Problem is my central locking isn't working. There is power to both switches (drivers & pass.) but when I hit the buttons nothing happens. The chances of both the drivers side and passenger side solonoid going at the same time is slim.

I'm wondering if there is a relay in the system somewhere, and if so where is it located?

Thanks for any help.

 

Yes there is a relay for the power door locks on your car. It is located behind the left kick panel on the left side of the car just below the hood release cable. That is for the american & canadian built cars that have the steering wheel on the proper side of the car.

 

Thanks Trickster. I'll check out the relay and see what I come up with.

btw, my steering wheel is on the proper side, problem is everyone over here drives on the wrong side. I'd never get it converted.

 

Haven't progressed any further with this, will do it over the weekend. Anyone know if the relay is prone breaking?

 

Yours should be the type that grounds to the car frame where it is attached.

 

Got it sorted, it was a bad earth. Thanks for the help.

 

I'm sorting threw the same things, where was the ground at?

 

His was grounded where it mounts to the frame of the car, yours will be grounded elsewhere in the car.

 

I know I let the post die, but where will my ground be? I changed the actuators and the things still sucks nuts. It is not the linkage either (its been siliconed to death), because with the actuator not installed the actuator barely moves.

 

On your car it will be grounded at the rear of the center console if you have power windows and mirrors. If you don't have the power mirrors and windows it will be grounded under the drivers seat.

 

I see the two grounds now. They look fine. Which one goes to what though? Also are those small boxes under the console relays and if so what for? I think my relay might be overheating, its good for the first few presses then gets sluggish, but if I wait awhile its fine again.

 

Have you tried changing the relay?

 

Not yet.... Do our cars have that same relay anywhere else in the car?
Leaving now to change relay.

 

Okay yeah duh, I'm slow. but now i have more questions. I see one relay way above the hood release and then there is one more under the driver kick panel. I know 82-89 door lock relay was under the kick panel, but what relay is this? Also should it be grounded because mine wasn't just that tar paste holding it in place.

Trickster, thanks again, even though I have this weird suspicion that you wired these cars in the first place.

 

The one above the hood release is the power door lock relay and the one covered in the tar like material is the starter enable relay. Also, the reason that it isn't grounded to the frame anymore is because GM decided to cut the amount of wiring by splicing numerous systems together into one ground. They also re-did the design of the power door lock relay. If you have power windows you will notice that the power feed for them comes off the power door lock relay. I also forgot to mention that the power junction for the 1982 through early production 1989 models was a junction block above the hood release and it was known as connector C238 and supplied power to the accessories like the power windows, power seat, mirrors, and door locks. Therefore the metal case on the power door lock relay and it being grounded to the frame.
BTW, you're not the first one to have the suspicion that I wired these cars!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If I understand that correctly a weak power lock relay (or wiring in the system) would also cause weak power windows too. Geez....

 

You got it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Alright, I'm pretty sure the answer is no. But is there any way to test this relay, other than buying another?

Second question, why do o'reilly and advance list seperate and cheaper relays for convertibles (I thought they had the same power accessories too).

Third, my drivers side door jamb switch is loose and I can pull it out (but not screw it in [is it a screw in?]) and will ground when pressed in. What problems am I going to run into with that?

Questions don't have to all be answer at one time, I'm just learning as quick as I can and its working.

 

Question number one. There isn't really any good or specific way to test the relays except with a multimeter and even then it is iffy.

#2 on the convertibles there are some power accessories that are the same although not all of them. Also it has to do with the aftermarket manufacturers and the way they list them in their computers. I work at an Advance store and find this all the time. It also leads to a lot of research in our vendor catalogs to find parts that we have on hand that aren't listed for the vehicle.

#3 There are two types of door jamb switches for our cars, the single prong and the double prong switch. They are both the type that have a nut that locks them in place. The plunger on it has a spring on it to pop it out when the door opens. The problem with both types is that once they have been adjusted and installed in the car there is no re-adjustment that can be done to them due to their design. If the jamb switch grounds when you press it in then you will have a power drain when the door closes. It should be an open circuit with the switch plunger pushed in.
BTW, the only way to actually learn is by asking questions and doing the task yourself. My father once told me that you can have all the book knowledge in the world, but it doesn't amount to a hill of beans if you don't have the ability or willingness to use that knowledge.

 

Okay, maybe I'm wrong again. So I pulled the relay, but the windows still work. What am I missing there?

Visually the relay looks fine, but I think I'll just order another anyway.

 

You didn't make a mistake there, I did. I said the power windows also got it's power from that relay. I should have said the power seat instead.

 

No problem, I was just really worried when the windows worked.

 

Well I replaced the relay and not much changed. The side that lubed and put the new actuator works enough to lock and unlock when the car is running, but not when it is off.

 

I know you've gone through a lot on this, but I have one omre question here. When you had the door panel off, did you check the linkage real good where it goes from the interior door handle back and clean it. I had a problem about a year ago with a rod binding on me and it took me awhile to figure it out because I was also involved with replacing a window motor and several other components in that area the previous owner had screwed up. Things like bushing in the window replaced by large bolts. Upstops installed backwards or missing, armrest bracket installed with only one rivet. And that's only to name a few of the problems in that area.

 

The linkage did seem a little funny, but I have nothing to compare it too. The oddity occures where the manual door lock rod connects with the power door lock lever rod. Its loose there but I can't figure that it is wrong.

Also the rod that connects to the actuator has a piece of plastic on it, that doesn't seem to connect with anything or do anything and could possibly damaged.

I can post pictures if that would help. The window motors had been replaced and adjusted terribly but I fixed that a long time ago.

But why the working while the car is running, but not when the car is off. Is the factory wiring that bad?