Dear Jag Owners: Does this sound credible? My key fob won't unlock the XK8's doors. It makes a beep and opens the trunk but not the doors. I have read the other posts I could find on this subject, and they don't seem to address my problem. The car is at the mechanic's, and they just told me the following, which I find difficult to believe:

They said they checked the fuses, cables, etc., and that the problem is the locking mechanisms themselves - BOTH of them (i.e., one on each door). That sounds odd to me, since, to the best of my knowledge, both doors stopped working at once. Anyhow, the mechanic said that each replacement part (used, as they were discontinued) was like $300 plus shipping, and that the entire repair job, w/labor, would be ~$750.00!! I told them to forget it.

Should I give up on this "project" or keep trying to find an affordable solution? (Although it's no big deal to manually unlock the car when I have no passengers, it's a PITA to unlock the passenger door for a passenger, since there's no key hole on that side.)

Thanks in advance.

 

When the door latches/locks begin to cause problems such as refusing to lock or unlock, the cause is almost always the tiny microswitches that are contained in the door latch assembly (the drivers door has one and the passenger door also has one). New microswitches can be ordered online from www.mouser.com for about $8 each plus shipping. The microswitch part number that quite a few of us have utilized is D2SW-3L3MS. You need one new microswitch for each door....

There are quite a few threads here on the forum that take you through step-by-step of how to replace these microswitches. There are even a couple of videos showing you how to remove the door card, remove the door latch assembly, and remove the microswitch itself....

Your wallet is being wiped out by the shop you are using. Do some research here on the forum and learn how to tackle these jobs yourself, or ask one of your more mechanically-inclined friends to help you do so....

 

Before jumping to replacement of the switches try freeing them up. Open the doors and liberally spray the lock mechanism with wd-40. Then cycle the doors open and close a few times. Next lock and unlock the doors using the keys. Now go ahead and try the remote.

 

Thanks much. The best I could do was read this to the guy at the auto shop, who is discussing this with the "technician." (FYI, I'm a 67-year-old woman - well-preserved but not inclined to start figuring out how to take apart car doors, etc.) But yes: I never know, for sure, if these shops are charging so much because they don't know WTF they are doing or because they are dishonest. I think this shop is honest, but apparently not as familiar w/Jags as I'd hoped.

 

Thanks. I had seen another post w/this advice (unfortunately, after the car was in the shop). I did pass along this advice to the shop, and they already had determined (correctly or not) that each locking mechanism itself was not functioning. When I get the car back, I'll certainly try this, in case the mechanic did not.

 

Spraying the door latch assembly with WD-40 is a temporary fix. It always lasted a few weeks to a couple of months for me, and I did that from July 2018 until April 2019 when Wayne (cjd777) and I finally bit the bullet and did the job with the new microswitches. No door latch assembly problems since....

 

M., looks like you said locks don't work with remote. Let's analyze if lock works at all:
1) USA: (drivers door on other side in UK+) Insert key in door. If door is unlocked - turn key counterclockwise.
Beep?
Locks lock?
Both locks?

BTW if you hold the key here, rood will raise and latch within 20 seconds. All windows does raise too.

Car locked? Turn key clockwise. Did doors unlock?

If key in door works the locks, I'd say door switches, locks are all ok.

you're in car, doors shut. Can you unlock both sides with driver door lock lever?

Did your car "auto" lock when put in drive? Does it still?

BTW, when car's battery gets low,, i see crazy stuff like this from locks.

Hey i don't think you mentioned the year of your car. Door switch failures manifest different failure displays in earlier cars like mine than later years.

I put in all that testing above to verify the lock mechanism failure diagnosis. Don't worry we'll get there. Keep us posted.

John

 

Car is at the shop, but here are the answers I know offhand:

1) USA: (drivers door on other side in UK+) Insert key in door. If door is unlocked - turn key counterclockwise.
* Beep? YES
* Locks lock? YES
* Both locks? I DON"T THINK IT LOCKS PASSENGER DOOR BUT NOT POSITIVE

BTW if you hold the key here, rood will raise and latch within 20 seconds. All windows does raise too.

*I DIDN"T KNOW THAT ABOUT THE ROOF!

Car locked? Turn key clockwise. Did doors unlock?" DRIVERS DOOR UNLOCKS. PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT.

If key in door works the locks, I'd say door switches, locks are all ok. *

you're in car, doors shut. Can you unlock both sides with driver door lock lever? I THINK THE LOCK BUTTON WORKS TO LOCK BOTH DOORS; I THINK (BUT NOT SURE) BUTTON UNLOCKS BOTH DOORS. I THINK THE *HANDLE* PUSHED IN LOCKS ONLY THE DOOR THE HANDLE IS ON.

Did your car "auto" lock when put in drive? Does it still? IT DID AND I DON'T THINK IT STILL DOES.

BTW, when car's battery gets low,, i see crazy stuff like this from locks. I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS FROM WHEN MY BATTERY USED TO DIE A LOT! BUT NOW I HAVE A CHARGER-THINGY.

Hey i don't think you mentioned the year of your car. Door switch failures manifest different failure displays in earlier cars like mine than later years. IT IS A '98 CONVERTIBLE.

I put in all that testing above to verify the lock mechanism failure diagnosis. Don't worry we'll get there. Keep us posted.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I'LL SEE WHAT THE MECHANIC SAYS ABOUT THE SWITCHES, THEN POST AGAIN. (AND IF PROBLEM NOT SOLVED, I'LL BE SURE TO TEST ALL OF THE ABOVE WHEN I GET THE CAR BACK.)

Sorry for the caps, but it seemed easiest way to differentiate my replies from your questions.

John[/QUOTE]

 

M., I love the caps.

Thanks now I have a much better understanding.

On our 1998s, the door's puddle light is connected to the switch in the door latch that tells the car door open or door shut.

If switch fails, car thinks that door is open. Don't forget when your door is open a few things happen:

1. That door's puddle light turns on, day or night.
2. Your dash will display red light warning passenger door open..
3. That "open" door's push the handle to lock is disabled, the handle won't really depress.

Fuse #2 10 amps on passenger door side fuse box controls both door lock actuators, since drivers works, its not the fuse.

I just reread your great response. I just realized that the passenger door locks and unlocks, but:
it doesn't respond to the remote
Not sure if it responds to driver's door handle commands (in= lock, out= unlock)

key in door doesn't lock or unlock passenger door..

M, I got confused when you seemed to indicate button locks and unlocks both doors, but door lever is no longer global lock/unlock, yet the levers in each door work that door's lock.

Maybe I misread, and we sure do understand you don't have the car in front of you.

If the passenger door can be locked, no lights indicating door open, then for sure its not the door latch switch in a 98.

So, don't take this wrong way:
does the remote control lock and unlock the doors or only drivers door?

Does driver door handle operate both locks? (It Can't fail 1/2 way like only locks locking and unlock are same circuit. It just sends electricity in reverse direction to reverse actuator motion)

John

 

So, the shop just called. They said they lubricated the relevant parts, and they tested the microswitches. The latter are receiving and sending signal, as they should. Therefore, the shop still believes the problem lies with both lock mechanisms (motors, if I recall). I'll be getting the car back tomorrow - with doors still not working.

 

Failing door latch assembly microswitches often test good yet refuse to operate properly....

 

Both locks failing together is a bit of a long shot. It may be worth checking out the Locking Relay as that is common to both locks. Not much else is.

 

The likelihood of both actuators failing at the the same moment is about the same as two lightbulbs in two separate lams failing at the same moment. It's more likely a component common to both. I think astromorg may be onto something with the Locking Relay suggestion or maybe the security control module in the boot. Another thread talks about that unit getting wet as it's at a low point by the battery. Cleaning the contacts may help.

 

I just picked up the Jag. I had taken it in for a $37 smog check (w/coupon). I walked out having paid $587.00! What did I get out of it? (1) They did not honor the coupon (which they hadn't saved & claimed didn't apply to a 1998 car, so they charged me $49. I just emailed them a copy of the coupon & suspect that they'll refund some of this $.) (2) For their work on a failing traction control system, they charged $337. (They fixed the problem by simply cleaning off the TC switch.) And the charge for diagnosing 2 non-auto-locking doors (Dx: "failed door latch/actuation assembly" - both doors) was $$196.

I can see that, if I want the doors fixed, I'll have to do it myself, and I doubt I'm up to it.

 

Hi, Jonken. Now that I have my Jag back - I'll try to clarify:

1) There is no "lock/unlock" button on the jag; my mistake. (I was confusing it w/my Subaru.) So, sitting inside the car, one can lock doors only with the "levers"/"handles. Each handle works independently now - i.e., driver's side handle lockes only driver's side door; passenger's side handle locks passenger's side door.

Everything thing else I said is true, I believe.

Here is what the mechanics said they tested:

Tested the remotes; they say 1 doesn't work, although I know it worked 1-2 months ago. The other works.
Verified that vehicle chimes when trying to lock doors, but doors do not lock.
Tested fuses & relays for power door lock system; "they are ok at this time." (?)
Verified body control module (BCM) is receiving signal to lock/unlock doors.
Removed driver's door panel & inspected door lock components.
Verified cable is properly connected from door latch to inner handle.
Verified door latch/actuator assembly is receiving good power/ground signal.
Isolated problem to failed door latch assembly. (I told them NOT to take off the passenger door panel, so they didn't do some of this work for the passenger door lock.)

One of the owners (who was very nice, even after I got sort of snarky with the staff (my bad), advised me to get rid of the jag. But I really like it, and it has less than 51,000 miles on it.

 

Yes, but I cannot SWEAR that both failed at the same moment.

 

deleted

 

Does the non-working remote have fresh batteries? Very easy to change them. The earlier model year fobs use two 2016 batteries while newer one use one 2032 battery.

 

Of course.

 

Ok looks like 2 bad actuators, unusual.

I just looked. The door handle manually operates that door's lock.

Apparently the drivers door key manually controls the lock too.

I'm surprised you can turn the alarm on with door/doors unlocked.

I'm sorry for your headaches, it'll be worth it once all is fixed.

Sounds like the passenger door actuator will have most impact. Let me/us know if you want to do that yourself. Taking the door card off is a lot easier than it looks. About 20minutes your 1st time. I will provide step by step if u like.


https://www.carparts.com/door-lock-a.../1998?&vehicle[year]=1998&vehicle[make]=Jaguar&vehicle[model]=XK8
John