Universal actuators installed - now unlock not working

[gmearnest]

I installed a universal actuator kit with 2 five-wire front door and 2 two-wire actuators for sliding door and rear hatch. Went through lots of issues with wiring, but now there is one last malfunction that has me stumped: the drivers door lock is not working. This kit has a keyless remote fob. If all doors are unlocked and I press the lock button on the remote, the passenger, sliding, and rear hatch will lock, but not the drivers door. Then, if all doors are open, the lock/unlock button on the passengers door will lock the same three. Finally, if all doors are unlocked and I press the drivers door lock switch to "lock," same result, all doors BUT the drivers door will lock. That would lead me to suspect the drivers door actuator is bad. But that seems unlikely since the drivers door lock worked fine a few days ago, and its actuator works with negative 12v in testing. Anyone know what compoents in the door lock system might be worth pursuing? For example, what fuses (engine and inside fuse boxes) affect door locks? What relays (also engine and insude fuse boxes affect door locks)? The Forum has considerable discussions on door locks, and I've read through them. Any ideas welcome. Thanks.

[Moppie]

G'day,

Did the car come with central locking, and you have simply replace the actuators?

Or is the kit a stand alone system to give the car central locking?

[gmearnest]

Thanks for fast reply,

Good question. No, this is a basic van with no central locking. The Actuator kit is one of those with its own control unit to receive key fob signals and send out low voltage signals to actuators and perhaps to other components. Install documentation is Spartan in the extreme, just an abstract circuit layout with no other info.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by gmearnest

Thanks for fast reply,

Good question. No, this is a basic van with no central locking. The Actuator kit is one of those with its own control unit to receive key fob signals and send out low voltage signals to actuators and perhaps to other components. Install documentation is Spartan in the extreme, just an abstract circuit layout with no other info.

So what wiring have you added?

I assume the unit has a control module, and you run power wires from that to each actuator, that is then grounded at the mounting point?

The control module also gets power and a ground, but is otherwise totally independent from anything else in the vehicle?

[gmearnest]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I've attached a somewhat crude BMP file of the new installation. Your last comment "totally independent of anything else in the vehicle" got my attention so the graphic depicts such an independent layout. I haven't yet connected the actuator pulse lines for the sliding and rear hatch as shown in the diagram, but plan to. I presume you mean that the diagram should be my goal, with connections to stock components cut?

[Moppie]

It's pretty clear then that the whole system is self contained, with a single power wire and a single ground wire.

This means your wasting your time looking for something wrong with the vehicle, fuses or relays.

The problem has to be with the actuator, the control module, or the wiring between them.

Start by rechecking all your connections, and that you have the right connections in the right places.

Then, use a multi meter to test continuity in the wiring.

[gmearnest]

There is a point I should have mentioned. This vehicle does have the stock power locks at drivers door and passenger door and its easy to replace factory actuators with aftermarket units, which is already done. But I still need to use the mechanical lock/unlock switches when inside the van. So how can I have both mechanical switch behaviour and the remote key fob feature? I apologise for not making that point earlier.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by gmearnest

There is a point I should have mentioned. This vehicle does have the stock power locks at drivers door and passenger door and its easy to replace factory actuators with aftermarket units, which is already done. But I still need to use the mechanical lock/unlock switches when inside the van. So how can I have both mechanical switch behaviour and the remote key fob feature? I apologise for not making that point earlier.

Normally the actuator and the button locks worth together using mechanical linkages.
It's why the front actuators have 5 wires, the extra 3 are for switches that get activated if you use the button lock in the door.

[olopezm]

I'm not sure if I'm following but I'll tell you something I do know. AFAIK it should apply to all windstars.

The driver's door is operated by a separate module from the rest of the doors. It is located under the dash and it's called Front Electronics Module. The rest of doors and exterior lights are operated by the Rear Electronics Module.

Now if you explain a little more what have you wired at the front doors I might be able to help. It's clear to me the rear doors had no actuators at all.

So what's working and what's not?

Oscar.

[gmearnest]

Hi,

Thanks for continuing this discussion. Yes, I'm aware of the FEM and its "role" but I don't understand how the universal kit is supposed to interconnect with the stock lock / unlock wiring. If the stock connections were cut and only the kit was connected, I might get keyless entry behavior from the kit control unit, but all the standard features available (master lock/unlock from the drivers seat) auto lock when vehicle is driven in reverse or drive, etc) would not work. Attached is a new diagram (taken from my alldatadiy membership) to show the the stock circuit. Then, in case you overlooked the diagram from earlier in the thread with Moppie, take a look at the kit circuit.

Thanks for your input!

[gmearnest]

Sorry the alldata diagram wasn't attached as I attemped. Hopefully it is here.

[gmearnest]

BMP file was apparently too large. Here it is in jpeg format. Sorry.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by gmearnest

Hi,

Thanks for continuing this discussion. Yes, I'm aware of the FEM and its "role" but I don't understand how the universal kit is supposed to interconnect with the stock lock / unlock wiring. If the stock connections were cut and only the kit was connected, I might get keyless entry behavior from the kit control unit, but all the standard features available (master lock/unlock from the drivers seat) auto lock when vehicle is driven in reverse or drive, etc) would not work. Attached is a new diagram (taken from my alldatadiy membership) to show the the stock circuit. Then, in case you overlooked the diagram from earlier in the thread with Moppie, take a look at the kit circuit.

Thanks for your input!

Did you use new wiring, or try and integrate some of the existing wiring?

[gmearnest]

I left the existing wiring with respect to door ajar, drivers and passengers manual door locks intact. Regarding the actuators on the sliding door and rear hatch, I spliced the new connections as shown in the attached revised drawing. All actuators are new and working from the master door lock/unlock switch. However, the drivers door actuator is not working.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by gmearnest

However, the drivers door actuator is not working.

If it's wired directly to the control unit, using new wiring (not the cars existing wiring) then the problem has to be one of three things:

The wiring
Check connections are in the right place and there is continuity.

The Actuator
Swap it with the one in the passengers side door.

The control unit
Send it back for a replacement.