[Sloth]

EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

I've had to do this a few times and I've been successful, trouble is, I can never remember how... I suspect my door switches are dodgy, I know for certain the door ajar switch is - if the wire for it is connected, the lights etc are constantly turning on and the relays in the doorstations go mad. So that wire is for now not connected to the driver's door latch connector. I can live without the lights coming on etc. When all is well with the car and it hasn't immobilised itself - the key in the door lock does operate the central locking properly both locking and unlocking as you'd expect, and it doesn't unlock itself or lock itself at all at random - that I'm aware of. But when it comes to entering the EKA code, I haven't had a single response from the sidelights indicator. On the other hand, when I take the CDL switch and key switch wires and touch them to ground in various ways, I do.

Its just getting the combination of which wires to touch to ground together that gets me. Add in the additional first 4 turns to 'lock' that my owner's manual states I'm supposed to do (its a 1996 model), and I get even more confused. I'm 99% sure I actually don't have to do this - after managing to lock out yet again and having to wait 30 minutes, I managed to enter the code on the first attempt without the first four locks. The central locking all popped up, and it started. Great. Till next time the battery dies, and I've forgotten again how I managed it. Replacing the door latch would be best - yes, but I can't do that right now.

Thinking about the initial four locks if I do need to do them - should I get the sidelight indicator flash for those? Or does it not flash, but silently becomes ready for the first digit?

I know the 'key switch' microswitch is activated when the key is turned in either direction. The CDL switch then lets things know whether the key was turned to unlock or lock, as this switch is only closed in one of the directions by the lock, turned by either the key or the CDL motor (right?).

From tonight's escapades entering the code, it seems to me that the CDL switch is closed when the latch is unlocked. Is that right? I had the door lock itself unplugged, and the CDL switch wire bridged to ground as if it were closed in the latch. If I remove the bridge to ground, the CDL locks all of the doors (except the drivers obviously, which was unplugged). So whenever the car is unlocked, this switch should be closed it seems.

In theory then, if I don't have to start with the 4 locks, I should bridge the switch wires to ground as below:

Digit 1) - Ground CDL switch, tap key switch * number, unground CDL switch (unlock)
Digit 2) - Key switch * number (lock)
Digit 3) - Ground CDL switch, tap key switch * number, unground CDL switch (unlock)
Digit 4) - Key switch * number (lock)
One last unlock - ground CDL switch, tap key switch

Does that seem right if I'm making any sense? In theory if I do have to start with the first four locks, I just need to ground the key switch wire on its own to ground, but as I say - it seems I don't need to. I'd disconnect the battery again to force me to enter the code and try and clear this up... but I want to drive it tomorrow and its too cold to sit outside playing with it now

 

[Gilbertd]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

Sounds about right, although wouldn't it be easier to replace the switches in the latch?

 

[scimitargtc]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

get Marty_NZ to disable the passive immobiliser before you totally 'lock out' & service the drivers door lock, for not a [relatively] lot of dosh and you'll go for ever

 

[Gilbertd]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

Marty will also do an exchange reconditioned latch if replacing the switches isn't your thing.

 

[Sloth]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

I've had the latch out once before - at that time the switches definitely weren't working properly, I couldn't activate the central locking in either way with the key. But now I can, which seems to suggest the switches are working?

The battery in the key came loose again yesterday so I had to enter the EKA using my cheat wires that I've attached to the loom and brought into the door pocket. Did it first time without the first four locks the manual instructs. Might tidy them up with some push buttons. One day I will get the latch sorted, but while I have a way to start it when the key or battery has a moment, other things need sorting first. Front airbags and a valve block kit next I think before the compressor gives up.

 

[marty_nz]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

I've got a couple of drivers door (UK) latches sitting on the shelf... except I'm in Canada until the 24th, so can't do anything until then anyway!

It is *possible* that your key switch is faulty as you would still get all the doors to lock/unlock with the key (the vehicle would just think that the doors have been locked with the sill lock button inside the vehicle. As you have bridged out the Door Ajar switch it will think the door is closed and being locked from inside (after a certain model year they prevented you from being able to 'slam lock' by pressing the button and then closing the door. If you pressed the button and then closed the door, the BECM automatically unlocked all the doors - as a prevention for locking the keys in the vehicle)

If your key switch in the latch worked, but the CDL was faulty, then you would be able to manually lock/unlock the drivers door with the key, but the other doors most likely wouldn't do anything as the BECM wouldn't be able to detect the change in state of the CDL switch (either that or it would always lock/unlock the doors on a change in state of the key switch depending on which way the CDL had failed - I haven't had a chance to play around with various scenarios of switch failures on a vehicle yet - it's on the list of things to try at some point to see actually what the failures of the various switches do in regards to BECM reactions)

You may have a 1996, but the 4 turns to lock thing came in on a firmware update to the BECM at some point I believe - so it is possible that this coincides with a specific VIN number rather than a break in production year - yet the handbook printed for that year shows the instructions regardless..

Drop me a PM if you want, when you get around to replacing the latch - as Gilbertd mentions, I rebuild them and sell the rebuilt ones on an exchange basis for the faulty one.

As Scimitargtc so kindly says aswell, I have the BECM programming gear to be able to reset BECMs if you do end up with it in total lockout at any point, and can disable the passive immobiliser (if it hasn't been done already - but sounds like it might have on yours since you don't need the EKA to get it started every time)

If you look in the Stickies on the top of the P38 forum topics page, I have a post there with tests for the door latches and a downloadable pdf file - so you can test them at home with a multimeter if you want - but it also give the expected output from the latch which should confirm the ways you have the wires jumpered at the moment.

Marty

 

[Sloth]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

Hi Marty,

I will take you up on a replacement latch at some point - it really needs sorting properly in the end. The car is just a project really and needs a whole lot of other work first, at least now I can enter the EKA when needed. Every couple of days now I can put the car in a neighbor's parking spot where I can attach a charger for a few hours while it isn't being driven enough.

That's what I figured with the 1996/4 turns thing - typical that I'd end up with a car built in that transition period, made even more confusing with the dodgy door switches

Disabling the passive immobilisation would be great - I know that if I lock/unlock with the remote, the car will re-immobilise itself after some time (10 minutes I think?) after switching off the engine if the remote is not used to lock it. This is passive immobilisation isn't it? It seems that if after entering the EKA, I don't use the remote, the immobilisation stays disabled until I next use the remote, which is currently how the car is.

I'll check that out re. testing the switches!

 

[marty_nz]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

Yes, the passive immobilisation will automatically disable the engine starting again after it's been stopped - I think the time should be 1 minute before it does it - likewise if you unlock the vehicle with remote and then don't start it within 60 secs then it also disarms the engine again.

The immboliser should kick in when you lock the vehicle with the key aswell - however, brings me back to wondering if your key switch is working in the latch, as I am not 100% sure (comes back to not having had time to test various scenarios!) what the passive immobiliser does if the vehicle is locked from the 'inside' with the sill button (or with the key in the lock with a defective key switch - which would give the same status to the BECM as just pressing the button down). I presume that it won't immobilise the vehicle or set the alarm, as it's designed to be able to lock the doors inside - say if there is a passenger in the vehicle and they want to lock the doors etc - you don't want it setting the alarm!

Let us know what you find when you get a chance to test the switched - will be interesting to see the results.

No hurry on the replacement latch - I always keep a couple of the shelf ready to ship out (well try to!). I do them for £45 on exchange for the dud one. I fully clean them, regrease, replace microswitches and test them all before closing them back up. Try to make them as good as new!

Marty

 

[LarryS]

Re: EKA - door switch broken, entering code with wiring - managed it, but unsure how!

The four 'turns to lock' at the beginning of the sequence for >96MY is a conditional requirement.

In short, if you had locked via the remote fob then you don't do it, you just 'turn to lock' the once.

Counting the sidelight in the instrument cluster is the only reliable way i've found to enter the EKA, works every time.

If you make a mistake or you lose your way open/close the door, this IIRC stops the sequence, and stops it being counted as an 'attempt'.