Central locking

[1001000010]

Hello,

I have a e30 325i, the locks started to open and close at a fast rate (whilst driving) until they stopped in the closed position. I was able to open the doors with the key but it took a few attempts and was stiff as hell. I took out the CLR (central locking relay) and the vertical resistor was disconnected, I soldered it using what was there but it still did not work. I re opened and noticed some dry joints on little cluster of capacitors I soldered and re tested and it worked. Put it all away job done.

5 months later same thing happened this time (again whilst driving) in the open position. So i thought yeah easy peasy. opened the CLR and it looked fine, i replaced it with a known working one that I tested 10 minutes earlier, same thing happened - nothing. I did the rd/blk wire mod still no luck.

I pulled the door wiring and behind the speaker out and the only pin that looked a dodge was the lowest one for the rd/blk wire which I had just modified without success anyway. hmmmmm WTF!! Rest looked good considering how long they have been there.

So here what I have discovered so far.

Car has keyless entry - alarm working fine goes on and off with the button as the CLR clicks away at the same time.
You cannot open the driver’s side door lock with a key it goes to about 45 degrees then stops.
You can turn the key for dead locks but they do not engage
You cannot operate the locks from within the car
The mech. parts Seems to be moving fine a little crook but seem ok when turning with key
When operating the fob the CLR clicks
When i turn the key from outside the CLR does not click.
The wiring at the door connector looks ok
I cannot hear any clicking sounds coming from inside the door with door card out. When operating the locks by fob. Not sure there should be either???


I am guessing/hoping ”a lock”a or ”alock switch”a

What do you rek?

If the lock switch would replacing the lock switch for now get it working on the alarm fob for now until I get a lock sorted. I am might check the adjustment of the solenoid to.

Any ideas?


Cheers

[Brianmoooore]

You haven't mentioned what, if anything, happens with the key from the boot and passenger door locks?
Back to basics first on this one, I think!
Pull out the locking ECU and unplug it. Connect a 12 volt 21W bulb between the red/black and the brown wires, and confirm that it lights at full brightness.
Prepare two short lengths of wire with stripped off ends, and connect one between the red/black and blue wire, and then connect the other one, for no more than half a second, between the brown and white wire. Switch the wires around, with the white to the red/black and the blue touched to the brown.
Confirm that one way around sets all the locks, and the other way around unlocks them. Doors should be shut (just moving the latch in the door shut to the closed position will do) while doing this.

[1001000010]

12V bulb test was good between the red/black and the brown wires the 21w bulb lit right up.

The other two tests did not activate the central locking in either direction. with all door locks closed.

Cheers

[Brianmoooore]

Not even a spark when you connected the second link? If the power is good to the ECU, I find it unlikely there's not even a spark - this would signify that every lock motor on the car was open circuit, or that there was an unlikely break in either the white or the blue wire in the loom, before the first branch.

[1001000010]

Yes no spark - just checked a second time.

By open circuit if you mean all the locks, then yes they failed in the open position both doors and boot are open.

Any ideas?

Cheers

p.s. i said above all door locked. I meant all doors/boot closed but unlocked.

[1001000010]

Replaced all 4 solenoids and all locks now working.

Thanks

[Brianmoooore]

So what happened to render all four locks open circuit, and why????
They are only designed to be powered for a very brief period, and can be easily burnt out if the power stays on a lot longer than it should, but this usually results in them seizing solid, so that the locks can't be worked, and becoming close to short circuited, rather than open circuit.

[snaponbob]

New to forum. So, hello from the states.

I have done a lot of work on people's 30s, 36s and 46s. I have a 30 that is making me crazy. It is an 89 325 sedan. A problem had been that the central locking was not functioning. This poor car had ALL sorts of crap installed (stereo, CD, anti-theft, etc.) that I removed. All the wiring was cleaned up, and I got everything working EXCEPT the central locking. Found a minor wiring issue, corrected it, and all was good ..... for a few months. Now, the drivers door is stuck UNlocked (thankfully) while the others are jammed locked. I can not open the three locked doors from the inside with either the slide button are the lever. The CLCU is getting power. As of now, I have not located another CLCU to test with. Haven't found corrosion. My plan is to re-open the CLCU (already had it apart to see if something was amiss) and inspect the vertical whateveritis that people talk about failing and needing repair.

Any thoughts?

[Brianmoooore]

Pull out the locking ECU and unplug it. Connect a 12 volt 21W bulb between the red/black and the brown wires, and confirm that it lights at full brightness.
Prepare two short lengths of wire with stripped off ends, and connect one between the red/black and blue wire, and then connect the other one, for no more than half a second, between the brown and white wire. Switch the wires around, with the white to the red/black and the blue touched to the brown.
Confirm that one way around sets all the locks, and the other way around unlocks them. Doors should be shut (just moving the latch in the door shut to the closed position will do) while doing this.

[snaponbob]

Did all the proper tests. The vertical resistor failed, so I resoldered it. That was enough to get the doors unlocked when I plugged it in. But, the individual doors could not be unlocked except by the driver's door button. The owner provided another CLCU, and that did the trick. All is sorted.