Door Locks are acting up!

[prospectator]

This problem just started on my 97 4Runner. After the truck sits with the keys removed the doors will lock on their own. Once locked they intermittently keep locking? I can lock and unlock normally with the switch. But if you wait a few minutes the doors will lock. I also noticed that once the key is turned to the "Run" position all of the doors lock. It seems I can't keep the doors unlocked any longer. While driving down the road you can hear the doors locking over and over.

I've searched and the only threads I can find address doors that won't lock. I've got the opposite problem..............

Anyone had a similar problem?

 

[VA07]

I am bumping an old thread because I have the same issue.

For now I have removed the 30A fuse in the knee/kick panel. This prevents the power locks from working all together, including the rear hatch. But also prevents the windows and the sunroof from working.

 

[Stick Figure]

First thing I would do is check under the dash for an aftermarket alarm system or the Toyota VIP system which is basically an aftermarket POS added in. If you have nothing there or remove it from the door lock circuit and still have the problem I would next look at the door lock switches themselves, and finally at the body module that controls it.

 

[Trekerjohn]

I see that no one has replied with a solution, and I have none to offer either. I am having intermittent problems with my door lock/alarm on my 96 Limited. I have a 2 button remote which I bought new from the dealer when I got my runner. Only the top button works. The bottom one seems to do nothing at all. Sometimes it chirps 2X when I lock the doors with the top button and 1X when I unlock it. Sometimes it does not chirp at all. About a week ago, when I pressed the top button to lock it, it let out with a steady alarm screech. I finally got it to stop by pushing the top button several times. Then one day I hit the top button and it let out in a broken alarm tone (screeech screeech screeech, etc.) for about 30 seconds, then stopped after I kept pushing the top button. I listened under the hood for the relays to click while pressing the top button, and found that the "tail" relay was the one clicking, but I never could find any separate dedicated "speaker" for the alarm. I am perplexed, but will let it be until someone comes up with a solution. Maybe that will be me, but I don't know. Other than that, I love my runner.

 

[quicksilvr]

This may or may not help, but I had this problem once on my '96 Limited. The cause of the problem was moisture in the main door lock switch panel on the driver's door. For me, it was because the window tint people had let too much moisture run down in the door panel when they did the tint job. But it could also be caused by rain, a spill, anything that gets moister into that switch.

I took it out, blew it dry with the air compressor, let it sit on the work bench for a couple hours, and after I put it back in, it never acted up again.

 

[VA07]

First thing I would do is check under the dash for an aftermarket alarm system or the Toyota VIP system which is basically an aftermarket POS added in. If you have nothing there or remove it from the door lock circuit and still have the problem I would next look at the door lock switches themselves, and finally at the body module that controls it.

It is the factory alarm with the security light to the left of the steering wheel. I will check to see if I can find the module for the alarm. Would there be any harm in just removing the module?

This may or may not help, but I had this problem once on my '96 Limited. The cause of the problem was moisture in the main door lock switch panel on the driver's door. For me, it was because the window tint people had let too much moisture run down in the door panel when they did the tint job. But it could also be caused by rain, a spill, anything that gets moister into that switch.

I took it out, blew it dry with the air compressor, let it sit on the work bench for a couple hours, and after I put it back in, it never acted up again.

I will check that out as well. It rained here from Saturday through Tuesday. So the possibility of moisture getting in the door is high.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

quicksilvr to the rescue again

This may or may not help, but I had this problem once on my '96 Limited. The cause of the problem was moisture in the main door lock switch panel on the driver's door. For me, it was because the window tint people had let too much moisture run down in the door panel when they did the tint job. But it could also be caused by rain, a spill, anything that gets moister into that switch.

I took it out, blew it dry with the air compressor, let it sit on the work bench for a couple hours, and after I put it back in, it never acted up again.

Kudos to quicksilvr-my 99 SR5 was trying to relock the doors constantly, even when already locked. I was afraid given enough time it would lead to battery drain when simply parked and left locked or unlocked by me.

I had an alternate drivers door master switch from when I converted to wood grain interior. Swapped in the known good switch and problem seems to have disappeared.

Just wanted to mention the master switch is not particularly expensive on Amazon from seller WELL AUTO -here is a link:

https://www.amazon.com/Well-Auto-WI...-2006-199-3-0&sr=1-10&ymm=1999:toyota:4runner

You would have to swap in your existing face plate and the linked switch does not include the mirror control-but as opposed to chasing down any issue at the interior fuse block ECM or ECU, it is a viable alternative to narrow down the problem.

At some point once I am more sure this is the solution, I will likely swap back to my wood grain face plate.

Thanks again quicksilvr and prospectator for starting the discussion.

 

[jackieden]

I have this same problem intermittently with my 2000 sr5.

Thank you quicksilvr! When I bought the vehicle it had heavy tinting that I was thinking about removing anyway so this is a great lead into figuring out what's wrong with the locking.

It especially seemed to act up on a rainy day while the windshield wipers were going. I associated it somehow with a more general electrical system problem but we'll see!

 

[brillo_76]

Be sure to check the boot and the wires in your door jam. Especially if your lock buttons check out as good. Really sounds like a short in a wire that rubbed insulation off as a possibility.


The other possibility would be a rod bent or needs adjusted.

Third option would be a short in the lock/unlock mechanism.

I had the door locks pulse when I changed my front doors. I had to adjust the rods slightly for some reason. Once I did that my door locks worked perfectly fine.

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[brillo_76]

Any luck on this problem?

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[jackieden]

Any luck on this problem?

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Hi!

Been working too much to do anything about this, haha. Will reply once I get a chance to open up the drivers side door and take a look at those rods/wires. Fingers crossed!

 

[brillo_76]

Oh. I know that feeling. Ok fair enough.

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[mtbtim]

When I first bought my 2000 3rd Gen around 6 years ago, I noticed when test driving the rig that the door locks would actuate when I depressed the brake pedal. I asked the owner about it before I purchased it and he said his mechanic suspected it was one of the door lock actuators causing the issue. I decided to buy the truck and hoped the door lock fix would be easy to figure out.

I talked to an experienced mechanic I knew at the time and asked if he'd be interested in trying to figure it out. He said, sorry, not interested. So, I figured I'd try my hand at fixing it. Since I knew the situation was related to pressing the brake pedal, I got under the dash to take a look. Ends up a bundle of wires was rubbing on the brake pedal return spring. One of those wires on the outside of the bundle was for the door locks. Over time the spring wore a 1mm section of the sheath away exposing the wire. When I used the brake pedal, the spring would rub up against the bare wire and ground it out causing the door locks to actuate. A little electrical tape over the bare wire and zip tying the wire bundle away from the spring fixed the issue.

 

[Skye20]

I am seeing the same thing. If it rains, or I go through the auto wash, the door locks go crazy, locking 4-5 times a minute. Once the truck dries out, it stops.

It is worrisome as I don't want to get locked out of my vehicle.

Besides the DS-door switch are there hot spots for troubleshooting this?

Skye

 

[brillo_76]

If you getting wet and starts acting up. I would say you have cracked insulation or breaking on the wires in your door boot. Or the door locking mechanism shorting out from the water. If your window door seal is majorly shrunk. Water could definitely be getting into the door mechanisms.

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[Skye20]

Thanks! I will check the points you mention.

I assume from this thread that the relay and housing are not likely to be the culprit but more likely the wiring and switches in the doors proper.