96 CE w/Fluttering door locks
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: Union KY
96 CE w/Fluttering door locks
I have a 96 CE that has had a chronic problem for several years now.
It will occasionally go into a mode where the door locks "flutter". Actually, what they are doing is rapidly unlocking - sometimes at a frequency of perhaps 20 x second, to as little as once every few seconds.
The problem might go two days without occuring (reciently it made a nine hour trip without once doing so). Then it might do it every time you drive it for days on end!
I've tried taking the key fob out of the car and that doesn't affect it, so it's not likely a bad fob transmitter. I've looked everywhere to see if there's a lost fob anywhere but have never found one.
Has anybody ever had this one? I can't believe I have the only C4 in the world with this issue.
Cire
It will occasionally go into a mode where the door locks "flutter". Actually, what they are doing is rapidly unlocking - sometimes at a frequency of perhaps 20 x second, to as little as once every few seconds.
The problem might go two days without occuring (reciently it made a nine hour trip without once doing so). Then it might do it every time you drive it for days on end!
I've tried taking the key fob out of the car and that doesn't affect it, so it's not likely a bad fob transmitter. I've looked everywhere to see if there's a lost fob anywhere but have never found one.
Has anybody ever had this one? I can't believe I have the only C4 in the world with this issue.
Cire
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: Union KY
Cire
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: White House Tennessee
Most likely it is the door ajar switch. You will notice the light on the dash will flicker also. Alot of times this happens after you wash the car. The switches are around 20 dollars. Do a search and you will find instructions with how to replace them with out removing the door panels.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 109
Likes: 0
From: White House Tennessee
It did and my interior lights would come on too. After it dried out there were no more problems. If your not getting the ajar light on the dash flickering too and your interior lights don't come on then my guess would be it is in the door lock circut.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 96,443
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From: Fort Knox, KY
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There's a door lock control relay, too. Here's where a Factory Service Manual (FSM) is worth its weight in gold. Do you have one?
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: Union KY
Sooo, is the chance that the door lock control relay is the problem worth trying to locate and remove it? Let me guess, it's located right behind whatever they sat on the assembly line first when the car was built, right?
Cire
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 5
From: Sandhills of North Carolina
Mine did it once a while back but I had been doing some interior cleaning and got some cleaner on the sensor in the door and jamb. When I washed the car the locks went nuts! Cleaned them with some alcohol and it was fine.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: Union KY
I reprogramed the PKE fob a year or so ago to no avail, but I'll try again. I assumed however that with the fob in the house (see above)and the condition continuing (when miles from home) that ruled out the PKE program. Maybe not however, since the function may be active and therefore capable of "misfiring".
Rregardless, to me that says there is a problem with the car's body circuitry somewhere..right?
Cire96
P.S. Somehow I just can't believe I have the only 96 C4 in the universe with this glitch!
Rregardless, to me that says there is a problem with the car's body circuitry somewhere..right?
Cire96
P.S. Somehow I just can't believe I have the only 96 C4 in the universe with this glitch!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: Union KY
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,621
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
More than likely the PKE receiver is acting up causing the problem. If that’s the case the only real fix is to replace the PKE receiver. Re-programming, looking for codes, changing batteries and resetting the PKE probably won’t yield any positive success. Substitution is the only real way to know for sure which is a large effort. But that what it might take to get it working correcting.
Sorry, don’t have a quick fix for this problem.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: Union KY
The door locks run thru the PKE receiver. One relay each per door. If the PKE is disabled completely, the electronic door locks will not work either. The way your door locks oscillate at that rate does not sound like a bad manual door switch to me. There’s probably a bad capacitor (or chip) in the PKE causing the relays to switch on and off at a rapid rate.
More than likely the PKE receiver is acting up causing the problem. If that’s the case the only real fix is to replace the PKE receiver. Re-programming, looking for codes, changing batteries and resetting the PKE probably won’t yield any positive success. Substitution is the only real way to know for sure which is a large effort. But that what it might take to get it working correcting.
Sorry, don’t have a quick fix for this problem.
More than likely the PKE receiver is acting up causing the problem. If that’s the case the only real fix is to replace the PKE receiver. Re-programming, looking for codes, changing batteries and resetting the PKE probably won’t yield any positive success. Substitution is the only real way to know for sure which is a large effort. But that what it might take to get it working correcting.
Sorry, don’t have a quick fix for this problem.
Any opinions out there on that approach?
Cire
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,621
Likes: 206
From: Orlando FL
If you have the coupe, then…..
There is one receiver which is mounted deep in the dash about center. The dash pad has to be removed to get to the receiver. The chimes box is mounted on top of the receiver. There are 2 antennas of which one is mounted in the drivers door and the other in the rear (center).
Yes you can unplug the receiver which will disable the entire power locks completely but will not really be isolating anything because it will all be dead. It will also take you the better part of the day to get in and out of there. You can do the same by pulling the fuses. Also if you ever take on the task, go slow and be careful because on 12 year old car the plastic is brittle (not like new). Don’t even try it with out a Helms the first time. It all comes apart but in a definite order.
In my eyes the only way to isolate the cause is to replace the PKE receiver. There are used ones around. No need to run to a dealer right away.
There is one receiver which is mounted deep in the dash about center. The dash pad has to be removed to get to the receiver. The chimes box is mounted on top of the receiver. There are 2 antennas of which one is mounted in the drivers door and the other in the rear (center).
Yes you can unplug the receiver which will disable the entire power locks completely but will not really be isolating anything because it will all be dead. It will also take you the better part of the day to get in and out of there. You can do the same by pulling the fuses. Also if you ever take on the task, go slow and be careful because on 12 year old car the plastic is brittle (not like new). Don’t even try it with out a Helms the first time. It all comes apart but in a definite order.
In my eyes the only way to isolate the cause is to replace the PKE receiver. There are used ones around. No need to run to a dealer right away.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 871
Likes: 1
From: Union KY
Thanks for the extremly insightful info. Sounds like I need to get out the service manual and start studying up...either that or just live with fluttering door locks.
Cire
P.S. Sounds like I may well have the only CE on the planet with this foible!
Cire
P.S. Sounds like I may well have the only CE on the planet with this foible!