Electrical Problems/disabling Alarm

[kester]

I have an mk2 03 Galaxy tdi (272k miles) , but this thread it about my almost identical mk2 2004 Alhambra tdi (178k miles), bought from ebay with no MOT and history, and windows don't open and doors didn't lock, although it seems to be going OK otherwise after some minor suspension fixing.

 

I fixed the windows (except for one) by soldering the earth wire in the drivers door gaiter, and seemed to have fixed central locking by replacing a fuse (5A, think fuse 31 in bottom row above diagnostic connector). Central locking then worked using key in drivers door lock, and alarm was armed, but after removing key from ignition there seemed to be a clicking coming from drivers door (and possibly a rear one) that possibly could be a locking mechanism repeatedly trying to lock, and when locked red light in driver door flashed repeatedly every second or so [possibly implying there was some problem?]? Next day my wife unlocked it and alarm continually goes off, ignition starts but cant stop alarm, and central locking doesn't lock all doors any more.

 

Any ideas, in particular is there a way of disabling the alarm so we can drive it temporarily until I get a chance to investigate further? I assume it is either more broken wires in door or possibly failed locking mechanism?

 

Appreciate any suggestions, too cold and wet to spend too long on it this evening in the dark ;( !

[sparky Paul]

Your problem will almost certainly be more broken wires. It will probably be easier to fix (or at least bodge for now) the broken wires, and there is always the risk that they will blow the fuse again.

 

If you have looked in the driver's door gaiter, there is a very good chance that the problem is in the tailgate gaiter on the right hand side - the tailgate wiring is usually the first to fail. All the tailgate wiring goes through here, the left side one only carries the washer pipe.

 

Fortunately, the tailgate ones are the easiest to access. If you unclip the rubber gaiter at the car body end and pull it back, any problems will be obvious - expect to find quite a few.

[kester]

cheers mate. So no instant way to disable the alarm, just got to do a wiring fix?

[BrianH]

I think i was able to pull fuse 19 (this was on a mk1 petrol though) and stop the central locking doing anything by doing so. No alarm on that one but would think its worth a try.

 

Incidentally if you have just resoldered the original wires together there is a good chance they will break again - Soldering in a new piece of wire (with as little joined inside the gaiter as possible) is the best way to go.

 

Don't rule out the boot gaiter as those are the worst for breaking due to the angles involved, and cause all manner of odd problems there.

 

Final thing - if you sit inside the car if one door doesn't trigger on locking then manually locking that door (key from outside if its a front door) may be enough to get it to behave.

 

Alternatively disconnect the negative from the battery will stop the alarm, make sure the car isn't deadlocked when you do it though. (best to do this when its unlocked, then lock manually afterwards)

[BrianH]

Just reread your post - I'd remove that fuse you replaced and see if it stops the alarm if you haven't already tried that.

 

It sounds like the car is seeing one of the front doors fail to lock - Its either the wiring in the gaiter or a failed lock causing that to happen. It won't be a rear door causing that (i had that on the mk1 where it would not stay locked without pulling the central locking fuse though they all moved, that was the boot gaiter in that case though i found wires in a poor state in every door except the passenger front)

 

Also insulation tape over the breaks may be enough to shut the alarm up for now (at least it will stop them shorting out)

Edited February 8, 2018 by BrianH

[kester]

thanks. Yeah i'd already tried removing the fuse, but no joy. Suspect wiring or locks, will check the boot gaiter in the morning,fortunately it's quiet when left, only sounds when doors open or engine running!

 

cheers

[gregers]

nothing more to add then whats already suggested.

 

oh check check and check again,i fibbed.

[kester]

Looked at the tailgate wires this morning, and at least visually it all looks perfect. However you are quite right, the 5A fuse (think fuse 31) that I think controls central locking is burnt again, so there is a slim chance that once I get a replacement for this, I MAY be able to properly unlock the central locking and disarm the alarm (not quite sure how they both work together).

 

Also good news is that removing 2 of the mini fuses in vertical column on left stopped the siren and hazards, so I can at least work on it now in peace (and potentially drive it i think, minus indicators)!

 

I assume door wires probably problem, so I'll investigate further. Brian, I forgot to confirm I did solder in a new piece of wire in door gaiter (albeit incorrect colour!), but there are at least 2 or 3 joins by previous owner that could be a culprit (albeit the heatshrink looks to be good/tight), but there are still two near side doors I've not yet investigated, so it could be one of them.

 

cheers

[BrianH]

Looked at the tailgate wires this morning, and at least visually it all looks perfect. However you are quite right, the 5A fuse (think fuse 31) that I think controls central locking is burnt again, so there is a slim chance that once I get a replacement for this, I MAY be able to properly unlock the central locking and disarm the alarm (not quite sure how they both work together).

 

Also good news is that removing 2 of the mini fuses in vertical column on left stopped the siren and hazards, so I can at least work on it now in peace (and potentially drive it i think, minus indicators)!

 

I assume door wires probably problem, so I'll investigate further. Brian, I forgot to confirm I did solder in a new piece of wire in door gaiter (albeit incorrect colour!), but there are at least 2 or 3 joins by previous owner that could be a culprit (albeit the heatshrink looks to be good/tight), but there are still two near side doors I've not yet investigated, so it could be one of them.

 

cheers

Think you'd find it impossible to colour match to the original wires - long as the bits either end of your new bit are the right colour then your heading in the right direction! Broken wires in these don't usually blow fuses so it may be that you have a dud lock motor mechanism - Would suggest checking the current drawn across the fuse with a multimeter and if it looks suspect then unplugging the doors one at a time from the connector may help to narrow it down.

 

Not sure without looking, but you may find the hazards and indicator feeds aren't on the same fuse, so you may still have working indicators?

[kester]

Thank you, as always Brian.

I replaced the 5A central locking fuse and unlocked it with key and that worked so alarm is disarmed :) I probably should have attempted this before bothering you all, but nowhere nearby to get fuses, so i had to wait for ebay post.

 

Alarm siren and indicators were on different fuses (51 & 53 i think), but indicators were flashing with alarm when engine running, so had to disable them too! At least i know how to shut alarm up when it goes again.

 

Just looked in rear door and many wires broken, cant believe anything works! i'll have to fix them and see what transpires, whether we still get locking clicking indicating faulty motor. 

 

When say check current across fuse, how do you do this, just tiny probes if i can get them onto fuse blades while its fitted, or some special technique?

And when you say unplugging the doors, you mean by removing the door card and unplugging the connector on the locking motor?

Cheers

[BrianH]

Thank you, as always Brian.

I replaced the 5A central locking fuse and unlocked it with key and that worked so alarm is disarmed :) I probably should have attempted this before bothering you all, but nowhere nearby to get fuses, so i had to wait for ebay post.

 

Alarm siren and indicators were on different fuses (51 & 53 i think), but indicators were flashing with alarm when engine running, so had to disable them too! At least i know how to shut alarm up when it goes again.

 

Just looked in rear door and many wires broken, cant believe anything works! i'll have to fix them and see what transpires, whether we still get locking clicking indicating faulty motor. 

 

When say check current across fuse, how do you do this, just tiny probes if i can get them onto fuse blades while its fitted, or some special technique?

And when you say unplugging the doors, you mean by removing the door card and unplugging the connector on the locking motor?

Cheers

I think you will find a spade connector (Like this > https://www.amazon.co.uk/Foxnovo-Connector-Insulated-Terminals-Electrical/dp/B01IN9QQBQ/ref=sr_1_7 ) should fit in place of the fuse, and allow you to probe safely with a multimeter. But if the rear hatch is full of broken wires fix that first as you might not need to mess further with it then

 

This bag of horrors was what the one on my MK1 was like when I first pulled it apart - The bodgery was someone elses work. Was a case of starting again there with the whole loom through the door.