Door locks?

bigairboarder44 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-04-08, 03:05 PM

Hey guys I searched all I could but couldn't find anything. Anyway, I was wondering how the automatic door locks work. When I press the lock and unlock buttons I can hear a clanking but when I try to open the door, it opens right up. How are these supposed to work because every time i want to lock my car, I have to manually lock the doors with the key from the outside. Is that how it's supposed to work?

Thanks

Oh and I have a black '88

c5 rv · #2 (**permalink**) 12-04-08, 04:34 PM

Can you lock the doors easily with the key or using the manual paddle in front of the armrest? If it is stiff, the mechanism in the door may need to be adjusted and lubed. My passenger door lock mechanism is very stiff.

bigairboarder44 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-04-08, 08:14 PM

Well the key locks the door easily and the paddle works fine but it doesn't totally lock it (I can still open the door after it is inthe locked position). Is that broken?

c5 rv · #4 (**permalink**) 12-04-08, 09:09 PM

You probably need to remove the door panel and "fiddle" with it. Then, if you're like me, take the pieces to someone who knows what they're doing who can really fix it.

bigairboarder44 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-05-08, 01:33 AM

Really wish I had decided to tackle this problem at an earlier date in the year. I will definitely fiddle with it this weekend and if I find anything I'll report back. Thanks for the help so far

carnut · #6 (**permalink**) 12-05-08, 01:31 PM

The rod that connects to the paddle is threaded and adjustable. Also if the window switch wiring is not routed correctly, secured with a nylon wrap tie, it will rub on the lock linkage. If both locks act the same, I would think the linkage within the door needs lubed. Coming up to the locked car, you insert key and turn it twice. That unlocks first the driver then the passenger doors. They are not "automatic" they are only power door locks.

Michael Mullins · #7 (**permalink**) 12-06-08, 01:12 PM

I'll be working on my doors soon and have a 'lock' question. Turning the key twice doesn't unlock the passenger door just the drivers side.

Both door lock function normally otherwise.

The anti-theft module I believe has been removed or disabled as I have no resistor style key and the dash doesn't display any anti-theft system armed or such upon startup. Are these related perhaps or separate problems.

Michael Mullins · #8 (**permalink**) 12-06-08, 01:19 PM

Oh, I forgot to say that when I had a set of keys made the locksmith sprayed all my locks with a lub and they are now operating very smoothly. Before that they were all very tight - to the point of thinking the key may break off.

carnut · #9 (**permalink**) 12-06-08, 05:03 PM

An 87 has no pellet key. That came along around 91. To verify you have an alarm, simply lock the door from the arm rest power switch, window down, as you exit. then reach in after 20 seconds and unlock the door with the manual lever. Open the door, the horns should go on and the headlights start flashing. To shut it down insert key on driver door and relock.

bigairboarder44 · #10 (**permalink**) 12-08-08, 01:35 PM

Sorry guys I went out of town at the last second and wasn't able to test anything out but hopefully I will today if we don't get any snow here. Anyway, I tried turning it twice with both doors locked and it unlocked the driver's side but it didn't unlock the passenger side although I could hear something working. Is that the thing you are talking about that I need to lube? I'm not really understanding how the doors are supposed to work. (Sorry for my stupidity)

c5 rv · #11 (**permalink**) 12-08-08, 09:32 PM

That's the same thing mine does. Do the key and paddle work smoothly on the right side? If they do, there is probably something amiss with the power lock. If the key and paddle work stiffly, if at all, the mechanism needs to be lubed and adjusted as described above.

DavidL · #12 (**permalink**) 12-11-08, 05:58 PM

I think I'm missing something here; wasn't the original question whether or not the doors were locked, as you could open the door from the inside while the door lock paddle was in the forward (locked) position? Yes, that's normal; the door is locked on the outside, but you can still open the door from the inside without having to move the paddle back (my '08 CTS works the same way; doors are locked on the outside, but can be opened from inside by just pulling on the handle.

David

carnut · #13 (**permalink**) 12-11-08, 08:28 PM

The item of confusion is whether he is getting out of a locked car or entering a locked car. The original thread only says "when opening the door" so it was not clearly stated to begin with.

bigairboarder44 · #14 (**permalink**) 12-13-08, 02:09 AM

To clarify, when I am sitting in the car with the door closed and press the lock button, I can still open the door by just pulling the handle. The same goes for the manual paddle.

Now, when I open the car door, and either press the lock button or push the paddle forward, then step out of the car and close the door, I can still open the door.

When I press the lock button or push the paddle, should the car lock so you can't enter without the key? Because right now, the only way I can really lock the car is putting the key in and locking it.

And that goes for both the driver and passenger doors.

Hopefully, this clears up any confusion there was.

DavidL · #15 (**permalink**) 12-13-08, 02:29 PM

Hey, thanks for the response.

YES, you should be able to open the door from the inside when the doors are locked without having to move the paddle or use the lock button; NO, you should be able to lock the doors by pressing the button or paddle, then close the doors; they should be locked from the outside.

Hope you get this problem solved.

David