Touring. Central locking module

Post Wed Oct 16, 2013 1:34 pm

I think mine needs replacing; total failure of central locking. Can anyone give the correct part number for the CLM on a Touring please? - given that it is five door apparently means it is a different item to the one on a saloon.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Post Wed Oct 16, 2013 5:40 pm

As far as I am aware,all c/l modules are interchangeable.
Certainly,I have swapped saloon/touring items!

Your first task is to locate the zone wiki and carry out the red/black wire modification.

Post Wed Oct 16, 2013 7:00 pm

2 door, 4 door, cab., touring - all exactly the same unit.
These rarely fail , unless you let the sill drains clog up and give the unit a bath. They do contain a thermal fuse, however, and this can trip if there is a fault with one of the locking motors. The fuse can be reset with a soldering iron, but is important that no extra solder is added - the original is a special low melting point solder.
As daimlerman says, red/black wire is you first port of call.

Post Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:55 am

Many thanks, Brian and Malcolm. Very helpful.

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 2:20 pm

Brian. Looking through the red/black wire mod via E30 Wiki, just want to be absolutely sure I shall be doing the right thing. I understand the explanation however, it does not actually say 'cut' the two red/black wires and solder them together, but assume that's what it is meant to say; leaving two bare ends going to the socket (which would be covered with insulation), but that would mean would it not, that there would be no live feed at all to the door mechanism.

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 3:18 pm

The red/black that loops through the door is there to feed a heated door lock barrel.

Very,very few UK E30's were spec'ed with this option.

The problem is the effect that the constant live has within the pillar socket,it causes corrosion that spreads to other pins and then create's mayham with not only the c/l but the mirror operation as well.
This is why we suggest that the loop through the door is eliminated.

The c/l will still work...honest...

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:07 pm

Thanks, Malcom. Will cut. Just wanted to be sure.

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 4:50 pm

Hi Malcom/Brian. Have done the red/black wires mod and still no power going into the CL module. Fuze (27) is OK. From the wiring diagram it looks as though there should be a direct feed from the fuze to the red/black input on the module. So where do I go from here please?

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:05 pm

Out of interest, when there has been a dead battery even the driver's door lock would operate with a key. Currently, only the passenger door will operate completely with a key. The driver's door has to be locked by pushing the plunger down and then closing the door, but it will open with the key. Is this significant? Current issue is that the petrol cap cover is locked so can't refuel the car! Can power be applied to the outgoing white lead (from the module) for example?

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:21 pm

Fuel flap can be opened by accessing the gubbins from the inside of the luggage area side locker.

The driver's door lock barrel sounds to be worn,these are not difficult to replace with a 'lock repair kit' from your local dealer.Expect to pay about £20 for a bag of bits that enables you to build up a new lock barrel to suit your key.

BMW were reasonably logical when drawing up the wiring loom,a red wire is constantly live,a green wire is live via the ign switch.The tracer colour added to these basics helps to trace what is supposed to do what!

Have you tried direct power from the battery to the c/l module?
Just wondering if you have a break in the red/black somewhere.

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:27 pm

Just another thought,your c/l module;
is the thermal fuse inside it intact?

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:29 pm

Thanks, Malcolm, and for the quick reply.

Have replaced driver's door barrel lock before. Generally the locking gradually gets worse before it ceases to function but that hasn't happened on this occasion so, unless this one has behaved differently for some reason, suspect this might not be the case here.

Yes, the thermal fuze is fine.

It is urgent to get this sorted. The direct feed was my next option. So will try that now. Thanks again for your help.

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:57 pm

Hi Malcolm. Had with an 8amp cartridge fuze in line. Seemed to have some reaction but the fuze blew. The one in the fuze box is 30amp and I have a separate 30amp fuze. Does the CL system really need 30amp backup. If so I plan to solder that spare fuze into a lead and test it again then. Yes/No?

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:12 pm

That's more Brian's area of knowledge than mine!

My thoughts are that if a direct feed to the c/l module will not trigger it,then the module is the most likely suspect.It takes a lot to blow a 30A fuse....

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:18 pm

Haven't done the 30amp fuze bit yet, Malcolm. Just wanted to check that it was safe to do so first. Suppose it should be given that it's 30 in the fuze box.

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:55 pm

Well, the direct feed works, except for the driver's door. So, whilst I checked the fuze in the fuze box maybe that has actually gone. Will get more fuzes tomorrow. Seems to suggest that the driver's door solenoid is gone. Agreed?

Post Sat Oct 26, 2013 10:39 pm

The 30A fuse is to provide short circuit protection only, NOT overload protection, which is the job of the thermal fuse in the locking module.
The failure of the driver's door lock motor to work may be the motor itself, but it could equally be the wiring through the door plug and socket, especially if you've disturbed the area while doing the red/black wire mod.
There's nothing but plain wire between the fuse and the locking module, except the joint you've just made, so it's unusual for there to be a problem in this area, although the wire in question follows a long route around most of the inside of the car