[sparkguy]

** Mods please move this thread to more appropriate section. Thanks!!**

Today morning I had a harrowing time.

I reached office without any issues after driving for nearly 45 minutes, 38 kms and listening music at good volume. After reaching office gate I switched off the car but the door knobs didn't get up as they usually do. I tried to pull those manually but was unable to do so. I tried on all other three doors and all of them seemed to be stuck.

I switched on and off the car, but no remorse. The gates were still stuck. I tried locking and unlocking from remote key (autocop supplied), sound and flashing was there and gates were still stuck

Now I started realizing seriousness of issue. Thankfully I can get the windows down and shouted for help from few colleagues. Even they tried everything like pulling that door knob forcefully, banging and shaking door and even disconnecting the battery.

But the doors were like adamant on not opening. I was running short of ideas.

I somehow managed to come out through fifth door and called an electrician immediately.

He also fiddled for sometime and could not understand anything. He then took the car to garage and I followed him.

His explanation which I am trying to put in simple words:

All 4 guns of central locking gone bad. According to mechanic there was some problem with driver side lock which was partially broken hence was stuck and the master gun (which controls all other 3 guns) was not able to release fully. Due to master gun getting stuck in partially released state for long there was continuous supply of current to all other 3 guns thereby resulting in all three going bad.

He charged
Rs 250* 3 for 3 guns
Rs 300/- for Master gun
Rs 300/- Labour

Now my questions:
1) Does his explanation sound good
2) what could be other probable reasons for this
3) If somebody gets stuck what he should do in order to get outside the car

Car: Chevy Spark
5 yrs old
Autocop from the aftermarket

Note: I just got a music system installed in my chevy

[TheG2]

Dear Sparkguy,
I can imagine your state of horror in such a situation.
In the simplest of words I would say there was trouble with the wiring that was done may be during music system installation. The central locking was not getting disabled once you switched off your car.
Don't know if there are any such guns in the central locking console. May be the guru's can share some light on it.

Best,

[S5157]

Autocop is know for this failure. I had similar situation in my i10 AT Sportz which was fitted with Autocop remote locking. I escalated the issue to Hyundai dealer who fitted this and they replaced the actuator free of cost.

[Sinner666]

Originally Posted by TheG2

Dear Sparkguy,

Don't know if there are any such guns in the central locking console. May be the guru's can share some light on it.

Best,

Haven't heard of guns failing in such a way that it would not move at all. Faced this with our Esteem (now sold off) when the front passenger side door's guns would conk off, but it never resulted in the doors getting jammed like your case. It just meant that the door will no longer be in the Autocop circuit i.e. it goes manual lock/unlock.

Probably it has something to do with the gun design in each car. Better to get it checked anyway. A huge safety hazard.

[StrangeWizard]

Even I faced a similar issue in my Spark. The central locking was fitted aftermarket by the previous owner (don't know which brand) and one fine day both the front doors refused to open because the lock wouldn't come up. Rear doors were fine. There was no remote locking

Took the car to the Chevy A.S.S and they removed the central locking mechanism/gun from the front right door and the problem got solved, only thing is that I don't have central locking now. IIRC the lock came up if we inserted and turned the key and pressed a particular spot on the door below the lock from outside

[rajeev k]

It happened once in my Alto with the MGP Nippon system when one of the guns; front co-driver side. But I was able to pull it up with much force. This gun was subsequently replaced by Nippon technician. These guns are sort of solenoid switches and are liable to get mechanically jammed rarely.

[SirAlec]

This is the very reason I like manual lock system, that Maruti has (it has a button for manual lock and unlock.)

So when remote was installed on already factory installed central locking, i tried to reduce the after market parts and used most of the original.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...-ritz-vdi.html

Please go through above thread by your truely, on proper understanding of the system

[harryms]

I too had bad situation like this, in my Indica V2 (now sold). The door wont open even with the manual lock. At first time it happened when i reached home, i was the only occupant in the car so it was ok for me to deal with it. I was able to remove the door pad of the driver side without much difficulty and was able to push the solenoid of the central lock and all doors were open. i tried to find out the issue by taking out the solenoid, but it worked fine. so i kept it back and it was performing good. But after some days it again gave me trouble so i removed the solenoid and i was using the manual lock.
In your case i think the culprit was only the main solenoid, but for the safety its better to change all the four solenoid. we cant say the solenoid is ok by testing it, but it will stuck some times and if it is giving trouble its always better to replace it since we cant repair it.

thanks

Harry

[JoseVijay]

sparkguy, I feel sorry for your horrible and scary experience. I can only give my opinion on your third question. Roll down the car windows and come out safely as you have already done. Now for the answers to your first and second questions, I am sure there are experts on this forum who can throw some light on those.

[sbalagru6]

Dear BHPians,

I am facing this issue since so many days in my Ford Ikon 1.6.

From driver side door I cannot lock/unlock the car using manual key (Don't have remote lock facility). If I try to unlock it will unlock it and lock it again, same is the case while locking also.

I can do the same from passenger side door. It works perfectly and all the doors gets locked/unlocked without a fuss.

Mechanic says I have to change the complete door lock assembly which will cost me a fortune.

Is there anything else I can do or check?!

[ramzsys]

The lock set doesn't cost a fortune. IIRC, it is around 3k rupees. I did change for my uncle's car around a year back.

[sbalagru6]

Originally Posted by ramzsys

The lock set doesn't cost a fortune. IIRC, it is around 3k rupees. I did change for my uncle's car around a year back.

Thanks for the revert. I am relieved now... But the mechanic said it will be anywhere around 15K.

Also anything else I can check or repair before replacing it?

[ramzsys]

Originally Posted by sbalagru6

Also anything else I can check or repair before replacing it?

A good electrician can open up the front door thing and find out the exact fault. But these days finding a good electrician is as rare as finding a good tinker!

So better drive to the nearest Ford service centre and enquire about the costs!

[sbalagru6]

Now I have swapped the actuators of front doors from RH to LH and vice versa.. From driver side I am able to lock/unlock now , but from passenger side the same story....

Seems like the actuator gone kaput.. is there anywhere in Bangalore I can source only the actuator?

[Mr.Boss]

Originally Posted by sbalagru6

Now I have swapped the actuators of front doors from RH to LH and vice versa..

Have a small doubt bro.

Are the OE actuators on all 4 doors same? Because in case of aftermarket central lock kits, the driver door actuator will come with 4 terminals and rest 3 will have only 2 terminals (All 3 actuators get signal from the driver door actuator)