Doors Locks Unlock Themselves

silverad03 · July 31, 2008

I've posted about this before, but didn't get a response. It's been a long while and I figured I'd test the waters again.

The door locks in my truck ('03 1500) will unlock by themselves occasionally. This usually happens when I'm driving down the road and hit a bump; however, the door locks unlock very intermittently - they may do it 15 times in one day and then not do it at all for a few weeks, then randomly once here or there, then half a dozen times on a trip to the store. Lately, though, it's not just when I hit a bump, I may be just sitting in a parking lot with the truck running and the doors unlock themselves - I'll manually lock them again and then a couple seconds later they may unlock again, maybe not. If I fight with them enough they usually stay for a little while. The frequency of the issue has increased, though it's still quite intermittent. I've also noticed that occasionally they will unlock when I increase the throttle, but I'm not sure if it's really connected to hitting the throttle or just a coincidence.

I hate electrical problems (mostly because I don't have a very good understanding of how electrical things work) and so I haven't been very motivated to start sifting through the haystack to find the problem on my own. I'm hoping someone here will have a couple ideas of where I could start to look. I figure it has to do with a bad connection or short somewhere in the locks or the BCM, but don't have any idea really.

FWIW, I had a Python remote start installed about three years ago by some hacks (I thought they knew what they were doing) and they tied it in with the heated seats and rear defroster so those would come on when the truck was remote started (switch to by-pass the seats and defroster in the summer). After a few months of the system never really working properly and burning up several security bypass thingies and repeated trips to the shop so they could guess what the problem might be, I finally had them remove the system. System was removed about 2.5 years ago and the door lock problem showed up about a year ago. I think the door locks are linked to the remote start problem (a corroded wire they left exposed?), but taking it back to the place that installed the system is moot because, A) they're hacks (Nebraska Furniture Mart), and B) I'm 600 miles away from the installation store (or any other NFM for that matter).

Thanks for hanging in there on this looong post.

Any ideas where to start looking for this one?

jneal · July 31, 2008

I agree it's probably a delayed reaction to the install/removal of the sec system.

call the manf of the sec system and get their install instructions. this will tell you what it was connected to. then get a copy of wire chart for your model, it will tell where those wires are in your truck.

it was probably haphazardly removed and since I'd bet they used a tap to get to the wires controlling your locks it probably left most of the strands broken and now it hits intermittently.

I'll bet you could crawl under there and see a bunch of wires with empty t taps on them where they connected the system.

silverad03 · July 31, 2008

I'd love to get my hands on a set of installation instructions, but DEI (which manufactures Python and a host of other aftermarket electronics) is a bunch of pricks. They're basically telling me that the installation guide is confidential and they won't provide that information. I haven't been successful searching on the Internet either. They say that any problems I may have had (or have) with their system is not their fault but the shop's fault for not installing the system right and I have to go back to the installation store to take up the problem with their management. They seem 100% confident that there are NEVER any problems with any of their products and it is ALWAYS the installers fault if something doesn't work right is the M.O. I'm getting from them. With that kind of service, there is no way I would ever sell their products as a business owner, and as a consumer I will never have another one of their systems installed. I'm not saying that my wiring problem here is necessarily even related; regardless, it's obvious how they feel about their customers and the dealers selling their products. And, since when is an installation guide confidential?? What do they use some super-secret wire splicing process?? BS!! I'm beginning to think they don't even have installation guides and leave it completely up to the installers to figure it out.

So, if anyone could provide any help as to how Python remote systems (I think it was a 1200 XP model) might be installed (instructions, industry standards, etc.) I would owe you one!

DofD · July 31, 2008

I don't have any info on the install instructions for the Python system. But what I would be doing to go and check all the wiring harnesses that the install folks might have played with. If they didn't insulate all the wires they worked on, something could be shorting out. Okay, to be clearer, the problem you're experiencing definitely sounds like a an electrical short problem. The increased frequency may be due to the arcing of the short burning off more insulator and exposing even more bare wire. It may also be possible that they shorted out the actual switch for the locks. Will opening or closing the driver door cause the problem to happen?

Unfortunately these sort of problems are really hard to pinpoint without getting right in there and checking all the wires. But good luck!

jneal · August 1, 2008

They do provide installation guides but they are not for the faint hearted. they are kind of hard to read but do give charts for wiring. I've bought several from my distributor but they wont just give me an instruction book or I'd offer to send you one.

at this point you might fair better to take it to another installer and explain your problem and offer to pay labor to look at where those connections would be made to see if there are any problems. It may not be related to the alarm but you'd know then and it might start a freindship with a new installer you can trust.