Unlocks BUT doesn't lock

CARRisma · Post by **CARRisma** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 8:51 am

I can no longer lock my car's doors via the remote. Unlocking is fine, but it makes no effort at all to lock. I can't hear the solenoid even trying to. I don't think it's the Clifford alarm at fault as I've also tried the original Honda remote control and the same fault is still there.

What are people's suggestions over where the fault lies? Could it still be the door lock solenoid. Multiplex control unit perhaps?

This fault occurred sometime over this weekend. It may just be coincidental, but while working on my car yesterday, I had to disconnect the alternator. Foolishly, I didn’t disconnect the battery first. Later on, the alternator's cable got close to the alternator's metal housing and there was lots of sparks and smoke! I promptly disconnected the battery as I should have done in the first place. So, maybe I've fried something?

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 9:16 am

When you tell it to lock, rather than doing nothing, does it maybe try to lock again?
Wondering if it doesn't know it's unlocked so it's always trying to drive the locks in one direction only?

CARRisma · Post by **CARRisma** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:07 pm

wurlycorner wrote:When you tell it to lock, rather than doing nothing, does it maybe try to lock again?
Wondering if it doesn't know it's unlocked so it's always trying to drive the locks in one direction only?

Not too sure what you mean, but I could see if the annoying 30 seconds auto-lock feature works.

This is annoying as I don't know which specific part is at fault. If I knew, it would be easier to fix

Post by **Merlin** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:27 pm

When reading the 5th gen service manual it says for door locking electrical faults go straight to the multiplex trouble shooting guide (page 23-102).

CARRisma · Post by **CARRisma** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:32 pm

Merlin wrote:When reading the 5th gen service manual it says for door locking electrical faults go straight to the multiplex trouble shooting guide (page 23-102).

Hmmm, that sounds expensive! Looks like I might have to source one from a breaking Lude if I narrow it down to one of those units.

@gordonlear, have you got any from the donor car?

Post by **Merlin** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:37 pm

I would go though the guide first before shelling out on new parts

CARRisma · Post by **CARRisma** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 2:51 pm

Yeah, will do that. Haven't driven the car since the electrical incident, hopefully nothing else was frazzled.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:00 pm

CARRisma wrote:
wurlycorner wrote:When you tell it to lock, rather than doing nothing, does it maybe try to lock again?
Not too sure what you mean

Ok, I missed a word out above which didn't help

but anyway, to explain a bit more...
I'm not familiar with the 5th gen system, so this might not be relevant - Is the fob a single button to lock/unlock or is it 2 buttons (one to lock and the other to unlock).

If it's a single button, then the system would need to know whether the car is in the locked, or in the unlocked position, so that it knows which way to drive the solenoid when you press the button.
i.e. It it thinks the car is locked all the time (because whatever contact tells the control unit that it's unlocked, hasn't made/is permanently made depending on how they do it) then whenever you press the button it would only ever try to unlock. You should be able to tell that the system does react when you press the button, but 'the wrong way' (so nothing changes state)

Does that make sense?

Like I say, that could only really be the case if it's a single button system, which it might not be..?

CARRisma · Post by **CARRisma** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 3:30 pm

Mine's both...

The Clifford remote control which I usually use has one button for lock/unlock. The original Honda remote has separate buttons for lock and unlock. The fault is apparent with both.

89 UKDM BA4 4WS (resto job!) · Post by **wurlycorner** » Mon Jul 29, 2013 4:21 pm

Curious then...

If it's anything like the way the after market is installed on mine, the alarm operates it's own solenoid that's clamped onto the lock/unlock rod inside the door on the drivers side. So the passenger side unlocks because the OEM central locking tells it to when the extra solenoid drives the drivers side (same principle as if you'd manually operated the 'lock' knob on the drivers side, the passenger side would lock/unlock).

Do you know if that's how your clifford alarm has been installed? If so, might be the after market solenoid has got cummed up/gone stiff and it can't operate itself when you use the clifford button and the OEM unlock solenoid can't overcome the force either???
Try undoing the solenoid clamp from the lock rod and then try the OEM system on its own to see if that works ok then???