Power door locks unlock themselves.

[SS Camaro]

My wife’s 98 Explorer is possessed. It likes to unlock itself repeatedly. But in doing so it turns on the interior lights and kills the battery. It doesn't happen all the time and mostly when she's at work. She opened the door and manually locked it from the inside and before she can get the door closed again it unlocks. But again, it's not all the time. Has anyone else had this problem?

 

[budwich]

lots a of possibilities.... RAP module "buggered" and sending an unlock signal to the unlock relay, "jammed" unlock / lock switch at one of the locations (doors or cargo compartment), shorted wire most likely at the driver's door post.

 

[SS Camaro]

I'm thinkin RAP too but where is it located? It doesn't unlock all the doors until the second time it trys to unlock. It's not like when you hit unlock from the inside and it's not the key fob because it can be at home.

 

[shakewell]

radio interference

That happens to my wife's explorer, but only when parked outside Town Hall. It keeps locking and unlocking, at random but frequent intervals. There is a State Police barracks right next door, and also a cell phone tower there. We believe the problem is caused by microwave radio interference, since it only happens at that location.

 

[SS Camaro]

I doesn't re-lock, just unlocks over and over. I thought about it being something interfering but it's happening more and more. And at different locations.

 

[shakewell]

I doesn't re-lock, just unlocks over and over. I thought about it being something interfering but it's happening more and more. And at different locations.

Well we know for sure that the similar problem over here was caused by radio interference from some nearby location. You may wish to explore this possibility thru process of elimination, before fiddling around with your car's internal electronics.

You said the anomaly occurs "mostly at work." Does it ALWAYS happen while at work?

Does the job site have electronic equipment like wireless routers, or better yet, an automatic door in the lobby?

The other places where this also happens, take note, are they also consistently causing the anomaly?

This will help you to determine whether the problem comes from inside the car, or from somewhere on the outside.

Also check and see if you are carrying any electronic devices on your person, or in your car, which may be emitting a signal, whenever this happens.

 

[SS Camaro]

I don't think it's environmental. It recently underwent "surgery". The engine and tranny were goin so I did a body swap with a 98. All good except the locks unlocking (the old truck didn't have a key fob and this fob was "donated") and an evap code (probably due to moving the lines to the gas door). it could be in the door wiring itself, I didn't do that door, because the speaker gets engine feedback, maybe a bare wire. I'm going to check it tonight. At this point I'm ready to disable the keyless and after market the radio to be done with it.

 

[budwich]

If it is only unlock all doors on the second attempt then it is the rap module. The "normal" operation is "driver door first, all doors second".

Oops... forgot to answer "where is it?"... in the rear cargo panel, drivers side. just unplug it and see if your problem goes away. You won't have remote operation but the door buttons will still work.... of course, you might have anti-theft issues but don't know.

 

[SS Camaro]

I think I owe someone an apology, it WILL lock and unlock the doors from INSIDE her building. I figured with everything in between there's no possible way but on the way home I went to the parking lot and called her to try, and it works. So for now we have replaced the CR2032 battery in the key fob to see if it stays locked. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[aldive]

I'm thinkin RAP too but where is it located? It doesn't unlock all the doors until the second time it trys to unlock. It's not like when you hit unlock from the inside and it's not the key fob because it can be at home.

Take a look at this thread for the RAP module.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192268&highlight=rap