Central locking problem - will not lock using remote

[spkennyuk]

On the 4200 coupe the alarm control box is behind the rear side trim panel on the passenger / left hand side of the car. I suspect the spyder is somewhere around the same area behind the passenger seat / left side and beyond the door opening. Its a black box probably with a yellow label on it and i think there are 3 multi plug connectors going to it.

There may be a diagram on eurospares to show the exact location on the spyder.

 

[tcrote5516]

On the Spyder it's in the trunk behind the left side liner. It's mounted to the back of the left wheel arch.

 

[garethdoc]

Thanks to all for your help... I'll get back to you when I've had a chance to look at the control box in the next few days

Gareth

 

[davidhowson]

Hi Gareth. Never got to the bottom of this, I still use the key to lock and then press the remote to set the alarm. Pressing the remote again unlocks and unsets the alarm. As I have most of the interior removed from my car at the moment (heater matrix replacement) I will have another go at tracing the issue.


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[garethdoc]

Hi David. The same problem as my car, as I thought. It doesn't seem to be common though. I'm hoping to get a chance to pull the boot lining out to get a look if the weather improves in the next few days... will let you know if I come up with anything

 

[garethdoc]

David,

I've pulled out the boot lining and found the alarm/central locking control box with two multi-connectors attached. I wonder if disconnecting the control box from it's backup power supply (presumably a battery in the siren) for an hour or so would force a software reset similar to resetting the ECU by disconnecting the car battery? When my door lock solenoid was failing it may perhaps have 'tripped' something in the control box taking the locking signal out of play. Hopefully, disconnecting the alarm/CDL control box won't cause any other problems on reconnecting...

Gareth

 

[CatmanV2]

I'm not at all convinced that the alarm controls the central locking, but it's worth a try!

C

 

[garethdoc]

Having done a bit of research I think the alarm unit is a Meta M826 and controls the central locking too, so I'm going to give it a go perhaps tomorrow.... fingers crossed!

Gareth

 

[davidhowson]

Hi Gareth is your car a spyder? My Meta unit is in the rear quarter panel on the near side of the car, that's the receiver for the remote and the output controls both locking and alarm


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[garethdoc]

Hi David, yes it's a spyder. The Meta unit is tucked up in front of the CD autochanger just behind the nearside wheelarch, with the siren below but pretty inaccessible. I'm going to just disconnect the two multi-plugs after switching off the battery to see if the alarm/central locking unit resets itself somehow. Perhaps just re-making the connections will do the trick. Hopefully the remotes will still work either way!

 

[garethdoc]

So I disconnected the alarm and the siren, cleaned the contacts, left it a couple of hours and put it all back together.... and no better! Still not able to lock the doors with the remote, although the alarm arms and disarms with the remote and the doors unlock. I couldn't get any voltage across the pins on the siren and wonder if the battery in it has failed, and if that may be part of the problem

 

[davidhowson]

Shame that didn't reset it. I doubt it's anything to do with the siren, it has to be the output relay in the meta unit. Can you hear any clicks on lock or unlock coming from your Meta? I only have a click on unlock.


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[CatmanV2]

So if you can get it to lock you should be able to define the 12v, lock and ground, then the connections to the siren. Is there anything left? Picture of the connection on the Meta?

C

 

[davidhowson]

Abacus alarms do a reprogram service or a plug and play replacement for the Meta 826 unit but it's £140 or £275 respectively ; that's why i've continued to just use the key. Now my car is on bits, i will have another go to see if i can fathom it out before shelling out that sort of money. I'll keep you posted


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[garethdoc]

... couldn't hear a click from the Meta on locking because the unmuffled siren squawked loud enough to wake the dead - boot lid open warning! Next time I'll disconnect it... You can see in the photos that access to the meta unit is improved somewhat by removing the CD autochanger (with Skyhook ECU piggybacked on top) along with the mounting bracket which also carries the lifting/movement detector and siren. I should be able to detect 12v signals from backs of the connectors if I can get the Meta unit off it's bracket. I'll have another go in the next few days.

 

[garethdoc]

I've been thinking Abacus replacement unit as I don't think it needs reprograming. Can't help wondering if it could still be a microswitch somewhere, but presumably that would produce the 'door open' chirp when trying to lock, and show on the dash as a door/boot/bonnet open warning.

 

[CatmanV2]

I can't believe it needs re-programming either. Especially if the lights are flashing and the alarm is arming

C

 

[davidhowson]

The more i think about this, the more i recall my investigations of a few years back and i'm thinking about the output relay having failed or there being a break in the lock signal cable running to the front of the car and the various connections there.


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[garethdoc]

Finally had time to disconnect the siren and try remote locking again. I can hear a relay clicking in the meta unit when locking, but not when unlocking, so presumably that's the problem - it may have failed as a result of trying to activate the seized driver's door lock before I had a chance to replace it.

 

[davidhowson]

Taken the Meta unit out of my car today to have another look at this problem. My car will unlock and unset the alarm using the remote key but will only set the alarm and not lock the doors using the remote. I can use the key in either door lock and both doors will centrally lock.
When trying to lock the car the Meta unit is silent but on unlocking, there is a definite click from the relay on the circuit board.
I'm thinking about sending this unit and a key to Abacus Alarms for them to rest.


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