C5 Door Lock Problem

Buckeyevette · 09-23-2008, 06:16 PM

I just encountered a strange door lock problem. My battery in my 2002 convertible died last week. On the weekend I installed a brand new battery. The car now starts and runs fine but neither power door lock works. I know they worked before. The FOB won't activate the locks nor will the individual door buttons. All I hear is a faint click somewhere in the dash. I reprogrammed to FOB but no help. Any suggestions. The car only has 13,000 miles on it.

Junkman2008 · 09-24-2008, 02:02 AM

It is very odd that both doors would go out at the same time. That makes me think that your problem is different from the norm. However, take a look at this thread anyway as it has a ton of information on door locks and window problems.

Buckeyevette · 09-24-2008, 08:20 PM

Thanks. I was hoping my problem was some sort of memory loss in the system and not a door module (or two).

bigred vette · 09-27-2008, 08:32 PM

do the windows still work?

Buckeyevette · 09-29-2008, 05:13 PM

My windows work fine. The FOB operates the remote trunk and sets the alarm. The doors just don't lock ... by FOB or by lock buttons on doors.

c4jeff · 10-05-2008, 09:53 PM

Hey, did you get your door locks working yet? I just replaced my battery and now have the same problem, so was just wondering if you had any luck with getting them working again.

Buckeyevette · 10-06-2008, 04:53 PM

Well, I'm sort of glad to hear that I am not alone. That might mean that the solution may not be bad (if I can ever determine what it is). I didn't have time this weekend, but I think I will disconnect and then reconnect the battery. I is worth the try. Please keep me posted if you find anything. I sent the problem to the Corvette magazine Tech Nerd so maybe he will publish and answer in his magazine column.

Junkman2008 · 10-06-2008, 04:59 PM

Wow, I guess my post about this issue is invisible. Did you guys take a look at the link I provided? This is a very common problem, albeit both doors don't usually go at the same time.

Buckeyevette · 10-06-2008, 05:26 PM

Hi Junkman - I did see your reply but your comment said that this fix might not apply since both of mine went out at once. Your "fix" is pretty involved. I am hoping for something much simpler. As I said, both locks worked perfectly before I put the new battery in.

c4jeff · 10-06-2008, 07:18 PM

Hey Junkman.. thanks for the link.. I did see it, but just haven't made it through all 16 or so pages of the thread yet.. I still find it really odd that they worked perfectly fine prior to the battery dying and then suddenly just stopped after the new one went in... but hey.. I'm up for the challenge..

thanks again for the info..

Junkman2008 · 10-06-2008, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeyevette

Hi Junkman - I did see your reply but your comment said that this fix might not apply since both of mine went out at once. Your "fix" is pretty involved. I am hoping for something much simpler. As I said, both locks worked perfectly before I put the new battery in.

Quote:

Originally Posted by c4jeff

Hey Junkman.. thanks for the link.. I did see it, but just haven't made it through all 16 or so pages of the thread yet.. I still find it really odd that they worked perfectly fine prior to the battery dying and then suddenly just stopped after the new one went in... but hey.. I'm up for the challenge..

thanks again for the info..

So both of you guys experienced the same exact problem right after you had a battery issue?

Buckeyevette · 10-07-2008, 06:19 PM

Yep. That's what happened on mine. And I have had the battery out several times before, after winter storage. I charge it up and put it back. This time the battery died during the summer after frequent use so I just replaced it. It was a Duralast Gold with warranty remaining. Locks were perfect before the swap --- never had a hint of problem. Plus, the car just turned 13,000 miles. I hope GM designed things to be robust on a car like a Corvette.

Junkman2008 · 10-07-2008, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeyevette

Yep. That's what happened on mine. And I have had the battery out several times before, after winter storage. I charge it up and put it back. This time the battery died during the summer after frequent use so I just replaced it. It was a Duralast Gold with warranty remaining. Locks were perfect before the swap --- never had a hint of problem. Plus, the car just turned 13,000 miles. I hope GM designed things to be robust on a car like a Corvette.

You didn't recently get the car wet as in wash it or drive it in the rain before the locks quit working, did you?

Buckeyevette · 10-07-2008, 06:51 PM

I washed the car just before I had battery problems but it hasn't seen rain in a few years. In fact, I started the car and drove it to my driveway to wash it. After washing it, I got in to take a ride and it wouldn't start. I coasted down my drive and popped the clutch and it started right away. I then drove it about 15 miles and returned home. It restarted right away but a few days later the battery was dead.

Junkman2008 · 10-07-2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeyevette

I washed the car just before I had battery problems but it hasn't seen rain in a few years. In fact, I started the car and drove it to my driveway to wash it. After washing it, I got in to take a ride and it wouldn't start. I coasted down my drive and popped the clutch and it started right away. I then drove it about 15 miles and returned home. It restarted right away but a few days later the battery was dead.

Okay, here's what you need to do. First, inspect this connector (you'll need to pull that accordion thing apart in order to see the connector:

See that bare wire? What normally happens is the serial bus wire sheaf pulls out of the connector and the bare wire grounds out. Pull it back down and tape in in place to keep it from happening again. If THAT doesn't resolve your issue, it gets a bit more complicated.

This is a picture of the PCM (Powertrain Control Module):

Make sure that you disconnect the battery before doing any of this!

The silver box is the PCM. It can be accessed by removing the wheelhouse filler. The black box in front of the PCM is the Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) Module. What you need to do is unplug the connectors to the PCM and see if they have any water or corrosion in them. They should be spotless. If they do have evidence of water intrusion, then you need to clean those connectors throughly and treat them with some dielectric grease before you plug them back into the PCM. The next thing you need to do is check your udders because this is the leading cause of those connectors getting wet in the first place (short of you stopping the car in a two foot deep water puddle...).

I bet you connectors are corroded. If you do this repair, be sure and take pictures of what you find so that others can benefit from your experience.