Central locking systems in cars increase the safety of passengers and children who often forget to lock the door. In addition, it provides safety to your little kids, who can open the doors during driving and increase the risk of accidents.
If the car central locking system is not working, it can be due to worn-out switches, dead car batteries, stuck or non-lubricated locks, weather changes, issues with the control unit, faulty solenoid, broken wires, blown-out fuse, and faulty key fob.
You can close all the doors, tailgates, and cargo area by pressing a single button or key fob. People face issues with central locking systems because wear and tear in their components come from regular and frequent use.
| Reasons | Solutions |
| Worn out switches | Replace broken or cracked switches |
| Dead car battery | Inspect batteries with a multimeter |
| Stuck or non-lubricated locks | Lubrication and dry the moisture |
| Failure of actuator | Replace door actuators |
| Faulty solenoid | Open door panels and add solenoid |
| Burnt or broken wires | Call automotive technicians for re-wiring |
| Blown out fuse | Replace fuses |
| Issue with a key fob | Reprogram the key fob or replace the batteries |
Worn out switches
Most cars contain a single button to lock and unlock all doors simultaneously. The locks engage and disengage according to the operation of the buttons.
These buttons are usually present on the driver’s side doors and the dashboard. The location depends on the type and model of your vehicle.
The control switches are made of plastic material that can break or crack easily due to excessive use. In addition, these switches are susceptible to wear and tear because of frequent use.
These switches are in more use because drivers press them frequently to lock and unlock the doors and tailgates for the safety of passengers.
You cannot repair the damaged or cracked switches because of their non-repairable parts. Instead, replace the control switches with new ones.
Dead car battery
The batteries supply power for the functioning of various electric systems of cars. The dead or weak batteries do not provide sufficient power to run these systems.
The central locking system works on transmitting signals from transmitter to receiver for locking and unlocking purpose. The control unit cannot receive and transmit signals if the batteries die.
The batteries become dead when you forget to turn off the headlights at night. In addition, connecting heavy electric items with charging ports can make them dead.
These do not supply power when their terminals are corroded and poorly connected. Check the voltage supply of the battery and connect it to a multimeter.
Stuck or non-lubricated locks
The central locking system of the vehicles also stops functioning when door locks get stuck and are not appropriately lubricated. Dust and dirt can accumulate in the mechanism and hinder its normal functioning.
You cannot disengage the locks and open the doors when these can get stuck. This is because the dirt accumulates in the cylinder of the mechanism, and these cannot work correctly.
In addition, the issue also comes when any of the parts of the locking system is damaged or bent. Furthermore, water accumulation inside the door panels can make them faulty.
Moreover, they can also get stuck in winter because low temperatures cause freezing of the locking mechanism.
You can use different sprays to lubricate the inner parts. However, I prefer to use multi-purpose spraying lubricant to lubricate its internal parts and easily open and close doors.
Use the hairdryer to remove the moisture from the doors.
Failure of actuator
The door lock actuator allows the locking and unlocking of doors in response to key fob operations and the pressing of switch buttons on the diver’s side.
It consists of various parts, including motors, gear, and extended cables that allow the retraction mechanism.
You cannot close and open the doors after pressing the buttons when the actuators fail to engage and disengage the latching mechanism.
The failure of door lock actuators comes from their frequent and excessive use. In addition, the accumulation of dust, dirt, and grime over time increases the risk of their malfunctioning.
The moisture can make their parts rusty, and these cannot engage or disengage the latches. In addition, dents on the door and physical damage from accidents make these parts faulty.
Replace the actuators and install new ones. However, the installation process of these parts is complex, so it is better to call a mechanic for the procedure.
Faulty Solenoid
The solenoid is the small component embedded inside the door panel and allows the latching and unlatching of doors.
The working principle of the solenoid is to convert the electric power into a mechanical movement for locking and locking purposes.
The solenoid activates when you press the control switch or key fob button to lock the doors. The solenoids become faulty because of their old age, and you can hear the uneven noise from the various components.
You can see that one of the doors is not latching correctly when you press the button. Replace the solenoid from the door panels.
Remove the door panels to replace solenoids from your vehicles and restore the functioning of the central locking system.
Burnt or broken wires
The central locking system contains multiple wires that are interconnected with each other. The cables connect the cars’ doors, trunk, and cargo area for their locking and unlocking purpose.
You can often face that trunk does not close properly when you press the button of the key fob. The issue comes due to broken or damaged wirings of the interconnected systems.
The wires get damaged due to frequent opening and closing of the trunk and doors. The damaged wires do not supply power, and you cannot close the doors after pressing the buttons.
You can resolve it by calling the automotive technicians to re-install the wiring system and ensure proper functioning after completing the procedure.
Blown out fuse
Many people complain that they do not completely lock their cars using the key fob buttons because of blown-out fuses.
The central locking is connected to the whole electric system because it controls the doors, trunk, and cargo area.
It contains multiple fuses to control the current supply in different areas that can blow out and cause issues.
The fuse can blow out due to overloaded circuits and short circuits in wiring harnesses. The fuse of the central locking system is mostly present on the trunk side of vehicles.
The opening of the trunk lid can pinch and break the wires, making them vulnerable to short circuits.
You can resolve it by replacing the fuses from the fuse box. You can recognize the blown-out fuse from its dark brown color and burning smell.
Remove the burnt ones and add new ones on this side with the same ampere.
Issue with a key fob
The key fob works on the working principle of transmitting signals to the car receivers. You can lock and unlock the doors by pressing a single button on the remote.
Sometimes the key fobs become faulty and cannot transmit the signals for the functioning of the central locking system.
The problem in the key fob occurs due to mechanical failure of its parts that cause an interruption in the transmission of signals.
Moreover, the problem comes when key fobs are not properly programmed in the software system of vehicles.
The hindrance in signal transmission comes when you use the remote from too far, and multiple vehicles are in parking lots.
The key fobs use small batteries to transmit the signals. These batteries become dead, and you cannot open and close the doors with a single click.
Add new batteries to the key fob and check the internal components of the remote for mechanical failure if the problem persists after changing their batteries.
Moreover, you can also fix the issue by reprogramming the key fobs in your vehicles.
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