Weird alarm problem
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From: League City, Texas
Weird alarm problem So today I tried arming my car with the wireless remote, and it armed the car... but it didn't lock the drivers side door. It locked the passenger door just fine, but for some reason, it WOULD NOT lock the driver's side door.
It's an autopage alarm I've had installed for a few years. Any ideas?
It's an autopage alarm I've had installed for a few years. Any ideas?
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,331
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
Perhaps I'm just getting old and impatient but it seems we've been getting a lot of threads lately asking for a magical solution to an electrical problem so that the poster doesn't have to do any diagnostics. It's like phoning a doctor with "Doctor, I have this pain. What's causing it?"
There are numerous possible causes for the problem and you'll have to do some testing to narrow it down. It could be a broken power wire to the door lock. It could be a bad door lock actuator. It could be a bad ground. It could be a problem with the aftermarket alarm or a relay connected to it.
First of all... does the door lock work using the factory switches? That will tell you whether the lock actuator or its wiring might be the source or whether the problem is limited to the alarm.
Then, get a test light or multimeter and start testing based on the results of using the factory switches. For example, if you get power and have a good ground at the actuator then the actuator itself is the likely problem. If the locks work with the factory switches then test the alarm's lock output signal and any relays connected there.
It's just an exercise in logic - determine what things could possibly cause the symptoms and then test to find which one is the problem.
There are numerous possible causes for the problem and you'll have to do some testing to narrow it down. It could be a broken power wire to the door lock. It could be a bad door lock actuator. It could be a bad ground. It could be a problem with the aftermarket alarm or a relay connected to it.
First of all... does the door lock work using the factory switches? That will tell you whether the lock actuator or its wiring might be the source or whether the problem is limited to the alarm.
Then, get a test light or multimeter and start testing based on the results of using the factory switches. For example, if you get power and have a good ground at the actuator then the actuator itself is the likely problem. If the locks work with the factory switches then test the alarm's lock output signal and any relays connected there.
It's just an exercise in logic - determine what things could possibly cause the symptoms and then test to find which one is the problem.
Thread Starter
9 Second Club
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From: League City, Texas
Damn, no need to be an *******. I don't deal with electronics on cars, so I just figured I'd ask incase this has happened to someone else and they had a solution.
No wonder I never post in this section...
No wonder I never post in this section...
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 11,331
Likes: 346
From: Jacksonville, FL (originally from Toronto Canada)
So I commented on the apparent laziness of many posters in these forums lately AND I suggested how you could do some testing to help narrow down the source of your problem. Do you think you might be a little too thin-skinned or maybe the comment hit just a little too close to home?
