Central Locking

[openwater]

'99 US Boxster 2.5

I started having some unusual electrical problems a few weeks ago... the passenger window was not dropping, manual lock light going on, etc. As I had done a number of years ago, I replaced the plastic part of the ignition switch under the dash. Last time that solved my issues, this time with no luck. With Maurice's help I diagnosed and replaced a bad passenger side locking mechanism. The window drop when activating both the inner and out handles is perfect now, thanks Maurice. At first, the intermittent lock light on the dash mounted rocker switch stayed off. Great, two birds with one stone. But today the lock light is back on... In the 10 years I've had this car I probably have used this manual lock switch less than a dozen times.

Here are the symptoms;My key fob button went out years ago, I've been opening the car manually for years with no problem.

When the car first starts, the "lock light" may self illuminate, it may not.

After driving a while the light will come on for sure.

While running, touch the unlock side of the switch and the light tuns off briefly, you hear the door locks cycle through twice, the horn beeps twice and the lock light re-illuminates.

When locking with a key (the only way I can) the driver's door locks, but the passenger side doesn't.

The alarm does not arm.

The windows now work perfectly.If you happen to turn the car off when the rocker switch light is not illuminated, both doors will lock and the alarm will arm.

The only other repair I did recently was replace the steering wheel air bag frame.... the horn was "going off on its own". This door lock issue started before the horn issue, and has continued after the new frame was installed.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Steve

[1schoir]

'99 US Boxster 2.5

I started having some unusual electrical problems a few weeks ago... the passenger window was not dropping, manual lock light going on, etc. As I had done a number of years ago, I replaced the plastic part of the ignition switch under the dash. Last time that solved my issues, this time with no luck. With Maurice's help I diagnosed and replaced a bad passenger side locking mechanism. The window drop when activating both the inner and out handles is perfect now, thanks Maurice. At first, the intermittent lock light on the dash mounted rocker switch stayed off. Great, two birds with one stone. But today the lock light is back on... In the 10 years I've had this car I probably have used this manual lock switch less than a dozen times.

Here are the symptoms;My key fob button went out years ago, I've been opening the car manually for years with no problem.

When the car first starts, the "lock light" may self illuminate, it may not.

After driving a while the light will come on for sure.

While running, touch the unlock side of the switch and the light tuns off briefly, you hear the door locks cycle through twice, the horn beeps twice and the lock light re-illuminates.

When locking with a key (the only way I can) the driver's door locks, but the passenger side doesn't.

The alarm does not arm.

The windows now work perfectly.If you happen to turn the car off when the rocker switch light is not illuminated, both doors will lock and the alarm will arm.

The only other repair I did recently was replace the steering wheel air bag frame.... the horn was "going off on its own". This door lock issue started before the horn issue, and has continued after the new frame was installed.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Steve

Steve:

Thanks for the kudos.

The following is assuming that your immobilizer has not gotten wet, and that there is no water or moisture under the driver's seat.

What may be going on now is that your driver's side lock assembly is on the fritz. More specifically, either the microswitch INSIDE the door lock assembly is bad, or, more likely there is a loose/broken or intermittent connection from the wiring harness at that point to the assembly's microswitch.

When it is acting up (i.e., the light goes on by itself, you press the button to turn it off and it turns itself back on, etc.) , if the driver's side window drops the 1/2 inch when you pull on the door handle but then sometimes goes up while the door is open and you let go of the inner door handle, that is very likely the problem.

You're going to have to take off the door panel, but you may not have to take apart (or replace) the door lock assembly. With the door panel off, jiggle the wires going into the door lock assembly, press them into the connector, pull on them, etc. and see if that has any effect on the operation.

Some guys have had luck with heating up the connections with a soldering iron, just enough to flow solder onto the wires and that has solved the problem permanently.

If I find a photo of how that was done, I'll post it here.

Regards, Maurice.

[nitesho]

Do you have an iphone 4? do you keep it near the switch?

If so. that's your problem. it interferes with the lock.