Power Door Locks Troubleshooting Info Please
 

Ok folks, I am trying to troubleshoot my door locking system. They have not worked correctly in 2 years and I need to at least try again and see if I can find a fault.

So, my locks go down then up when locking the drivers door and I have to go around and lock all of the other doors manually. Once in a blue moon, the locks will work correctly for 3-5 locks, then back to normal.

I already checked the trunk wires and fixed some, but no solution. The trunk locking rarely works (work during the 3-5 times it does work, if I check it)

I cleaned up the drivers door switch, no change.

Very few of the door switches actually make the done light go on/off.

So, my questions are:

1) Should both front doors actuate the locks?

2) Should all locks and trunk unlock/lock together

3) Will the trunk switch activate the dome/interior light?

4) Are the little switches in the door lock mechanism NOT IN the door the main light/safety switches I need to troubleshoot?

5) Does anyone have a nice and painless way to tackle this and get it resolved?

Thanks for your help.

Scott

dor locks
 

Look here www.bimmerdiy.com/e30
Worked for me on my '90 E30CI

Thanks for the info! Looks pretty informative.

Not that it seems to make THAT much difference in these things, but I realized I forgot to say my car was a 93' 325i-4-door.

Thanks!

Scott

Door locks
 

Not sure if year or body style is that critical, in my case I could not open (unlock) the passenger door and I could open (unlock) the drivers door but not lock it. I could unlock the car, except passenger door,through the trunk lock. I ended up replacing the central lock controller (behind the speaker in drivers kick panel and the lock solenoid in drivers door (all parts used from Bavarian) and then I also had to replace the drivers door lock cylinder and re-key (the dealer has a kit for this with tumblers, etc). After all of the work she works just the way she is suppose to work. Good Luck.

Wow, sounds like a good amount of work there for you. I am leaning more towards the passenger door (something in there) and the trunk as likely culprits. I would love to find a way to isolate them to test that way. That website gets almost to that point, so hopefully I can use it then.

Glad to hear you got yours going though.

Thanks

Scott