Can't get out!
04-19-2015, 07:02 PM
#1
Can't get out!
My driver's door won't open when I press the door switch. I have to use the manual release on the floor. Door opens from outside so I think the latch is good. 2 fuses in the passenger footwell fuse box are good. Passenger door is ok. Window indexes when I push the door switch but latch doesn't open. Any solutions?
04-19-2015, 07:27 PM
#2
Cruising
Member Since: Mar 2015
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My driver's door won't open when I press the door switch. I have to use the manual release on the floor. Door opens from outside so I think the latch is good. 2 fuses in the passenger footwell fuse box are good. Passenger door is ok. Window indexes when I push the door switch but latch doesn't open. Any solutions?
04-19-2015, 07:28 PM
#3
My driver's door won't open when I press the door switch. I have to use the manual release on the floor. Door opens from outside so I think the latch is good. 2 fuses in the passenger foot well fuse box are good. Passenger door is ok. Window indexes when I push the door switch but latch doesn't open. Any solutions?
To pull the push button top part out of the lower housing, just use some small jewelers screw drivers to all the button side tabs to slip past the housing side slots. The only loose part in the two is just a spring, and it pretty had to lose it. As for cleaning the parts, spray electrical cleaner works like a charm.
Now plug the switch back in and see if it works.
Of if you don't want to clean the switch and just plan on buying a new one, swap the switches between the two doors.
If this solves the problem (problem moves with the switch, then the problem is the switch and you can buy a new one to replace the problematic passenger switch since the button is over there now).
If this does not solve the problem, then the door panel has to come off, since the problem is in the door wiring instead.
As for removing the switch from the door panel, they pop up and out, and all it takes is a little flat head screw driver.
Last edited by Dano523; 04-19-2015 at 07:32 PM.
04-19-2015, 10:02 PM
#6
Instructor
Member Since: Feb 2012
Location: Salt Lake City Utah
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good luck
04-19-2015, 10:15 PM
#7
Melting Slicks
Timely thread. This happened to me today, a couple of times. I reached outside and opened the door that way. The inside button was dead. I've also recently had the outside handle intermittently go dead for brief periods, looks like I'll try cleaning both. Thanks for the info. 
04-20-2015, 04:36 AM
#8
If you guys get stump on how to pull the door button apart to clean it's inner contacts, let me know and I can do a quick write up with photo to show you how to pull the inner button apart for cleaning.
Also, can add in how to repaint the button if it flaking it's paint off the button surface too (found a rubber paint that works well to repaint the button, as well as the drill bit trick to remove a center dot of paint so the LED can shine through at night like the stock button with center white dot).
Also, can add in how to repaint the button if it flaking it's paint off the button surface too (found a rubber paint that works well to repaint the button, as well as the drill bit trick to remove a center dot of paint so the LED can shine through at night like the stock button with center white dot).
04-20-2015, 05:48 AM
#9
If you guys get stump on how to pull the door button apart to clean it's inner contacts, let me know and I can do a quick write up with photo to show you how to pull the inner button apart for cleaning.
Also, can add in how to repaint the button if it flaking it's paint off the button surface too (found a rubber paint that works well to repaint the button, as well as the drill bit trick to remove a center dot of paint so the LED can shine through at night like the stock button with center white dot).
Also, can add in how to repaint the button if it flaking it's paint off the button surface too (found a rubber paint that works well to repaint the button, as well as the drill bit trick to remove a center dot of paint so the LED can shine through at night like the stock button with center white dot).
04-20-2015, 07:53 AM
#10
Drifting
04-20-2015, 08:35 AM
#11
Le Mans Master
That would seem to be the issue. If the window indexes when you push the inside button then the inside button is doing all it needs to do to initiate the DDM (Driver's Door Module computer) to tell the BCM (Body Control Module computer) to initiate a door open procedure. But, if you release the button before the procedure completes it is possible the BCM thinks you are already out and doesn't finish applying power to the latch or doesn't apply power long enough. It is possible the switch is dirty but unlikely. It is definitely not "BCM wasn't sending a strong enough signal to the door lock actuator" because the same BCM sends the same power to the same door latch when it is the outside button informing the DDM to initiate an open sequence.Here is how the driver's door latch works:
Driver Power Door Latch Unlatch Operation
The remote control door lock receiver (RCDLR), driver door module (DDM) and body control module (BCM) control the output functions of the driver power door latch. These output functions allow the RCDLR and BCM to command the driver power door latch motor to Unlatch.
When the RCDLR receives an input from either the driver exterior door handle switch or driver interior door handle switch, it checks the Lock/Unlock status of the driver door. If the status of the driver door is Unlock, the RCDLR applies the ground for the driver power door latch.
At the same time that the RCDLR is receiving its input, the DDM is also receiving the same input. When the DDM receives its input from the door handle switch, it checks the window indexing status of the driver door. If the window is below the index point, it sends a serial data message to the BCM to apply voltage for the driver power door latch. If the window is above the index point, it will first index the window, then send a serial data message to the BCM to apply voltage for the driver power door latch.
For a better description of window indexing, refer to Power Windows Description and Operation on page 4-72.
The remote control door lock receiver (RCDLR), driver door module (DDM) and body control module (BCM) control the output functions of the driver power door latch. These output functions allow the RCDLR and BCM to command the driver power door latch motor to Unlatch.
When the RCDLR receives an input from either the driver exterior door handle switch or driver interior door handle switch, it checks the Lock/Unlock status of the driver door. If the status of the driver door is Unlock, the RCDLR applies the ground for the driver power door latch.
At the same time that the RCDLR is receiving its input, the DDM is also receiving the same input. When the DDM receives its input from the door handle switch, it checks the window indexing status of the driver door. If the window is below the index point, it sends a serial data message to the BCM to apply voltage for the driver power door latch. If the window is above the index point, it will first index the window, then send a serial data message to the BCM to apply voltage for the driver power door latch.
For a better description of window indexing, refer to Power Windows Description and Operation on page 4-72.
04-20-2015, 04:33 PM
#12
Well I took the switch off the connector and sprayed a little WD40 where the spring is and it worked but I would like to clean it better. Dano if you could post some pics that would be great. Thanks for the help. 
04-20-2015, 07:47 PM
#13
Butter knife works great to pop the button and silver housing out of the door. Just pop the silver housing angled out from the bottom first.
The wire connector disconnects from the button by pressing in the on the harness tab.
The button comes out of the silver housing by just putting light center pressure to lightly flex the plastic wall outwards so the tabs can clear the slots. I use a small screw diver between the tabs and twist the handle to lightly flex the plastic wall outward to allow the tabs to pop past the slots in the wall while pushing down on the button to first pop one side side first, then the other side.
Note note here, make sure that the plastic is at least room temp warm, and don't over flex the plastic to snap the plastic parts.
On the button, pretty much the same concept and twist the screw driver handle to lightly wedge the wall side up so the tabs can clear it. Also, all you need to do is get one side clear, and other side will come out.
Once you have the top button side out the top, remove the lower section of the button out of the middle snap connector, and again, just get once side clean and the other side will clear with ease.
Once you have the lower section out, pull the Blue rubber top off, and on the contact board and in the blue cover bottoms, clean the copper contacts and bottom prongs with spray electrical contact cleaner and then use just a hint of dielectric grease on the copper contacts.
Note here, not a common problem, but take a look at the silver taps to board solder joints. When you are contact cleaning them, if it looks like you have a cold solder joint of the tab to board, now would be a good time to touch off with a soldering iron and solder to correct a bad/cold solder joint if needed.
If your button paint is flaking off, now lets repaint is as well.
Use some Acetone to remove the old paint, including the white dot painted on the button as well. Dime works great for make a circle in two pieced of tape so you can tap off the button parts that you don't want to paint, rubberize paint the button with a few light coats (I spray the paint into a air brush bottle then use the airbrush to paint the button cover so I don't have a lot of over spray, but you can spray right out of the bottle for a few coats if you don't mind the over spray), then just before the rubber paint dries, use a small drill bit tip to spin it's tip on the center of the button and remove just a pin size of the paint center of the button.
Once the paint dries, then snap the parts back together and note that the tab part of the button button aligns with the slot on the center coupler.
And if your starter button paint is peeling off/needs to be cleaned, the starter switch pull apart pretty much the same way to clean it, and you can stealth paint the rocker switch as well. A few light coats, and the LEDs will shine through the paint from behind, or add in a few more coats of paint to so the led's will not shine through instead.
Note, the 05 has all rubber buttons (no chrome detailing on the switches, so stealth'g the starter switch looks right at home with the other switches.
The wire connector disconnects from the button by pressing in the on the harness tab.
The button comes out of the silver housing by just putting light center pressure to lightly flex the plastic wall outwards so the tabs can clear the slots. I use a small screw diver between the tabs and twist the handle to lightly flex the plastic wall outward to allow the tabs to pop past the slots in the wall while pushing down on the button to first pop one side side first, then the other side.
Note note here, make sure that the plastic is at least room temp warm, and don't over flex the plastic to snap the plastic parts.
On the button, pretty much the same concept and twist the screw driver handle to lightly wedge the wall side up so the tabs can clear it. Also, all you need to do is get one side clear, and other side will come out.
Once you have the top button side out the top, remove the lower section of the button out of the middle snap connector, and again, just get once side clean and the other side will clear with ease.
Once you have the lower section out, pull the Blue rubber top off, and on the contact board and in the blue cover bottoms, clean the copper contacts and bottom prongs with spray electrical contact cleaner and then use just a hint of dielectric grease on the copper contacts.
Note here, not a common problem, but take a look at the silver taps to board solder joints. When you are contact cleaning them, if it looks like you have a cold solder joint of the tab to board, now would be a good time to touch off with a soldering iron and solder to correct a bad/cold solder joint if needed.
If your button paint is flaking off, now lets repaint is as well.
Use some Acetone to remove the old paint, including the white dot painted on the button as well. Dime works great for make a circle in two pieced of tape so you can tap off the button parts that you don't want to paint, rubberize paint the button with a few light coats (I spray the paint into a air brush bottle then use the airbrush to paint the button cover so I don't have a lot of over spray, but you can spray right out of the bottle for a few coats if you don't mind the over spray), then just before the rubber paint dries, use a small drill bit tip to spin it's tip on the center of the button and remove just a pin size of the paint center of the button.
Once the paint dries, then snap the parts back together and note that the tab part of the button button aligns with the slot on the center coupler.
And if your starter button paint is peeling off/needs to be cleaned, the starter switch pull apart pretty much the same way to clean it, and you can stealth paint the rocker switch as well. A few light coats, and the LEDs will shine through the paint from behind, or add in a few more coats of paint to so the led's will not shine through instead.
Note, the 05 has all rubber buttons (no chrome detailing on the switches, so stealth'g the starter switch looks right at home with the other switches.
Last edited by Dano523; 04-22-2015 at 07:36 PM.