Door locks - working intermittently, clicking sound?

[new62]

On my 88' 62 the door locks have been working intermittently since I got it - usually auto-locking fine but not unlocking. Now, after taking the door panels off to install new speakers and putting them back on, the door locks have stopped working altogether. However, when I press the switch, there is an audible 'click' coming from the lock mechanism at each of the rear doors - what sounds like the electro-mechanical switch/lever/doohicky moving, but the locks are not unlocking or locking.

Any suggestions? I know the switch at the driver's door is good, otherwise I wouldn't hear the 'click' at other doors, right? Bad ground, possibly?

Thanks.

 

[archie]

I got that same problem on my 62. I think it's just age and all the water that seeping into the door panels from rain. Try lubricating the mechanisms. I have not tried this because I haven't dove into taking off the door panels. It seems as though your electronic mechanism works but is just getting hung up or not strong enough to over come the friction of rust and dirt. How easy was it to take off the panels? Any tricks I should know before I try it myself? thanks. 88fj62 w 205k

 

[CTiger]

try resetting your circuit breakers...good luck

Mike M
88' FJ62

 

[atomicpunk]

I had the same problem. I lubed all of the linkage and solonoids (including rear one) then I disasembled the switch. I found that there is no inline fuse in the curcuit, therefore, if someone were to hold the switch for too long, the posts would overheat and cause them to melt into the plastic. After this happens, the switch builds up carbon because of the poor contact and stops working. I heated up the small posts with a soldering iron and pushed them through to the original position, and put a small drop of epoxy behind the post to hold it in place. Then I cleaned the contacts (posts) Seems to be working fine now.

 

[new62]

Thanks for he tips - I'll have to pop the doors off again and clean up everything.

Taking off the doors is easy - just slide your fingers under the panels and pull carefully, moving along the panel as the plastic plugs pop out. Or you can use a large flathead screwdriver like you're supposed to.

Has anyone put a small fuse on the door lock switch to prevent overheating? Any guess at the amps needed?

 

[archie]

here's another link that might help everybody https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=15609&highlight=door+locks