow in minutes -> a few hours.

 

[Goseba]

It got to the point where the fuse would blow as soon as it made contact with the fuse holder.

My mechanic went through all the locks before finding that disconnecting the drivers seat solved the problem.

The seat was fully working while a fuse was in and not blowing which was why I had rulled out a seat being an issue. Looks like a wire shorting in the seat intermittantly. At least my locks work now.