Central locking deadlocked

[johnwindwood27]

Guys

My Sons E30 has been sitting unused for some months. On reviving it everything was working fine. However, after locking and unlocking it again the rear doors and the boot will not now open at all-they seem to be deadlocked. Later, the drivers door joined them! The CL is activated by a Sigma alarm but its the same using the key-neither boot nor drivers door will unlock and rear and drivers doors won't unlock /undo from inside. The only way into the car is via the passenger door and the CL is not now heard working at all.
Does anyone have any bright ideas what the problem could be and how I can get the doors open?

Thanks

[Topblag]

I could be wrong but I don’t believe an alarm can set the deadlocks (turn key fully left).

I’d be trying to use the key in the drivers door to deadlock and then remove the deadlock and see if that opens them. I believe only the drivers door lock activated the deadlocks.

If it’s not deadlocked, you should be able to override the CL with a key. If the locks haven’t been used with a key in a long time, they could be seized. If seized, I use 3 in 1 oil to lubricate them.

[johnwindwood27]

Thanks for that. The confusing thing is that the drivers door locked and unlocked with the key just this morning. Now the key won't even turn in the lock!

[Topblag]

Thanks for that. The confusing thing is that the drivers door locked and unlocked with the key just this morning. Now the key won't even turn in the lock!

If it’s as cold with you as it is here, that may be a factor.

[Brianmoooore]

Unfortunately, this sounds like it may be another victim of wet weather and blocked drain sills.
The locking ECU sits inside the right hand sill, below the front footwell speaker. Rain water is designed to enter the sill, in small quantities, and to drain out of slots at the bottom, but if the slots are blocked, and the water reaches the ECU, it has a habit of powering the dead lock motors continuously, which unfortunately will burn them out and seize them solid.
Having read your OP more carefully, your symptoms don't entirely fit the above, so you may be lucky, and the problem may be the 'standard' one of the 'red/black wire', coupled with the driver's door and boot not working properly before the fault occurred, but the latter not noticed because of the central locking normally doing the job.
Note that the boot should be able to be opened with the key, even if the dead locks are engaged, as should the driver's door, which does not have a dead lock motor fitted.
As regards fixing things, you need to get into the driver's footwell to address the 'red/black' wire, so I suggest you remove both front seats, then the panel over the speaker, followed by the speaker itself, and fish around behind it for the two red/black wires.

[ChrisHC]

There are quite good pictures of this HERE The drain holes in the sill are shown, they are spaces in the seam below the sill (or as this US site calls them 'rocker panels') about 3 or 4 cms from the outside. I am not sure I would fill up the connections of the locking ECU as they suggest, and there is no need to move the bonnet latch on a RHD car. I removed mine without taking out the front seats. If you need more solder to re-solder the spring fuse, you should use low melting point solder.

[johnwindwood27]

That's very useful thanks-I was wondering about the control unit.
What is puzzling is that I cannot even turn the key in the drivers door, yet it worked perfectly yesterday morning. The passenger door is still opening with the key but the rest is definitely deadlocked.
Do you know if it's possible to remove the drivers door card with the door closed? If so, I could disconnect the motor and get the door open because I don't see how I'm going to access that kickpanel effectively without!
Thanks for all the advice so far.

[BenHar]

There is an entry in the wiki about this too: https://www.e30zone.net/e30wiki/index.p ... Black_Wire

Ben

[Topblag]

Do you know if it's possible to remove the drivers door card with the door closed? If so, I could disconnect the motor and get the door open because I don't see how I'm going to access that kickpanel effectively without!
Thanks for all the advice so far.

Recalling the last time I did this, you'll be able to remove all the screws and then pop the plastic clips from the top to the bottom. You'd be best to remove the four seat bolts and remove that first to make space.

To remove the kick panel you should remove the door seal. In this case you may be able to wiggle it out without the seal being removed.

[Brianmoooore]

As above - both possible, but make sure you have the address of a good local chiropractor before you start.
Have you tried lifting the handle of the driver's door at the same time as you try to turn the key?

[johnwindwood27]

Thanks guys-really appreciate all the advice.