O/T Citroen Xsara Central Locking

[a4gom]

I'll try to keep the story short but here goes.

Quick history, bought car over a year ago, shortly after the drivers side stopped unlocking on blip, needed key, had a look but couldn't find a dodgy connection or wire. Anyway this problem was intermittent for a while, no particular pattern but it did seem to work better when really cold. The problem became constant 8 months ago approx but I never did anything about it as the key locked and unlocked all doors and the blip locked all doors and unlocked all but drivers door so although annoying wasn't much of a problem.

The car then started locking and unlocking it self, I check doors and all are shut but it still happens. When I use the blip to lock it goes through the motions but unlocks again.

I had a look but couldn't find any probs but there obviously is something wrong somewhere.

History made me think the drivers door so I purchased another locking mechanism but the result was the same so unless I'm really unlucky the problem must be elsewhere.

The drivers door always locks and stays locked but the other doors are nearly always unlocked when you return to the car. If you are close by you can here the central locking working its self.

My other cars exhaust has started blowing now and we are setting of to scotland in the morning so I won't get chance to fix it, it would probably last out the trip but to be safe we are now going to be taking the xsara on holiday  and I need the car to lock properly. I don't have time to pursue the problem so am now looking at disconnecting the central locking as been the only option.

Looking for advice on the easiest way to do this.

Car is Xsara 1998 1.9TD

There doesn't appear to be a fuse which only controls the locking so am I correct in thinking the easiest way will be front door cards of and pull plug of the locks. I presume I can leave the rears as the don't have locks so shouldn't send signals just respond to them?

Or is there a plug under the dash?

Have posted this on french car forum over the past 8 months but no answer so wondered if there were any bright sparks on here new anything about this stuff.

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

Andy

I cant really help but, did you post it on this forum?

linky

I'm surprised no one on there could help.]

Paul

[Vinny's Westie]

Does the passenger door unlock all doors with the key?

If it doesn't then the problem is not with the driver's door but probably with the brain.

On an old BX I had the remote central locking plip was up at the sunroof control (highest point) and usually seen with a black ball thingy protruding slightly from it.  Disconnect that and the key works but not the remote.  

The central locking control unit was placed in the centre console by the handbrake.

I would think it was remote locking unit being faulty, not central locking unit.

Hope it helps, I know it is for a previous model, otherwise peruse a Haynes manual in Halfords for further info.

[a4gom]

Yes Paul, joined it after you pointed me there for my power steering problem which was easily solved in comparison.

Vinny, passenger door locks all doors but doesn't unlock the drivers door.

There is no black thing for the blip on this model, don't know where the receiver is. I think the central locking systemn is totally different to the unit you had which was similar to all the citroen and peugeot cars of that era.

The control unit is by the steering column under the dash.

[pistonbroke]

If its any help , my Mondeo did that , turned out to be a loose connection at the battery 12 v feed (not 12v to s/motor )  

Just a thought , might be woth it to check the neg side as well  

[a4gom]

Thanks chaps, all sorted, (**possibly temporary) did a few checks over the wiring again before I disconnected,  nothing visible, some of the connections on the plug into the door were a bit green so I cleaned them up, was a bit rough in doing so and four of the wires snapped. The wire was broken and black so this was obviously broken before and only held together by the outer sleeving.

I don't have any of the correct terminals so have soldered a short piece of wire in to each to join them up.

Everything works as designed now.  

** I say temporary as soldered joints in this location will probably snap after a while but at least I know what and where now so can source some proper terminals and replace the full lengths later.