Fob no longer locks doors when arming alarm

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05/05/2009, 11:02 AM
vt_maverick

Fob no longer locks doors when arming alarm

Looking for suggestions here... A few days ago the alarm system started acting up and it appears the problem, while intermittent, is getting worse. The issue is that clicking the fob successfully arms and disarms the alarm system, but now the door locks sometimes do not lock/unlock as they should.

Anybody have suggestions? Tom, maybe we could take a look at your place later this month? I hope all that white lithium grease we used on the tracks didn't foul the electronics... :confused:

Thanks in advance for the help!
05/05/2009, 11:09 AM
tom4bren

I doubt the grease got anywhere near the lock mechanism. I'll look on mine tonite.

Maybe you could route your antenna wire back under the kickplate to see if that makes any difference.

Also try manually locking your door repeatedly to make sure the mechanism isn't fouled.

Tom
05/05/2009, 11:59 AM
vt_maverick

I know Tom, just giving you a hard time! :p

I doubt it's the antenna wire since the alarm seems to be picking up the signal just fine. The doors manually lock okay, but whenever the fob doesn't work, it appears that the inside lock buttons fail also. The weird thing is that both doors seem to be affected equally, but I can't believe that both switches are failing at the same time. Maybe there's a short between them?
05/05/2009, 01:18 PM
MSHardeman

OK, stupid suggestion here, but have you checked/replaced the battery in the fob recently?:rolleyes: Replacing the battery may be the quick and easy solution. If that's not the problem then you are only out a couple of buck for the new battery.
05/05/2009, 02:54 PM
tom4bren

"I know Tom, just giving you a hard time!"

:)

I figured you were but I was distracted when I replied (visitors in my office asking stupid questions).

How's the baby?

Tom
05/05/2009, 03:25 PM
vt_maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSHardeman

OK, stupid suggestion here, but have you checked/replaced the battery in the fob recently?:rolleyes: Replacing the battery may be the quick and easy solution. If that's not the problem then you are only out a couple of buck for the new battery.

Alarm arms/disarms (audible beeps) with each click of the fob, but locks do not, which is why I think it has something to do with the locking mechanism itself.
05/05/2009, 03:26 PM
vt_maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by tom4bren

"I know Tom, just giving you a hard time!"

:)

I figured you were but I was distracted when I replied (visitors in my office asking stupid questions).

How's the baby?

Tom

She's finally home from the ICU and doing well. We on the other hand... well let's say sleep is something of a mirage these days. :rolleyes:
05/05/2009, 03:29 PM
tom4bren

God bless her little heart ... & the proud parents too.:o
05/05/2009, 07:43 PM
dietz99vcross

No suggestions, but I have experienced similar issues. For the last two winters I have had issue with only the driver side lock not locking (but the alarm chirping and the passenger door locking). I have noticed this mainly when it is really cold (say 10 degrees or colder). I haven't done anything to the door to try to resolve it, I just make wishes that spring would hurry up and get here, which it finally has, I think.
05/05/2009, 08:55 PM
etlsport

i had that problem towards the end of summer.. went away over winter tho
05/06/2009, 01:04 AM
Ldub

Quote:

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

Looking for suggestions here... A few days ago the alarm system started acting up and it appears the problem, while intermittent, is getting worse. The issue is that clicking the fob successfully arms and disarms the alarm system, but now the door locks sometimes do not lock/unlock as they should.

Anybody have suggestions? Tom, maybe we could take a look at your place later this month? I hope all that white lithium grease we used on the tracks didn't foul the electronics... :confused:

Thanks in advance for the help!

It sounds to me as if you recently had the door(s) apart for window maintenence.

I'd check the connections to the lock(s) switches, on the door controls.
05/06/2009, 07:28 AM
vt_maverick

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ldub

It sounds to me as if you recently had the door(s) apart for window maintenence.

I'd check the connections to the lock(s) switches, on the door controls.

I had the driver's side door apart to install the SBC lift, but since the passenger side window isn't broken yet, I decided to wait for the inevitable failure before I went to the trouble of the install. When Tom helped me out with the step bar install a few weeks ago, we sprayed white lithium grease down the door to lube the tracks but didn't take the door apart to do it.

It's a good point that maybe the driver's side lock was fouled. If both door locks run through the same circuit loop, it's certainly possible that a loose connector in the driver's side door could disable both doors. Thanks LDub.
05/06/2009, 07:30 AM
vt_maverick

Tom, maybe we can take the door apart in a few weeks to check it out?
05/06/2009, 07:35 AM
Ldub

Quote:

Originally Posted by vt_maverick

I had the driver's side door apart to install the SBC lift, but since the passenger side window isn't broken yet, I decided to wait for the inevitable failure before I went to the trouble of the install. When Tom helped me out with the step bar install a few weeks ago, we sprayed white lithium grease down the door to lube the tracks but didn't take the door apart to do it.

It's a good point that maybe the driver's side lock was fouled. If both door locks run through the same circuit loop, it's certainly possible that a loose connector in the driver's side door could disable both doors. Thanks LDub.

It's definately a WAG, but the possibility that came most readily through the cobwebs...:laughgray

Hope you find an easy fix...and speaking of easy, you don't have to pull the door apart to check the switch connections, just remove the switch cluster...:_wrench: