95 legacy L - keyless entry fails to lock doors - help!

[Rebecca Wagaman]

Ahh, a new symptom for my poor car. Today apparently was the day when the
keyless entry (Chapman aftermarket alarm) system decided it wasn't going to
play nice with the power locks anymore.

Here's what I've done:
Read all related archived entries on alt.autos.subaru that might be remotely
(no pun intended) related.
Played around with the remote and manually locking the driver's door with a
key.

Findings:
Found that the remote is still sending a lock/unlock signal to the door (I
can hear it)
The car can easily be locked/unlocked with the key. Unfortunately for me, I
almost never use my keys on the door locks so if it can't be fixed
cheaply/easily I will have to relearn a new habit.

**Preexisting conditions:**
For many years now, the driver's side door lock inside switch cannot be
manually locked or unlocked. I believe it broke once upon a time with some
combination of me opening the door and either bumping the remote or I had my
hand on the door lock. If I want to unlock the car doors when the car is
running I must open the driver's door or pull on the handle just enough to
get the doors to unlock.

Also, the rubber-covered spring that tells the dome light to come on has
been broken for probably as long as the driver's inside lock - my errant
seatbelt got caught in the door and the plastic smashed enough that it
worked poorly for some time and doesn't seem to work at all anymore (light
does not come on when the driver's door is opened but does if any other door
opens). It happened to seem more bent than usual today, but I don't think
it's causing the problem.

Possible diagnosis:
I have next to no electrical training besides some crappy physics classes I
was forced to take years ago... nonetheless I don't think it's an electrical
problem. I think the problem could relate to the driver's inside door lock
but I don't understand why, after so many years that the problem should
worsen.

Here's the weird thing. IIRC, the way I found out that there was a problem
was that I used the remote to unlock/disarm today like I always do. I
needed to put some items on the left rear seat, but that door's lock didn't
unlock while the other 3 did. I unlocked it manually by reaching around
inside. That was the last time that the remote unlocked/locked any doors.
I don't know if it is significant in any way, but there it is.

Awaiting your sage advice,
Rebecca

 

[Bill Pelka]

Greetings,

Is it possible that the door switch that does not turn the light on any
more also tells the system that the door is closed and can be locked. Isn't
that what would happen if the door was wide open? Might want to test that
logic with the properly operating passengers side.

I have a '95 Legacy LSi Sedan. When the passengers door is open and I try to
lock all the doors, that door DOES NOT lock. I would mess with the door
switch on the drivers side and see if that works...

Try holding the "bent up" switch with the door open and see if it works.
Then order a new switch. Should not be that hard to fix.

Bill
1995 Subaru Legacy LSi with 114K Miles...

 

[Rebecca Wagaman]

Top posting, sorry.

Yes, I also already tried holding the switch in with the door open. It
makes no difference - the light does not ever come on...however, if the door
is open and the key is in the ignition I do get the warning beeps. Does
that switch only control the light and not function as a door-open sensor?
I would think if the switch wasn't working (car thought door was always
open) that I would have had a dome light -->battery problem quite a long
time ago.

I also just spent some time looking through my Chilton manual (85-96) and
didn't see any information that was useful to me, aside from possibly the
diagram of the power door lock assembly. I couldn't find anything related
to the door-open/light-on switch (which I don't really think is the
problem).

Rebecca

 

[Rebecca Wagaman]

Update:

I hadn't tried much anything with the car alarm. I had the car on valet
mode (no alarm), switched it back to regular alarm. I armed the alarm
(doors didn't lock). I opened the driver's door - alarm didn't go off.
Bad. I opened the rear door - alarm went off. This definitely points to
the door switch. Is it possible that I only half-broke it before but now
it's all-broken?? It would certainly help if I understood these concepts
better. \

I also am having trouble determining what the real name of the door switch
is - I am trying to find out if it's a part that I might be able to replace.
Barring that, how much the part is and how much it might cost to repair.

Rebecca

 

[Rebecca Wagaman]

Whee.

Subaru parts says "door pin switch", $15. I also saw how easy it was to
access by removing the trim panel. I could do it myself except I don't know
how the electrical connection goes. I am still concerned that there is a
further problem but I am at a loss.

Rebecca

 

[Rick Courtright]

Subaru parts says "door pin switch", $15. I also saw how easy it was o
access by removing the trim panel. I could do it myself except I
don't know how the electrical connection goes. I am still concerned
that there is a further problem but I am at a loss.

Hi,

The price of the switch tells me they probably sell a LOT of 'em
(keeping the price down! ) If they SELL a lot, what might that tell
us? Hmmm...

Ok, now that you're gonna order the switch (right?), and get the panel
off (that's probably the hardest part), you'll probably find one of a
couple of simple sytems to hook up the "electricals"--the switch will
have a little pigtail with a plastic connector, or it will have spade
connectors the wires just plug onto (the older system, but still seen.)
Before doing anything with the plastic connector, examine it carefully:
you're looking for little "catches" that ensure the connector doesn't
come undone on its own. A small screwdriver, nail or other pointy object
is sometimes required to push the catch in while you pull things apart.

Before putting it back together, it's a good idea to put some dielectric
grease (available at the auto parts store--tiny tube, big price! If the
price scares you, use some Vaseline) inside the connector to help
protect against corrosion. Then snap it back together and that part of
the job's done. Sometimes there's a bit of corrosion in the connectors
that requires you to pull the connection apart a couple of times to get
a good contact, and once in a while you may need to use a screwdriver or
knife tip to clean the old connector side.

Now you've eliminated one KNOWN problem. With luck, it will eliminate or
help you find the next one, which is the grumpy door lock. If the lock
still doesn't work, it may take some head scratching from there. Judging
by the cost and aggravation of fixing such things on my Camry (only car
I own with all the bells and whistles, ALL of which become problematic
w/ time!) I'd learn to use the key myself...

Best of luck,

Rick

 

[Bill Pelka]

Greetings,

The switch appears to be easy to change. The connectors are "Idiot Proof"
and the hardest part is trying to figure out how to pull it apart and find
any hidden "Locks" on the plastic connector. AND the connector only has 1
wire. It grounds thru the mounting screw.

There is also a door lock switch that is behind where the key would go.
This sends a signal to the on-board security system. Not sure if the L had
it, but the LSi does. It appears that if the security system is not
installed, then there might not be a second set of contacts that tell the
security system the position of the door lock (locked/unlocked).

Check out this to see the images of the factory/Subaru Installation
Manual. Russ also has a '95 LSi and he installed this. It is for model years
beyond our '95. SUBARU installed a "Modified" control panel and used the
Security portion and not the Keyless entry.


Russ's Site info at http://www.randomsoup.com/subie/

I am also sending you some PDF's about the system to your email address...

Bill

 

[Bill Pelka]

Greetings,

The switch appears to be easy to change. The connectors are "Idiot Proof"
and the hardest part is trying to figure out how to pull it apart and find
any hidden "Locks" on the plastic connector. AND the connector only has 1
wire. It grounds thru the mounting screw.

There is also a door lock switch that is behind where the key would go.
This sends a signal to the on-board security system. Not sure if the L had
it, but the LSi does. It appears that if the security system is not
installed, then there might not be a second set of contacts that tell the
security system the position of the door lock (locked/unlocked).

Check out this to see the images of the factory/Subaru Installation
Manual. Russ also has a '95 LSi and he installed this. It is for model years
beyond our '95. SUBARU installed a "Modified" control panel and used the
Security portion and not the Keyless entry.


Russ's Site info at http://www.randomsoup.com/subie/

I am also sending you some PDF's about the system to your email address...

Bill

 

[Rebecca Wagaman]

Greetings,

The switch appears to be easy to change. The connectors are "Idiot Proof"
and the hardest part is trying to figure out how to pull it apart and find
any hidden "Locks" on the plastic connector. AND the connector only has 1
wire. It grounds thru the mounting screw.

There is also a door lock switch that is behind where the key would go.
This sends a signal to the on-board security system. Not sure if the L had
it, but the LSi does. It appears that if the security system is not
installed, then there might not be a second set of contacts that tell the
security system the position of the door lock (locked/unlocked).

Check out this to see the images of the factory/Subaru Installation
Manual. Russ also has a '95 LSi and he installed this. It is for model
years
beyond our '95. SUBARU installed a "Modified" control panel and used the
Security portion and not the Keyless entry.


Russ's Site info at http://www.randomsoup.com/subie/

I am also sending you some PDF's about the system to your email address...

Bill

Thanks, Bill. Got the PDFs, should be quite helpful, especially the 'room
light and door switch', at least initially. Yup, I had already read Russ's
site before I posted. I tend to think that the LSi setup might be different
enough since it had the only factory-installed security, versus my
aftermarket on the L (which I bought in 1997 so I don't know the specifics
regarding where the security install was done). I'm really not up on all
the electrical stuff, so what I think I might do is ask them to replace the
switch (or maybe I'll attempt - do I need to disconnect the neg. terminal on
battery??) but I'll also take the Allen Block TSB with me. Finding the TSBs
was not as trivial as I thought but when I searched by the P/N that brought
it right up.

Rebecca

 

[Bill Pelka]

Okay,

I think that disconnecting the ground won't hurt. That way you will NOT
have a problem...

Bill

 

[Victor Roberts]

Okay,

I think that disconnecting the ground won't hurt. That way you will NOT
have a problem...

If you are only disconnecting the switch that detects an
open door there is not need to disconnect the battery. This
is a grounding switch. The wire that is disconnected from
the switch is meant to be grounded when the door is open,
The worst that will happen if the disconnected wire touches
ground is that the light will go on.

 

[Rebecca Wagaman]

Ok, update, hope maybe someone will be around to reaed this!

I replaced the switch today. Well, one of the service managers did it for
me when I asked to borrow a screwdriver. Dead easy, and no car-disassembly
like I had first imagined.

Now the light works again, but the problem with the door locks is still
unsolved.

I pulled the fuse for the power door locks and it looks fine.

The service manager told me how to take the door panel off and what to look
for if I wanted to try to fix the dysfunctional driver's door lock/latch
(inside). Might attempt it on a braver day. I just still can't think of
what would cause the problem. Bad wire?

Rebecca

 

[Blair Baucom]

Well as you stated before that you can hear it, that implies the wire is ok.
I think from all your information that the linkage from the solenoid to the
lock has broken or came loose. So looks like the next step is to look inside
the door panel.

Blair

 

[Rick Courtright]

lock has broken or came loose. So looks like the next step is to look > inside the door panel.

Hi,

Once you're inside the panel, don't discount the value of a little
lubrication! My locks get rather grumpy when they get dry...

Rick