Central Locking Won't Stay Locked - Help Please!

[159john]

Hi All,

 

I've not been able to find this specific problem using the search, so forgive me if I'm covering old ground.

 

My Mk2 Galaxy (54 plate TDI Ghia) locks using the key in the lock or the remote (although the remote is a bit temperamental), but 5 seconds after it has locked, you can hear the locking motors whirring again, and find that the car has automatically unlocked itself :-(. Currently, the only way I've found that I can get the car to stay locked is to reach in through the rear door and operate the internal locking button on the Driver's door panel, and then manually lock the rear door before closing it - bit of a pfaff every time I need to lock the car. I've been all round the car and checked that all doors, boot, bonnet and fuel flap are properly closed, so I don't believe that to be the problem.

 

Prior to this latest issue, the Central Locking was only operating on the front doors and tailgate - something I was prepared to live with. I know from other posts that the culprit for that problem seems likely to be a broken wire in the driver's door or tailgate loom. I've had a look and can't see any obvious breaks; and having no electrical testing equipment (or capabilities!) myself, I'm going to probably have to give it to my local garage to look at - the problem is that I'm self employed and can't afford to be without the car for any longer than absolutely necessary, so any help people here can give me to point the garage in the right direction will be very gratefully appreciated.

 

Many thanks (and great site by the way)

 

John.

[daddyfixit]

drivers front door loom;  mine done the same and also wound down the front windows a few minutes after being locked !

[159john]

drivers front door loom;  mine done the same and also wound down the front windows a few minutes after being locked !

Out of interest daddyfixit, did you repair or replace the loom? I'm wondering how expensive it is to replace it because if one wire's broken, chances are the rest are in a pretty poor state (my car's done 128k).

[daddyfixit]

I repaired the loom on mine;

 

3 wires needed attention, so I extended each wire instead of just joining them together, I soldered/heatshrunk a  3" loop of wire ---so the repaired section was moved out of the hinge area (that causes the breaks).

 

also I have done the same on tailgate loom;  as there are so many thin wires in the rubber gaiter I have never just soldered broken wires together, but extended them all so they are moved out of the area that caused breaks---the new looped wire will be free to flex about as tailgate opens/closes.

Edited March 29, 2016 by daddyfixit

[159john]

Thanks daddyfixit - much appreciated. Being a complete novice, I was somehow hoping that the section of the loom could just be replaced - sort of plug and play idea; from what I've learnt today, the loom in a car is all one piece. I'll get my mechanic to do as you suggest with a repair using overlength wire - fortunately for me his day job is at a VW dealership and he runs an Alhambra as his own car. No doubt he's already had to do this repair on his own car!

[159john]

Quick update on this; my mechanic found this was the state of the wiring going into both rear doors! Clearly am amateur (Although I'm lead to believe it was done by a local garage) had got to it before I bought the car. It's all sorted now with new wire added to keep the joins outside the area that flexes. Central locking restored to full functionality :-).

[sparky Paul]

A familiar sight, and a picture that shows the problem perfectly... that's the kind of bodging I referred to in the other broken wires thread recently, I'm guilty of it myself.

 

The only permanent fix is the replacement of damaged bits as daddyfixit said above.

[daddyfixit]

afraid so,  seen loads of "repairs " like this over the years........and then had to fix them.

 

best way is a small loop of wire, soldered at both ends and then use heat-shrink tubing, this takes strain off repair area and the loop takes away the cause of the breaks.