Do you have an automatic door lock in your car? While the doors are very convenient to use, they tend to develop a number of problems. The most common problems that they have include:
Insufficient Voltage
If one of your door locks is malfunctioning while the other is working well, chances are that your door has insufficient voltage.
One of the major signs that show that your door has insufficient voltage is the delay of the door to work. When the driver's door switch pops open the door locks, the switch usually uses an electrical charge in order to operate each mechanism.
Door Lock Actuator
This is where the actuator wears out. The actuator usually fits inside the locking mechanism and it's made up of a small motor that turns the shaft and gear. Due to the working of the lock, the gear may wear out. In some cases the motor may stop working.
To find out if the problem is brought about by wearing out of the actuator, you should remove the door panel and unscrew the cover of the actuator in order to see the part that isn't working inside the device. If you are unable to open the panel you should take the car to your car dealer who will identify the faulty part and order it for you.
Corrosion
Corrosion usually affects cables that are attached to the manual lock button on the door. The button is then connected to the automatic door lock system. When the cable is affected by corrosion the door stops working immediately.
To confirm the problem you should try pulling the lock button manually up and down using your hand. If the button doesn't move or is too difficult to move and the automatic lock system doesn't move it, the problem could be as a result of corrosion.
To correct the problem you should open the door panel in order to get to the lock mechanism. You should inspect the mechanism and replace the necessary parts.
Fuses
If all the locks stop working all over a sudden, it could be as a result of a blown fuse. A blown fuse can also cause other items in the car such as radio or dash gauges to stop working. To correct the problem you only need to take a look at your manual to find the corresponding fuse and replace it.
For ideal results it's wise that you ask a professional locksmith to take a look at the locks.
