'92 Saturn locks chattering

Tiny
BLACKBOY454
  • MEMBER
  • 1993 SATURN SL2
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • MANUAL
  • 122,000 MILES
I have a 1993 saturn sl2, 5 speed manual. Every now and then when I lock the doors to go into a store or something, when I come back and unlock them I drive away and the door locks are clicking. Typically it stops within a few minutes but tonight it didnt. Did it for about 45 minutes when I disconnected and reconnected the battery. Still clicking. Got mad and fed up so I disconnected the battery and am letting the car sit so it doesnt drain my battery with what ever the locks are doing. Any suggestions on what I should replace. P.S. Engine code 26 (quad driver fault) is present but I doubt it has anything to do with the electronic locks. Please help. Clicking locks are enough to drive someone insane.
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 AT 7:08 AM

10 Replies

Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,384 POSTS
Check for faulty relays/module. A bad connector or wiring !

DESCRIPTION & OPERATION
The power door lock system uses electric switches to lock and unlock all of the vehicle doors simultaneously from either of 3 switches. Two of the switches are on the inside of the front doors. The third switch is contained within the key cylinder assembly, and actuated with a key. The system consists of 3 switches, a door lock module containing 2 relays, and a door lock actuator in each door. See Fig. 1.
Available also, is an electric liftgate release system on wagon models. This system consists of a liftgate release actuator, switch and relay. Further information on this system is not available from the manufacturer.
When a door lock switch is moved to the lock position, current flows through 30-amp fuse located in the underhood junction block, through 20-amp fuse located in the instrument panel junction block, through the coil of a lock relay, and through the door lock switch to ground. This energizes a lock relay and closes the relay switch contacts, which supplies ground paths for the door lock motors. This locks all doors.
When a door lock switch is moved to the unlock position, current flows through 30-amp fuse located in the underhood junction block, through 20-amp fuse located in the instrument panel junction block, through the coil of the unlock relay, closing the relay switch contacts which supplies ground paths for the door lock motors, allowing the door locks to unlock.
When any 2 switches are depressed simultaneously to different positions, the zero volt differential across the door lock actuators perform the operation indicated by the remaining depressed switch. When any 2 switches are depressed simultaneously to the same position, the appropriate door lock/unlock operation is performed.
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Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 AT 10:27 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
My take on the this is when you have the lock's going crazy again look at the drivers door lock cylinder make sure the key hole opening is facing straight up and not turned to the left or right. On the other side of the cylinder is a door lock switch and when that cylinder stay's to left or right the power lock's will stay on constantly. See if it is when the lock's are going crazy and let me know and we will go from there. That is the most common reason I have seen for that happening. If you want we can look into that code 26 also.
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Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 AT 4:57 PM
Tiny
BLACKBOY454
  • MEMBER
  • 162 POSTS
As for the engine code it started out as an intermitent code 32, egr system fault, and about 3 weeks after I had finally caught the code then she service engine light continued to stay on all the time at code 26. Asked a mechanic and he said the quad driver is inside the cars computer, I build my own destktop computers and fix them all the time but car computers I dont have a clue about. So my first assumed action to take would be to buy a computer from that exact car from a junk yard and put it in. Any thoughts?
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Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 AT 5:28 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
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No if you replace the computer you won't fix that code you will be wasting your money.A code 26 say's you have a fault in the quad circuit doesn't mean within the computer itself. Just to give you an idea of what the quad circuit includes some of it is the radiator cooling fan, canister purge, speedometer, power seat belt, egr, your check engine light. If any of those fail's it will set that code 26. So if I see a code 26 with a code 32 I would be looking at that egr solenoid on the valve cover.I would also get a hand vacuum pump and check to make sure the egr valve hold's vacuum and doesn't stick. Make sure the egr port isn't clogged. Also inspect the vacuum line's going to egr solenoid and egr valve. Do you have a multimeter so we can check that solenoid?
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+1
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011 AT 6:23 PM
Tiny
BLACKBOY454
  • MEMBER
  • 162 POSTS
I have already replace egr selenoid with brand new selenoid. Checked for codes multiple days under different circumstances and have not had a code 32 since. Just the 26 quad driver fault. My gas mileage also isnt the greatest, was about 15mpg before replacing the egr selenoid now it is averaging about 19-20mpg. My father has suggested taking the egr valve off and thouroghly cleaning it and seeing if it helps at all. And thanks for the lock answer, such an annoying problem with a simple solution. Made me feel dumb but at lewast it didnt cost any money. Any more thoughts for my code 26?
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Thursday, January 6th, 2011 AT 2:06 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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I can't see how the egr solenoid affected your gas mileage. So your egr valve hold's vacuum and doesn't stick?As far as just getting a code 26 I would say most likely you have a bad canister purge solenoid but you would have to test it when it was hot and the code was active.
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Thursday, January 6th, 2011 AT 2:20 AM
Tiny
BLACKBOY454
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How would I exactly test the vaccum on the egr valve? And where abouts is the canister purge located on the engine?
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Thursday, January 6th, 2011 AT 3:47 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
You get a hand vacuum pump and check to make sure the egr valve hold's vacuum and doesn't stick. You hook the hose of the hand vacuum up to the vacuum nipple of the egr valve and pump it up to about 20 inch pound's of vacuum see if it hold's the vacuum if it does then release the vacuum see if the valve stick's open. If it hold's vacuum and doesn't stick the egr valve is good.I posted a diagram of where the canister purge solenoid is. When the engine is hot and the code 26 is active you would unplug the connector to the canister purge solenoid and test the solenoid's resistance value with a ohm's meter it should read 22-42 ohm's most of the one's I have tested test as a open meaning no resistance value which is bad. Sometimes there hard to catch testing bad depends on how bad it is.
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Thursday, January 6th, 2011 AT 8:54 PM
Tiny
BLACKBOY454
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  • 162 POSTS
The service engine light is pretty much always on. Even when I start it first thing in the morning the light goes on within 15 seconds of engine start. Would this make a difference in the canister purge selenoid?
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Saturday, January 8th, 2011 AT 5:40 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
That just mean's it will make a lot easier to find the problem. Does the radiator cooling fan work?If it doesn't check the 30amp green maxi fuse to see if it's blown. That will set a code 26 right off the bat as well. Also ohm's check the canister purge solenoid like I told you how to do. So how did the egr vacuum test come out?If you haven't done that yet I think they rent the hand pump's at auto zone auto part's.
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Saturday, January 8th, 2011 AT 6:23 PM

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