Power door locks do not work but window controls work

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

djdoherty450

New member
Joined
Jul 25, 2021
Messages
13
Reaction score
11
Location
Worcester, Massachusetts
When I try to lock or unlock either the passenger or driver's side there is no sound or anything. The powered windows do work on both the passenger and driver's side. Is this indicative of a dead switch? I've checked all fuses, and none appear to be burnt. 1996 Eddie Bauer 351 Windsor auto locking hubs.
 

Tiha

Well-known member
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
1,085
Reaction score
1,111
Location
Midwest
Do the door lock rods move freely up and down? or are they super stiff?

Probably have to pull the switch panel and test it with a test light.
Not uncommon for the door lock motors to go bad, or stick.
 

Motech

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 21, 2021
Messages
494
Reaction score
585
Location
Santa Cruz, CA:
Door locks will be protected by a fuse separate from power windows, which are protected by circuit breakers.
Check fuses.
 

chrlsful

Active member
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Messages
432
Reaction score
218
Location
S. Amherst, MA 01002-1827
like all else start at 1 end & proceed to the other. quick once over is 1 or 2 fuse panels (ID proper relays) & look in owner's manuel. Just spent several hrs ona mazda. The 2 panels, tripple function of driver's single window switch, continuity test & no ideas. Switched controll pads, jump-ed wires, cked grounds. Looking w a y up in the corner I found the window had crushed/stripped off insulation from 5 wires. Owner's son had REALLY run that window. May B last guy in there had run the wires wrong. Sodered new, made sure to zip tie in 2, 3 places to avoid it in the future. Never can tell till gettin in there. No fun like under-hood.
 

goodO1boydws

Active member
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Messages
160
Reaction score
148
Location
East Tennessee
First question is did both doors locks start having this problem at the same time? If so that tells you a lot. If no, that also tells you a lot.

Both going bad at once is pretty much a wiring issue.

The odds of all 3 switches failing at the same time is minute.
Even with a bad door switch, if the wiring and actuators at each door are still good, the master switch should still operate them.

In many cases, when the master switch fails, it doesn't fail completely, and one of the door locks could still be working.

With the age of the vehicle, if one lock went bad at a time its more likely to be the actuators themselves or a bad power or bad ground wire connection, and after those, the switch-as switches usually live in a better protected-from moisture/rust location. Of course if someone removed and didn't replace water shields in the doors, and/orthe window glass outside weatherstripping is bad, all bets are off.

Only way to know for sure if the actuators are bad is to go in the doors and look at the actuators and see if the rods are moving.
If not them check for power getting to them and if they have good grounds.
SOMETIMES a GOOD actuators rod will come off (and there may be a broken rod connector,) but in THAT case you would usually still be able to hear the actuator.

Good news is the actuators and switches are usually inexpensive-at places like rockauto.
 
Last edited:

L\Bronco

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Messages
800
Reaction score
852
Location
A.B. Canada
When I try to lock or unlock either the passenger or driver's uside there is no sound or anything. The powered windows do work on both the passenger and driver's side. Is this indicative of a dead switch? I've checked all fuses, and none appear to be burnt. 1996 Eddie Bauer 351 Windsor auto locking hubs.
Hey DJ
That 96 Eddie Bauer should have remote locks. Try this, cycle the key from off to run 8 times ending in on. That will put it into learn mode, it should lock and unlock all doors to indicate this. Might help with your diagnosis.
Hope that helps a bit.
Cheers
 

goodO1boydws

Active member
Joined
Apr 22, 2022
Messages
160
Reaction score
148
Location
East Tennessee
DJ,

After you try doing the things that don't involve opening up the doors and switch panels, if problem is still there, you have to stop asking questions about the problem and get in there to check the switches, the actuators, the connectors and the power and ground wires to have any hope of eliminating what the problem IS NOT and determining what IT IS.

(And FWIW, with electrical parts this age it doesn't pay to replace old electrical parts with used ones just as old.)
 

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
22,621
Messages
136,701
Members
25,282
Latest member
79' Buckin Bronco
Top