1998 Saturn SL2 power door locks with keyless entry

HAYDENWSE

MEMBER
1998 SATURN SL2
4 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
115,000 MILES

When I try using the power locks with any door switch or the keyless entry, all of the solenoids buzz but do not move the locks. The battery also went dead after a couple of days without driving. I removed the ground and recharged the battery. When I reconnected the battery, all locks opened so I figured that the door lock problem was causing the drain on the battery. The door lock relay in the fuse block was very warm so I pulled the fuse. According to the wiring diagram this should cut power to the locks and cigarette lighter but I still have power to them. A check of the amperage across the fuse holder shows 5.5 amps. I removed the hot relay to break the circuit but the unlock button on the keyless entry would still operate the solenoids. A single click would lock the front doors and unlock the back. A double click would unlock the front and lock the back. Very bizarre.

I replaced the relay but that had no affect.

7 Replies

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,869 POSTS

So when you put the door lock fuse and relay's in do the door lock's stay on?

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Wednesday, October 27th, 2010 AT 11:37 PM

HAYDENWSE

MEMBER
4 POSTS

Removing the fuse has no affect. I tried removing each fuse in the fuse block on the center consol and none of them cut power to the door locks. I am thinking about doing the same thing with the fuses in the engine compartment in the morning.

I removed the open relay because it was very warm and left the close relay in place. The weird thing is that pressing the unlock button on the keyless entry unlocks some doors while at the same time locking others.

It seems that I must be getting a short to another live wire somewhere after the relay. My wiring schematic in the Haynes manual doesn't show anything on the wiring for the keyless entry but it should still use the same fuse.

All of the other electric systems work fine.

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Thursday, October 28th, 2010 AT 1:25 AM

SATURNTECH9

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Let's try this with all the fuse's and relay's in and the door lock's staying on starting with the front door lock switch on the the drivers door unplug the door lock switch see if the lock's stop. If they don't unplug the door lock switch on the passenger front door and see if the lock's stop. Most likely you have a bad door lock switch on the drivers front door keeping the door lock's on. Really common for those car's for the switch to wear out and the switch to stick in lock or unlock position keeping the lock's on. Let me know what you find.

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Thursday, October 28th, 2010 AT 10:06 AM

HAYDENWSE

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Thanks I will give that a try.

The part that has me confused is that there is still power to the locks with the fuse removed. If the problem was a faulty switch, wouldn't the system be depowered if the fuse was removed? So far I have not been able to find any way to get the 12 volts out of the system.

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Thursday, October 28th, 2010 AT 10:37 AM

SATURNTECH9

MECHANIC
30,869 POSTS

I understand what your saying but before you go tearing the whole inside of the car apart for nothing. Please try the lock switch idea I asked you to try that is the most common thing I have seen that keeps the locks running. It will take less then 5 mins to try what I asked.