doors not unlocking all the way

[mike86ttype]

Every time i unlock my door with the switches it does not unlock all the way. i have to do it manually and this is with both sides. they both have new actuators and everything is lubed up. Could it be a voltage problem.

 

[salvageV6]

Yes, charge up the battery for a while and try them.

Or try them with the car running at a higher voltage and they should work better.

It's usually a weaker battery rather than wiring problems causing the voltage drop.

 

[mike86ttype]

This has been goin on since i have had the car and i have already had a new battery installed. i have an amp wire goin down the passanger side of the car. i could run a wire from that to the lock relay. Where is the lock relay located at.

 

[salvageV6]

It's at the base of the RH shroud, basically behind the computer screwed to the sheet metal back there.

I would try measuring the voltage that feeds it on the orange/blk wire from the power accy. breaker and make sure it's the same as the battery.

And of course check the ground wire there which is just as important.

You should get pretty close to the same voltage reading at the actuator itself when operated as it reads over at the relay when operated.

 

[mike86ttype]

i will get on that this weekend. its has to be a voltage issuse since its doin the samething on both doors. thanks for your help guys

 

[salvageV6]

Guy.

A couple of preliminary tests you might want to do, with a good digital voltage meter, would be to check the battery voltage.

Check the voltage at the alternator output fat red wire.

Check the voltage at the Power breaker 30A fuse for the door lock relays and actuator power.

And check the voltage at the relay power feed on the orange/blk wire over at the relays themselves.

Look for all the readings to be close to what the battery reading is and use good ground points or run a line to the battery - Neg. post itself for that meter probe.

You might discover a low point and possible charging or circuit distribution problem.

Car key off test is fine for the voltages, try to keep the doors shut and the interior lamp current load off for the tests since most likely you will be reading the battery first with no load on it.

 

[The Machine]

Mine would lock one side but not the other all the way. I bought a spare switch, disassembled it to see how it worked, & then shot a quick spurt of silicone spray into the switches next to the peice you push on while they were still mounted in the doors. Works fine now. Give'er a try if you like.

 

[mike86ttype]

so far i have 12.2 at the orange/black wire at the relay and used the ground screw on the relay as my measurment. i opened up the relay and it looks a little white on the inside. im thinking about replacing it.

 

[salvageV6]

12.2 is good at that wire, unless of course your battery was at 14 or so.

To test the relay before changing it all you have to do is measure the voltage on the orange/blk and the output wire to the door locks when activating them, ie. under load. Either switch can be used.

It's an easy test, if the voltages are close on both sides of the contacts it ain't the relay.

 

[mike86ttype]

im getting 11.5 at the lock actuator. so the orange/black wire on the relay is feeding both lock actuator when the relay kicks in. where is the ground coming from. the lock relay screw.

 

[mike86ttype]

im starting to think there is not enough movement in the actuator. maybe i can cut a slot in the door frame and move the actuator up. They are both the same actuator from orielly

 

[salvageV6]

They show the ground as the case on the lock relay assembly so I assume it's metal and grounded via the screw.

I've never seen the assembly and hopefully never will.

No separate ground wire is drawn for the cirucitry in the manual so it must be the case and screw.

It very well could be mechanical in nature, if it's a factory system with new aftermarket actuators you could try the GM ones back in there new or used they may actually fit and work better.

 

[Brocks GN]

Mine was doing the same thing when I got the car. I took the door panels off and oiled up evevrything and works fine now..

 

[RT87]

I can confirm that the ground is through the screw that secures the relay to the RH Shroud area. If you try to use the locks when the relay is connected only to the wiring harness, it will not work. It must be secured with the screw for the locks to operate.

 

[mike86ttype]

i think i may have figured out my problem. My latch mechanism is pretty gunked up and its really hard to move the lock rod. so today if it is not cold im goin to take it off and clean it. it has to be it, i have tried everything else from adjustin the actuator to checking the volts. does anybody have any tips on removing the latch

 

[The Machine]

Spray some white lithium grease in there, unless you just want to touch it for some reason.:biggrin:

 

[mike86ttype]

i have tried lots of wd40 but no luck

 

[The Machine]

Do they act the same if you use the driver or the passenger side switch?

 

[The Machine]

Do they act the same if you use the driver or the passenger side switch?

The reason I ask is it is unlikely that both doors would start acting up (gunking up) at the same time. If they both act the same using either the driver or passenger side switches, then I'd unhook one of the actuators to see if the other starts working properly. Unhook one, try the other, & reverse. Possibly one is dragging the other down?

 

[mike86ttype]

they have been doin this since i had the car and everything thing else is new esp. the linkage