Front doors at times will not unlock. The actual unlock on the panel moves to unlock position when you click unlock either from inside the car or on the key. The back doors will open. I did have this happen some months ago on the pass door after a time it worked again. Now in the last few days both front doors have done this. Have to crawl outthe back seat or out the window like dukes of hazard. Could it be some kind of safey lock or sometihng going on. Sometimes by just sitting it will work normal. I seen this below. Could that be it? But why the pass door too?
Driver Door Module (DDM)
The driver’s door module (DDM) directly controls the driver’s door lock actuator motor. The DDM receives and forwards the driver’s door switch lock request messages to the remote function actuator
If the inside slide is being moved to the unlocked position, the actuators are fine. The linkage has become disconnected from the lock. There is a plastic clip that connects the linkage to the lock. It probably became brittle from age and broke apart.
If the linkage is disconnected how would it work sometimes and sometimes not work. It just decides to lock up at times. After some amount of unknown time it will start to work again. A friend was thinking could it be the stupid automatic locks, something I have always hated, was locking up even when not moving or running.
Do you know if the battery connection goes bad while in the car and you have the doors locked windows closed you are not getting out of that car. Some kind of stupid un-safety device.
Ask your shop to test if the door-unlock signal is reaching the solenoid that controls the lock. If it is, then the problem is with the lock mechanism itself; e.g. rusted or broken linkages, or maybe just needs a little lube. If no unlock signal present, then the problem is in the door-lock switch or the vehicle’s wiring or electronics.
I got the door to open today by disconnecting the battery. Opened with the key easy. Otherwise I would have likely broken the key off in the door with the battery connected. It has unlocked no problem since. I do not manually lock it but the auto lock does come on and goes off as I park it. The passenger door is still locked. It has no key, bad design.
Is there one solenoid for both front doors? Are the back doors separate. If there is only one for all 4 doors that rules that out.
Facking drivers door locked up again today as I was trying to get in. I am pretty sure I left it unlocked last time driven and it locked on its own. I got it opened by disconnecting battery and using key in door. I removed the drivers door panel. Unplugged the wire from module to the lock. Then I clicked the unlock on the pass door and the pass door opened. Thinking ok maybe its in the drivers door module. Later I started to drive it and check to see if pass door will unlock. NO. So I manged to get that panel off just enough to pull the lever to unlock it. Then took panel off. Unplugged that one also. As long as they are unhooked I have no problems. Not sure what to do from here. I always have hated automatic locks as I hate lights staying on during the day. I think its some kind of security bull crap causing it. My best option may be to just keep them both unplugged and go old school locking manually and with the key for the door. Any last suggestions before I leave them unplugged on put the panels back on.
I am going to just keep pass door unplugged and plug in drivers door. At least I can get the drivers door open easier because it has a door key spot. And if it gives me grief just once, its getting unplugged to stay also. Getting the panel off just enough with the door closed is no fun. I can still lock and unlock the pass door manually.
If by automatic door locks you mean the feature where all doors lock at a certain speed . Mine lock at 12 MPH . It has been proven that looked doors in a accident is safer for people then unlocked doors . I guess you are against Daylight Running Lights , once again a proven safety feature.
Mine lock and unlock when put in park or drive. It’s a selection though. Parked the car and shut it off once before putting it in park and suppose I could find the button to unlock the door? Had to start the car again and go through the proper sequence to get out.
Yeah we always say locking the doors is better in a crash since they are less likely to open. On the other hand, if you are in a crash, and disabled, anyone coming to help will not be able to get in the car. If the car is on fire, precious time can be lost trying to find something to break the windows with and then fiddle with the door lock if it still works. I think the good part is if you are underwater, the lock will still work but just can’t open the door until fully submerged due to air pressure. So break the window anyway. All kinds of ways to die-some more pleasant than others.
As a kid though, we’d always be sure to lock the doors. Not to keep us in but to keep others out.
when I was a little kid I remember being in my dads 1964 comet. it had no seatbelts. well me and my dad were going some place, I was in the front seat, window down with my head and one of my arms out the window. we were in our development driving slow. well I must of hit the door handle just as we were going around a corner. there I was outside the car hanging on to the door until my dad stopped the car. its a good thing we were going slow because he stop real fast. boy I got the talk about sitting right and always locking the door like he had always told me. its funny now, but it was not then. LOL
To be honest I could care less about safety. Look where this country has gone to with this safety blank blank blank over the last couple years. I am also against forced seat belts besides lights during the day and doors locking by themselves. Locked doors can also be very unsafe. This Park av is made so if you lose power, bad battery connection, you will not open those doors. I am not for over safeness but that is as dangerous as you can get.
If you mean while you are driving and lose electrical power you should still be able to open the doors by the door handle . If not then there is something wrong with your vehicle.
You are correct that a car with a bundle of complicated safety features can backfire, and actually be less safe. The problem is that car dealerships have discovered safety features make the cars easier to sell. Their thinking follows as: “if 10 safety features is good, 20 is better”.
If I remember right most if not all cars in those days would unlock with the door handle you didn’t need to use the unlock button from inside to unlock it.
The battery connections that come with these cars are not the greatest. Once when the negative connection just wouldn’t tighten enough I drove into a parking lot for a doctors appointment and hit one of those slow down bumps. Knocked the neg connection off connection just enough to shut the car off and had me coasting to the parking spot. No power and doors would not open. Had to call the secretary to come out and wiggle the neg connection until I got enough power to unlock the door.
Agree the wife’s 92 Buick is the same way it locks when it in put n gear and as we found out the hard way it would not unlock if the battery is to low.