dleefsu

Hi All - Sorry haven't been too active here, car has fortunately been great after having to deal with some initial little issues (I bought it a few years ago). One lesson to share related to convertible top issues, a 3 second resoldering of the main connectors in the top controller solved a year's worth of intermittant functionality and thus testing motors, switches... Sorry can't contribute much more but simply haven't had too many issues and trust me, knocking big time on wood right now!!!!

So here's my problem, I rarely lock the car as I would prefer that someone just open the door instead of cutting the top. I actually had to leave it out from it's normal well secured resting place so I wanted to lock it. The remote didn't work so I used the key, no problem. The next day though, the remote nor the key would unlock it. I got in by disassembling the top a little and everything seems pretty normal, no blown fuses in the fuse block, everything else works, but the button for the locks does work nor can I unlock the door manually. I am curious about one thing though, none of the fuses were specifically for door locks so not sure if I'm missing something. Seems to me like it's a door lock issue or security system issue.

So, any ideas? Based on other things I've had happen, I'm guessing this is something from not being used often. Every once in while I would cycle the locks with the remote and no previous hints to a problem. Ohhhh, another clue, when I press the remote now, sometimes it will activate the alarm but seemingly will not deactivate it (it takes many presses to do this and is hit or miss). While the key won't unlock the door, it will turn off the alarm. Another FYI is I did of course change the battery in the remote but if that was the issue, the button should still work...

Huge thanks for any help can provide - I don't even really know where to start at this point!

John Boggiano

Well your key should still be able to lock and unlock the door, but only just. Using the driver's door lock, if you turn the key as far as possible it should be just enough to do it. Doesn't help with the main problem, but should give you a temporary work-around at least.

dleefsu

Oh trust me, tried about a hundred times constantly thinking I was missing something...

Rocket Rob

My cars don't have remote locks. Do you have an aftermarket alarm?

dleefsu

To be honest, I don't know the options of the time or if it's stock or after market... The remotes are generic, don't say viper or anythink like that on them. She's pretty much stock as well except stereo but that would have been the time they put in something aftermarket.

John Boggiano

If you use the key and really turn it as hard as you can, do you get absolutely no movement from the lock button, or a little but not enough?

dleefsu

No movement, like something is intentionally holding it in place. You see the pop up move a tiny tiny bit but zero movement within the mechanism. In other words, it doesn't feel 'soft' like something is binding... What would really help is if I understood how the mechanism works. The problem is now I have to go from memory with something never paid much attention to. When you lock the doors with the keys, both doors lock. I see there is a micro switch so is unlocking the door basically triggering the microswitch and then the motors unlock them? If this is the case, I can see the motors holding tight.

Now I did have to get into the car without this procedure of reaching in, putting the top down, jumping in... so I did a bad thing. I used some channel locks and with the inside ****, got the drivers door open and seemingly didn't break anything. Trust me though, it was hard. Tried the same on the passenger door and much more resistance. I think I popped something off in the door so that's not going to work. This doesn't in any way solve the problem except if I could get in both doors, wouldn't be as big of an issue. Maybe I'll try to pull a door panel and really see what's locking these in place.

Earlydays

I had a similar problem, I could not unlock the drivers door with the key......it was actually the internal lock mechanism. It happened about 11 years ago and the dealer fixed it. If I recall it was not a broken part, but something internal to the mechanism had come loose and needed to be re-attached, or adjusted.

porscheforfun

There is a plastic black arm that connects to a rod right at the lock mechnism . I know im not making to much sense but if you take the door panel off you will see what. I mean they sell them at the dealer like $10 ea. I wish i had a diagram to forward to you it happened to me about two years ago

dleefsu

Thanks for the responses - I half took the door panel off since I couldn't open the door and I got it open but really am no further along to fixing it, perhaps even done more harm. I now think an aftermarket alarm is the main culprit and has shorted out the locking system. I'll take the seat out soon as I'm guessing that's where the alarm is and will check it out. I'll post once I figure it out just to complete the thread. Thanks again!