Car does not lock

[bbbronks]

My 2002 4Runner will not lock. Here's what I know:

- The problem is intermittent. Sometimes behavior is totally normal, and other times it won't lock. The problem appears to go away on its own after some amount of time.

- The doors will not lock using either the remote or using the lock/unlock buttons inside the car. Unlock always works even when lock doesn't.

- No alarm sounds when I try to lock (as when a door is left ajar). There is simply no response from the car.

- The only workaround is for me to manually push down the locks on each door and lock the trunk using the key.

- I noticed once that the car wouldn't lock when going to it the first time in the morning. After I started driing, the lock/unlock buttons still would not the car. About 30 minutes later, while still driving, then the lock button did lock the car correctly.

- I have checked to be doubly sure that none of the doors or trunked is blocked and is closed entirely.

Any ideas/suggestions on what to try?

Thanks.

 

[KellyJ]

This exact thing happened to my car, and I drive a 2002 as well. No one could replicated the problem I was having, and it happened to me for about 3 wek,s and then the problem just completely went away. I'd like to know why it did that. Do you live in really cold conditions? Because that is when my car would give me problems, like when temperatures were constantly in the teens.

 

[RickC]

I was thinking that it was the door lock actuators, but it should still work with the buttons on the door.

 

[NYT4RBlack]

My 2000 4 Runner limited had the same problem.

The cause was in the fuse box under the steering column.
That is were the relays for the locks are located.

My repair guy used a small extention and just tapped on the four corners of the fuse box and this freed up the relay's and everything is working again.

If not you need to replace this fuse box as the relays are part of the box.

 

[mattmurrah]

Ridiculous Solution... but it works!

I have found a ridiculous solution for this door lock issue. As many people have mentioned, it does involve the control panel under the driver side dash. I noticed that if I pushed the control panel/fusebox in while working the key fob and/or door lock switch, IT WORKED! So, my silly solution was to insert a t-ball (regulation size) between the fusebox/control panel and the paneling closest to the driver on the top side of the fusebox. IT WORKS!!

Glad I didn't spend $500 for Toyota dealer to fix.

Hope my son doesn't miss his t-ball!!