i haven't had the time to fix the key fob issue yet, but it would always lock all doors when i used it. now that i have to lock via the drivers door switch the right front door isn't locking all the way. last night i noticed it, i grabbed the handle and the alarm went off, had to rush around to drivers side door and put the key in to turn it off. how do i get the switch/lock to lock all the way? i will be addressing the key fob issue this weekend, i want to do w/e it takes to get all doors locking properly. i know the cold air is causing the locks to act weird, but the passenger doors have been locking/unlocking for a long time now.

 

There is a self diagnosis function for the locking feature in the EL section under IVMS. Check that and it may tell you the cause.

 

I don't think the problem has anything to do with the fact you are using the drivers door switch. It would probably do the same if you were using the remote. My view is that you just developed a new problem.

When you push the button on the drivers door, can you tell if the manual lever that is in with the door open lever looks to be mid way? If so, can you push the manual lever all the way or is it binding?

I had a similar problem on my 2000 where a little piece of the manual button broke off and was preventing full movement. But it could be the rods in the door binding somewhere and need some cleaning and lube.

 

what do you lube and how? the door will lock fully, it's random, but the colder air is causing the locks to be retarded. meaning the locks will lock and unlock and it's been doing that for years. i think someone said it has something to do with the master switch needing cleaning and/or replacement?

 

I can't see it being the master switch. It is going to send out an electrical pulse or it isn't, but not part way. It could be intermittent. There is no cleaning or lubing of the switch either.

You have a mechanical problem in the door. There is an electrical solenoid in the door located by the actual latch on the B pillar. There are various pieces that connect through bellcranks and rod guides that could need cleaning & lube. It could be the latch mechanism itself. I can't tell you exactly, you will have to open up the door and check things out. It is tight in there. I had to replace the outside door handle on my 97 and it was not fun.

But when you lube things, you want to clean the old lube and dirt off of the parts before putting new lube on. Leaving the old muck & yuck in there just creates a jelly that will take up space as well as dry out. You could try spraying the rod guides and the connecting ends with something like WD40 and see if it frees up a little. Just remember that WD40 IS NOT oil. It is a bunch of chemicals that will evaporate. Get something like Liquid Wrench that has oil in it.

I can't remember enough to say for sure, but it might be helpful to take the window glass out to get more working room. It isn't that hard.

 

it's honestly not all the time, mostly when it gets cold out. i'm thinking about spraying into the lock mechanism itself and seeing if that helps it a little. i just sprayed the window corners last night with pb blaster for garage rails, it always helps the windows go up and down a bit faster. i might shoot into the lock with some of that and see what happens.

 

Your problems seem to occur during times of low temperature. Lubes get stickier, and congealed whIle it is cold. Consider how bacon grease gets harder in the fridge, while it is at a liquid state on the stove.

You need to clean and grease portions of the lock mechanism

 

My 2000 has been doing this badly now for about a year, after I moved from Southern CA (warm, never rains), to SF Bay Area (cold in winter, rains all winter). The problem is unfortunately with the electronic latch/lock itself, which is a major hassle replace. The problem is not the key cylinder the door handle, the two (actually 3 control bars), the plastic adjustable threads on teh control bars or the threading of the bar into the interior door handle.

All of the various ways of unlocking the door fail the same, when it fails. e.g. you cannot unlock internally manually, or exterior manually (with key), You cannot unlock with keyfob. You cannot unlock with internal electronic door unlock button. You cannot unlock (except occasionally) by combinations of electronic (keyfob or door button) with a finger putting pression on the manual door unlock/lock lever (the stubby one). Not the "open" lever when the car is unlocked.

The unfortunate problem appears to be that the door latch mechanism, that has the several rods going to it, jams. When it is occasionally cooperative, sometimes, the electronics + manual finger push will get it unlocked. Other times that doesn't help, and you can feel the lock mechansim pushing back on the pressue to try and unlock the door.

Woking on it is a huge problem, because when it happens, you cannot get the door unlocked and opened. Thus you cannot get the internel panel out. I just have to crawl in from the passenger door. (By doing two door unlocks to unlock all the doors. e.g. One door unlock for driver. Two for passenger and rears together. Then the passenger can be used to enter, and fiddle with it. But usually no amount of fiddling will work. Have crawl back over the console to exit as well. Very Lame.

I am wonderig if there is any known issue / fix with the door latch that relubbing it can help. It is of course a total bear and a half to get that out of the door. Most people remove the door regulator, which means that you have to first remove the glass, then the regulator (or at least loosen the regulator as if you were going to remove it, unorder to get the electronic latch/lock module out. But wondering if there is some known way to lube, it do I have to replace it? (Expensive, and Nissan only, and hard to find.)

It acts like the actuator, but its not. (You can hear the actuator actually trying to push the stupid lock, unsuccessfully). Its like the lock/unlock switch on the actuator is jammed somehow.
But the module is very sealed, so its unclear if strategy WD40 or grease application in some manner would help.

 

There's an adjustment that can be made on the door lock tension. You loosen the nut on the connector and manipulate the rod back or forward while checking how easily/difficult the thumb lever in the door handle operates. Maybe it has worked loose? Worth a shot. Here's the exploded schematic with the part circled ->

Gak! Fooled again by an old thread! I'll leave this in hopes it helps someone else.

 

My driver's door had this issue. It was the latch. $240 OEM, new. I couldn't find a 4th gen. in a junkyard anywhere near me. This part: