QuestionQUESTION: I have a 1996 chev tahoe. I recently bought it with only one remote. I bought another one online. The programming instructions that came with it told me to ground the top right contact on the diagnostic plug that is located under the driverside dash at the same time as I hold down the lock and unlock buttons on the remotes, one after the other. I did this and it did program both remotes to my rig. The problem is that now the door lock switches that are located in the two front doors no longer work. How do I reactivate the door switches?
ANSWER: Hi Bill,
Wow, that is strange. According to the directions, you did the correct thing to reprogram the remote, but the door lock buttons on the doors now don't work.
I believe the door lock switches are independant of the remote, or the diagnostic connector. The only link I can think of is the theft control system. When you unlock the doors with the remote, you are usually also disarming an alarm.
It is possible that the door locks and the reprogramming are not related. It is a fluke that they went at the same time. Check for fuse, circuit breaker. Do the locks work with the remote?
This will take a little research. If I find out something more, I will follow up. Sorry I didn't know anything more solidly.
C J S
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: It doesn't have an alarm system. Both the remotes work fine, it is just the door controllers that aren't working. The fuse goes to the door locks and not the controls, so when it is pulled, the locks don't work at all.
AnswerHi again, Bill,
Quick overview: You have a hot wire supplied to the door lock button. When you pick lock or unlock, you are directing this hot current to the solenoid, and completing an electrical path. It is like a light switch, only momentarily operated.
Here is where I would get more into the diagnostic. First, you want to remove the door lock controller...I will call these the lock/unlock buttons.
Once the button is removed from the panel, disconnect the harness. You will have three, four or five wires. One wire is hot. If you use a test light, you should be able to get current there. If neither of these are hot, then you have no supply to the door lock button. Why not!!!
If so, connect the harness, push the button and check for current on the output side of the button. If supply is there and not comming out, then the switch is suspect.
This used to be a simple system. A fuse, a solenoid, a positive supply and a ground. Now adays, things are more complicated. If you did have a theft system, it would be involved also. I have a '94 Camaro. If you leave the windows down, and lock the doors. After a few minutes if you reach in the window to push the button, they are dead. Once I use my key to unlock the door, the buttons are alive again.
If you have no current at the input side of the button, and it is not a fuse, then the next step is a schematic. I don't have one, but the library should have a repair book with one in it. Xerox it, and see what else may cause no current at the buttons.
The remote is also tied in with this system. You want to make sure the button doesn't travel through this remote 'brain' on its way to the solenoid. Or that the supplied current doesn't come from it.
The dealer usually resets the new remotes, when you buy one. It is possible that you may need to see them to reactivate something. They usually charge a little more than an hour to reset the remote devices. They don't tell the secrets to how they do it, but I needed a new remote once on a '91 Cutlass (years ago) and they said they needed to change both out and put in a new 'brain'. I told them I am able to do things, and they said I wouldn't have the equipment.
Good luck with this. It could get complicated.
C J S
