Central Locking Not Working

[nigelandjo]

Since buying my F the central locking has not worked. It used to open occasionally on the key fob, but never with the key in the lock and has never centrally locked on the fob or by the key. I thought it might be the motors so replaced the motors today with a pair I bought from eBay. The seller assured me they were working when they were removed from the car. When I fitted the drivers door motor, both locks opened on the key fob, but stopped when I refitted the door trim. I then fitted the one on the passenger door. Still nothing from the fob or key. I tried removing the drivers door trim, but still no go. Is this likely to be the motors or is the control box likely to be faulty? I guess the only way of confirming the locks work is to fit them into another car which has working central locking? Or does anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Nigel

[talkingcars]

I'm not sure how it works on the F but on the R100 (and all montys and maestros, don't know about other earlier Rovers) the drivers door controls the others.

In the remote locking cars the motor and switch are in the drivers door, a signal from the ECU tells the driver door actuator to operate the lock motor, this then trigers the switch in the motor to lock the other doors, we had problems on my mums R114 so eventually spent £50 getting a brand new acuator.

[Rob Bell]

I am not entirely sure what the original problem was to be honest Nigel. In my experience, when a lock mechanism starts to play up, it usually causes the locking pins to go into convulsions when ever you go into a rapid sequence of unlock/lock plips from the remote (you can hear the locking motors going rat-tat-tat-tat). You haven't seen or heard this - so what ever your car's problem is, it isn't the same problem I've had with the driver's lock, and currently having with the passenger door (and I haven't been able to open that door to delve in there to disconnect it - grrrr!)

From what you are saying, the car remains unlocked. It does not lock from the key in the driver's door, and recently the remote stopped functioning to lock the doors. But it still works to inactivate the immobilisers - and will the remote still unlock the doors if manually locked?

I don't think that this is a problem with the door lock/motors themselves - and the problem persisting following replacement is suggestive of this too.

Your car is a Lucas 5AS alarm system - and this is usually pretty reliable. I think I would concentrate my focus as to why the door key does not work - and I would suspect a loom problem - dirty/corroded contact at a multiconnector? Fractured wire in the loom as it enters the door?

[nigelandjo]

Rob,

A broken wire or dirty connection was the way I was starting to think too. What's strange is that after I had swapped the drivers motor over, both doors unlocked with the remote then suddenly stopped. I'll check the connections and see if I can see any broken wires. I'll also see if I can find a wiring diagram and get the meter out and test the wiring!

I forgot to say, when you arm with the remote, the indicators give a long flash and when you disarm the indicators give a single quick flash.

I'll keep you posted.

Nigel

[Rob Bell]

That's useful - the 5AS is functioning normally, but the driver's door lock appears not to be recieving the signal. Perhaps on replacing the lock initially the wire position moved to enable a transient connection before this was lost again.

I hate wiring faults, but I reckon this is the problem here.

Happy hunting! Let us know when you find the problem!

[johno]

Hi Guys. Hoping some body can help with MGF lock problem. I can't get the driver's door to open so can't attempt to remove the door card to see what the problem is. Any ideas on how to open the door?
I have tried disconnecting thwe battery and using the key to no avail!
cheers
john

[Bigfootmgf]

What happens when you use the key? Does the knob go up? Can you get in the passenger side pull the knob up and pull handle to open from inside?

[Rob Bell]

There may be a poorly adjusted link rod from the door handle to the lock mechanism. No easy way around this - you'll probably need to get behind the door card - i.e. peel or pry it back sufficiently to gain access.