20 replies to this topic

[kipper]

At last I have gotten to the bottom of my central locking problems. What follows is really just a Heads Up for those of you that have this feature and might be experiencing some problems.

Symtoms:

After a few main battery discharges over a long period of time this might happen:

Only able to effectively lock the car with the key fob, alarm engauged with flashing red light on dash board.

Unable to unlock the car with the key fob. Locking button on door tries to weakly pop up, but not enough to unlock the
door. If locking button is raised manually and the door opened, alarm triggered.

Manual locking button on steering column, also has the same response, i.e, only able to trigger locking mechanisum to lock the car, very weak unlock response.


Possible problems with alarm latching in the always on position. Suspect alarm module malfunction. Disconnect alarm module, to fully discharge unit and possible reset of unit.
Reconnect alarm module, still the same problem.

Try Key fob and manual locking release, now no response at all on unlocking commands. Alarm unit active in both states, unlock/lock. Pressing the key fob, causes the red alarm light on the dash to flash slower.

Solution:

Locate Central locking module (a lotus part # A116M6048F, CDL module), located on far right of area under the main dash, behind the light switch cluster.





Relplace unit and all works fine

Throughout the fault finding proceedure it did not help that one of my key fobs was not working, sending me down fruitless trails. However, looking back in hind sight I guess that the CDL was the obvious culprit.

[techieboy]

Glad you managed to get to the bottom of it, in the end.

[kipper]

Glad you managed to get to the bottom of it, in the end.

Thanks Matt, it took a while to get there, but help from you and Ouchie, helped me along the way. Would have been interesting to find out how much the CDL module was from Vauxhall..£48 from Lotus.

[Coral flash]

Thanks for that Kipper, sounds very similar to a problem I am having with mine. I was going to start by taking the driver's door card off and changing the master lock motor and wouldn't have had a clue where to look if this had failed. will let you know how I get on. thanx again cf

Edited by Coral flash, 30 November 2010 - 11:24 PM.

[Ouchie]

Glad you sorted it out. Was it just as simple as swapping the cdl unit? Wiring was all fine or is it a plug attachment?

[kipper]

Glad you sorted it out. Was it just as simple as swapping the cdl unit? Wiring was all fine or is it a plug attachment?

Yep, the CDL module is connected by a multipin plug, so just a simple case of unplugging the old unit and plugging in the new.
Glad that it was not th alarm unit that was at fault, as it would have cost me much more in time and money, plus it would have not solved the problem. However, all in all much cheaper than handing it over to a local Vauxhall dealer to solve

[kipper]

Thanks for that Kipper, sounds very similar to a problem I am having with mine. I was going to start by taking the driver's door card off and changing the master lock motor and wouldn't have had a clue where to look if this had failed.
will let you know how I get on.

thanx again
cf

I got as far as taking off the leather trim panel that surrounds the locking button on the door, only to find that you would have to take off more trim and bits to get to the locking motors..so gave up on that route. Plus both motors failing at the same time was very unlikely.
I think the clue to the fault was the very weak response from the locking motors when trying to unlock the car. The motors showed a very strong response to the lock command.

If it is the CDL module don't forget there are six self tappers holding down the dash top, two are hidden behind the light switch cluster. I only replaced four as the other two are almost impossible to get back in place.

Hope this helps and good luck.

Dave

[A-GAME]

Excellent work- i have exactly the same symptoms and this looks like this could sort it. Was it easy to remove the dash trim?

[iVXT]

I've got similar but opposite problem. Have a look here http://www.vx220.org...88#entry1168088 Will bump that up again from yesterday & hopefully we might get some advise on one of the threads. Cheers.

[JohnTurbo]

Looks like i have this problem. Locks come up *just* enough so that if your reactions are spot on you can open the door....then they shoot back down again. Will force one of my electrical engineers to attempt a repair to the module. *Cackle* Kipper...excellent work on posting the solution up. 99.4% of people wouldn't have done this. (if it works on facebook...)

[iVXT]

Looks like i have this problem. Locks come up *just* enough so that if your reactions are spot on you can open the door....then they shoot back down again.

Will force one of my electrical engineers to attempt a repair to the module. *Cackle*


Kipper...excellent work on posting the solution up. 99.4% of people wouldn't have done this.
(if it works on facebook...)

I haven't tackled this yet but wondered if there was another way of accessing the module without having to take all the dash to pieces?

Maybe through the light switch panel hole? Could there be enough room to get to the wiring and unplug the cable from the CDL module & then attach new module & push back in the hole. I know this would mean leaving the old module in there but trying to avoid removing the whole dash. .

I've read people do it on Elise through front facing air vent that their dash has in a similar way.

Any ideas? Also be interested how you get on with trying to repair it.

Cheers.

[Ouchie]

There's no room to get your hand in through the slot behind the light switch panel. If you have tiny hands or a child and some plasters...

[iVXT]

There's no room to get your hand in through the slot behind the light switch panel. If you have tiny hands or a child and some plasters...

That's a shame. Was just a thought.

Cheers.

[mikeerhymes]

Looks like I need one of these now having the same symptoms. Anyone know the cheapest place to get them from, Lotus/Vauxhall main dealer? I've seen them on the internet for around £80 delivered, does that sound right? Cheers!

[mikeerhymes]

FAO: iVXT. I can confirm it IS possible without removing the dash. I don't have particularly small hands, it was a squeeze but managed to do the job through the light switch gap. Just be careful of the sharp aluminium corners, didn't even need a plaster   !

 

For info: 

 

Christopher Niel: £70.71+vat

 

Silverstone: £81.98

 

Vauxhall: £86+vat

 

Lipscomb: £70.71+vat

 

Bell & Colvill: £84.85

 

Elise-Shop.com: £84.52

 

 

[iVXT]

FAO: iVXT. I can confirm it IS possible without removing the dash. I don't have particularly small hands, it was a squeeze but managed to do the job through the light switch gap. Just be careful of the sharp aluminium corners, didn't even need a plaster   !   For info:    Christopher Niel: £70.71+vat   Silverstone: £81.98   Vauxhall: £86+vat   Lipscomb: £70.71+vat   Bell & Colvill: £84.85   Elise-Shop.com: £84.52    

Thanks for the info but I already managed it around a year ago. I posted it was possible in the other thread I linked to earlier #18. Cheers for updating this thread though mate

[mikeerhymes]

Ah yeah didn't spot that, no problem 👍

[mikeerhymes]

Anyone have any ideas what I can try next, still having problems. This is what's happening.... Using the rocker switch on the steering column I can lock and unlock the car without fault, pins go up and down as normal. Using the fob, the car will lock fine, door pins go down. Press fob to unlock, door pins stay still, indicators flash for immobiliser disarm. If the window is open I can lean in and use the rocker to unlock but nothing from fob. I have changed for new after trying to diagnose from others fixes: Central Door locking Module A116M6048F Bosch Inertia relay in passenger footwell Anyone have any ideas? Thanks

[Stevie]

I know, it's an old topic...but at the moment I've exactly the same problem like @mikeerhymes.

Using the rocker switch on the steering column is working fine. Using the fob I can lock the doors, but unlock fails the same way as @mikeerhymes mentioned.

Is there anybody out there with a solution for this pain in the a...

 

TIA

Stevie

[chappers2000]

When I fitted remote central locking to my NA, it wouldn't lock from the fob, didn't have a rocker to try,but some graphite spray on the white plastic tabs and lock mechanism freed it all up great and worked a treat from then on.