Car Locking With Doors Open

[matt8]

Hi all

Not sure if I'm making this up but I am certain that in times past, the car would fail to lock if a door was open at all (even partly open, i.e. door not properly slammed closed).

Recently I've noticed the car can be locked (mirrors closing in is the evidence) with a door fully open still. Not sure if I'm pressing the button in my pocket as I load stuff up, or if it's automatically locking (in the same way that if I unlock the car and don't open the door, it'll lock as a security feature).

Anyone experience the same? Have I inadvertently changed a setting somewhere? Or is something going a bit faulty perhaps...

Thanks

[Las Palmas]

Is it with any door it can lock or only one? If only one door, the switch that tells the computer the door is closed is malfunctioning.

[matt8]

55 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

Is it with any door it can lock or only one? If only one door, the switch that tells the computer the door is closed is malfunctioning.

Good point. Need to further diagnose then.

But you are in agreement yes, the car should not be lockable with a door open?

[peniole]

Never had a newer car lock with a door open. Back in the days of manual locking, sure, even early central locking systems there were ways, not now. I'm betting on faulty sensor as John mentions. I'm guessing you unlock, open the door, sensor hasn't detected door open, car relocks as if you hadn't opened it in the first place?

[matt8]

1 hour ago, peniole said:

I'm guessing you unlock, open the door, sensor hasn't detected door open, car relocks as if you hadn't opened it in the first place?

Sounds about right. Will check that out and report back!

[route66]

Not sure why mirrors closing is a thing - I didn't think they can set configured to close automatically on the IS300H as they can be on other cars?

 

[matt8]

3 hours ago, route66 said:

Not sure why mirrors closing is a thing - I didn't think they can set configured to close automatically on the IS300H as they can be on other cars?

 

My car has the option. I believe memory seats is a requirement. F-Sport

[matt8]

Seems the switch on the front passenger door is intermittent!

Looking at the "door open" indicator on the dashboard, it remains off (i.e. car thinks all doors are closed) sometimes. Pushing it in and then releasing it yields random results. Sometimes the light is on (door appear open) and sometimes the light is off (door appears closed).

I guess I need a new switch here then. Anyone any idea what a part number / cost might be? I can't imagine it's a difficult swap, but might be wrong...

[steve2006]

Usually dirty contacts on the switch, switch cleaner does the job, pull back the cover, take out the 10mm bolt, remove switch leaving wire connected ( to avoid wire dropping inside the B pillar!), clean switch and refit.

[peniole]

1 minute ago, steve2006 said:

Usually dirty contacts on the switch, switch cleaner does the job, pull back the cover, take out the 10mm bolt, remove switch leaving wire connected ( to avoid wire dropping inside the B pillar!), clean switch and refit.

That's the same as electrical contact cleaner?

[steve2006]

4 minutes ago, peniole said:

That's the same as electrical contact cleaner?

It sure is, still got a can of Servisol in the garage.

[matt8]

3 hours ago, steve2006 said:

Usually dirty contacts on the switch, switch cleaner does the job, pull back the cover, take out the 10mm bolt, remove switch leaving wire connected ( to avoid wire dropping inside the B pillar!), clean switch and refit.

Thanks Steve. Will be giving this a go first. Cheers

[steve2006]

You’re welcome Matt 😀

If this doesn’t work a new one is listed around £20.00 or if you can wait a while £15.00 delivered from Amayama UAE. 

[agent_dess]

3 hours ago, steve2006 said:

You’re welcome Matt 😀

If this doesn’t work a new one is listed around £20.00 or if you can wait a while £15.00 delivered from Amayama UAE. 

i love this site 😄
Bought sooo much stuff and saved so much £££... what i can tell you was shipping from UAE was 2 weeks.... recently shipping from Japan had to pay extra for UPS as normal air mail is suspended to UK, took 5 days with UPS.

[matt8]

Took switch off today. Just one bolt to undo.

Looked and thought it was a bit strange, the male connector was just one pin. It made me wonder why or how it could work.

I cleaned it, reconnected it and it wasn't working at all at this point. It was intermittent before taking it off. So I thought I had killed the switch off. I cleaned it some more, poked at it a bit, etc.

I then proceeded to undo the bolt and take the switch off the nearside rear door, but it's different with a right angle connector. So I decided not to remove it, but to then try the front offside / driver door. When I opened the door, the red indicator on the dashboard to indicate the switch was depressed (door open) came on, as expected. I removed the bolt and then immediately noticed the indicator had gone off and therefore was not working.

I thought to abandon my diagnosis and screwed the bolt back in for the driver front door.

Then the red light came back on, all OK again.

Then it clicked...

The bolt is the ground for these door switches, which is why the one male pin is OK.

As soon as a screwed it back together on what was the broken / intermittent switch I was diagnosing, the red indicator on the dashboard came back on.

After all the spraying and prodding of the switch, I'm almost certain it was the grounding of the bolt. A little twist would probably have sufficed.

All sorted! The bolt is the important ground in this switch.