Passive Entry
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 42
Likes: 2
Passive Entry
System coded properly..pass. door and hatch work with fob ... drivers door does not lock/unlock with fob but works ok with reg. door switch.
I can hear drivers door trying to unlock (slight buzzing) but does not open. Solenoid seems ok if door switch works...this is my 2nd new transmitter...does not lock/unlock as you come into range either.
Can these transmitters be repaired?
These things were a little ahead of their time, and did not use std. GM
proven tech.
Bon Air
I can hear drivers door trying to unlock (slight buzzing) but does not open. Solenoid seems ok if door switch works...this is my 2nd new transmitter...does not lock/unlock as you come into range either.
Can these transmitters be repaired?
These things were a little ahead of their time, and did not use std. GM
proven tech.
Bon Air
Last edited by Bon Air; Dec 27, 2014 at 10:26 AM. Reason: Forgot : '96 LT4
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
System coded properly..pass. door and hatch work with fob ... drivers door does not lock/unlock with fob but works ok with reg. door switch.
I can hear drivers door trying to unlock (slight buzzing) but does not open. Solenoid seems ok if door switch works...this is my 2nd new transmitter...does not lock/unlock as you come into range either.
Can these transmitters be repaired?
These things were a little ahead of their time, and did not use std. GM
proven tech.
Bon Air
I can hear drivers door trying to unlock (slight buzzing) but does not open. Solenoid seems ok if door switch works...this is my 2nd new transmitter...does not lock/unlock as you come into range either.
Can these transmitters be repaired?
These things were a little ahead of their time, and did not use std. GM
proven tech.
Bon Air
Even though the internal switch works, door locks can be pretty tricky. I'd probably start with the physical plant - pull the door panel and watch the mechanism for instance. Does it pop the hatch?
Does the little plastic manual unlock move freely and unlock the door without much force? There are a lot of delicate little parts there that are essentially outside the car in the weather...
Mine works fine - in fact it works a little too fine. I wind up leaving it in the house because otherwise every time I walk past my car, it unlocks or relocks. I think it's one of those ideas that are great in theory, but in practice - not so much.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,075
Likes: 109
From: Longmont Co
Sounds like the fob is fine. If I understand what you said, the drivers door will lock/unlock with the manual hand switch, but does not lock/unlock when using the electronic hand switch. Is that correct? Also, does the passenger door unlock OK with the drivers side electric switch? If yes to these, I suspect a bad solenoid inside the drivers door.
Wait, are you saying the pass. door does or does not lock/unlock when you walk toward/away from the car? If neither door auto locks/unlocks you might just have it turned "off".
Wait, are you saying the pass. door does or does not lock/unlock when you walk toward/away from the car? If neither door auto locks/unlocks you might just have it turned "off".
Last edited by markKlein; Dec 27, 2014 at 05:51 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
Sounds like the fob is fine. If I understand what you said, the drivers door will lock/unlock with the manual hand switch, but does not lock/unlock when using the electronic hand switch. Is that correct? Also, does the passenger door unlock OK with the drivers side electric switch? If yes to these, I suspect a bad solenoid inside the drivers door.
Wait, are you saying the pass. door does or does not lock/unlock when you walk toward/away from the car? If neither door auto locks/unlocks you might just have it turned "off".
Wait, are you saying the pass. door does or does not lock/unlock when you walk toward/away from the car? If neither door auto locks/unlocks you might just have it turned "off".
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,075
Likes: 109
From: Longmont Co
The drivers door never locks or unlocks with the fob button. Soumds to me like the system is turned off.
Bon Air, read the owners manual regarding turning the system on and off. 95% chance that is the problem.
Bon Air, read the owners manual regarding turning the system on and off. 95% chance that is the problem.
Last edited by markKlein; Dec 27, 2014 at 09:59 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 23,202
Likes: 117
From: San Antonio Texas
If you sit in the car or stand next to it with the window down so you can see the lock slides on the door panel, push and hold the door button on the fob and hold it for a coupe of seconds. Both door locks should slide up and back again in a "click-clack". That either arms it if it is not on or disarms it if it is on. If it is armed, you should be able to walk out of range with the fob in your pocket and the doors should lock and the horn does a short toot. When you walk up to the car again it should unlock without touching the fob at all. You can also toggle the passenger door to either lock or not, together with the driver door, by doing the lock "click-clack' with the key in the ignition but not turned on. Then the driver door only will lock and unlock and the passenger door will remain locked till you push the door button on the fob or unlock it from inside. I set mine to lock and unlock both doors cause my wife is usually with me and it opens both locks together when we walk up to the car.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 26,302
Likes: 60
From: Monaco
Seems to me if it does anything at all, it means the transmitter is successfully talking to the car.
Even though the internal switch works, door locks can be pretty tricky. I'd probably start with the physical plant - pull the door panel and watch the mechanism for instance. Does it pop the hatch?
Does the little plastic manual unlock move freely and unlock the door without much force? There are a lot of delicate little parts there that are essentially outside the car in the weather...
Mine works fine - in fact it works a little too fine. I wind up leaving it in the house because otherwise every time I walk past my car, it unlocks or relocks. I think it's one of those ideas that are great in theory, but in practice - not so much.
Even though the internal switch works, door locks can be pretty tricky. I'd probably start with the physical plant - pull the door panel and watch the mechanism for instance. Does it pop the hatch?
Does the little plastic manual unlock move freely and unlock the door without much force? There are a lot of delicate little parts there that are essentially outside the car in the weather...
Mine works fine - in fact it works a little too fine. I wind up leaving it in the house because otherwise every time I walk past my car, it unlocks or relocks. I think it's one of those ideas that are great in theory, but in practice - not so much.
re: "in fact it works a little too fine. I wind up leaving it in the house because otherwise every time I walk past my car, it unlocks or relocks..."
There's a way to deactivate the Fob so this doesn't occur - but I find that procedure to be a PIA as well.
I also just hang the Fobs by my shop door about 20' from the car to eliminate the issue .....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 152
From: norway
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,075
Likes: 109
From: Longmont Co
If you sit in the car or stand next to it with the window down so you can see the lock slides on the door panel, push and hold the door button on the fob and hold it for a coupe of seconds. Both door locks should slide up and back again in a "click-clack". That either arms it if it is not on or disarms it if it is on. If it is armed, you should be able to walk out of range with the fob in your pocket and the doors should lock and the horn does a short toot. When you walk up to the car again it should unlock without touching the fob at all. You can also toggle the passenger door to either lock or not, together with the driver door, by doing the lock "click-clack' with the key in the ignition but not turned on. Then the driver door only will lock and unlock and the passenger door will remain locked till you push the door button on the fob or unlock it from inside. I set mine to lock and unlock both doors cause my wife is usually with me and it opens both locks together when we walk up to the car.
Bon Air, this should fix your problem. Understand that the drivers door is not designed to lock or unlock with the fob door button. Sorry I wasn't a little more verbose, I was typing on a phone with keys about the size of a pixel.
Max, the "on"/"off" settings are for the situation you describe. If you are at the gas station or working in the garage turn the system "off" and no problems with locking/unlocking. Turn it on wen you are going to be parking somewhere and want it locked.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,772
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From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 26,302
Likes: 60
From: Monaco
Thanks RollaMo-LT4, I knew the procedure was something like that, guess it's just that being the wicked warlock of the west that I am having to stand in the rain for that long always scares me .....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
Part of the problem too is that we have so many fobs anymore, and they're relatively HUGE.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 11,772
Likes: 177
From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 925
Likes: 6
From: East Wenatchee Washington