Wacky problem. Hoping someone can shed some light on it.

Longroof79

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Oct 14, 2008

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• #1

My daily driver is a '95 Olds Cutlass Ciera with just under 37,000 original miles. The car is in original condition overall. The problem I'm having is with the power door locks.
It locks and unlocks by itself. mostly when I'm driving. Aside from being annoying, I really want to rectify the problem. I also removed and cleaned the contacts on left and right door lock switches. I have also acquired a new relay thinking that might be the problem. Honestly, I don't know where the power lock relay is located.
Cleaning the contacts on the switches have helped as far as regular function is concerned. I thought that might've corrected the intermittent locking and unlocking of the doors.
I'm open for suggestions. Thank you!

 

E

ELCAM

Royal Smart Person

Jun 19, 2021

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• #2

This thing is way more complicated than our older cars.

Power lock relay is under the back seat if i remember correctly. Black plastic case with a 6 pin connector and uses a christmas tree plastic pin mount. electrically the same as our cars but in a plastic case with a ground wire. G's use a metal case with the case being ground.

I think what is causing the problem is an unlock relay that is under the left side of the dash. Should have red, white, pink and orange wires going into a 6 pin relay package. Might try disconnecting this relay. I believe this part is unobtainum except the salvage yard.

There are several things trying to auto lock the doors including the PRNDL switch and the computer speed sensor out put into the alarm module. So it relocking is expected.

 

Last edited: Feb 4, 2025

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Rt Jam

G-Body Guru

Mar 30, 2020

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• Feb 4, 2025

• #3

I have power locks and do not remember anything under the rear seat.

Are you sure it's doing both, locking AND unlocking. Try unplugging some stuff like the switches but one at a time.

 

Longroof79

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Oct 14, 2008

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• #4

Thank you guys. I appreciate your input. I guess I'll have to do some digging around. I do have a Haynes manual for these type of cars, but it does not specify where these relays are located. There is a wiring diagram for what it's worth. I'll put my thinking cap on and further investigate it.
I'll let you know what I'm able to find. Thanks again.

 

Last edited: Feb 4, 2025

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J

jcelk

Master Mechanic

Dec 10, 2014

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• Feb 4, 2025

• #5

if the interior light comes on it will unlock the doors it thinks you opened a door sometimes the door switch is bad or out of alignment

 

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E

ELCAM

Royal Smart Person

Jun 19, 2021

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It occurs to me it would be trivial to wire this so there is no auto lock feature and make it work like a 1985 instead of a 1995.

 

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Streetbu

Know it all, that doesn't

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May 22, 2011

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• #7

Study the wiring diagram. Need to see what can trigger the the locks besides the switches. Guessing the door switches might, as well as the BCM. Then go from there

 

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Longroof79

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• #8

ELCAM said:

It occurs to me it would be trivial to wire this so there is no auto lock feature and make it work like a 1985 instead of a 1995.

Click to expand...

Hmmm! I like your way of thinking. The simpler the better. Again, I'll refer to the wiring diagram in the Haynes manual.

 

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Longroof79

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• #9

Streetbu said:

Study the wiring diagram. Need to see what can trigger the the locks besides the switches. Guessing the door switches might, as well as the BCM. Then go from there

Click to expand...

Thanks Sean. According to the wiring diagram , the door lock relay connects between the switches and the door lock actuators. In this case, there's one actuator per door. I'll start by replacing the door lock relay, being that I already have the part. Then it's a matter of figuring out which door lock actuator could be causing the problem. I'm thinking the relay is under the dash somewhere.
Thanks again, man.

 

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Longroof79

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• Feb 6, 2025

• #10

I removed the right side lower interior panel hoping to find the elusive relay, but still haven't located it. I was hoping to trace the appropriate colored wires to the source. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Maybe I will lift up the rear seat and check there. You never know.

 

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