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Central Locking has hardly any response to the remote

1K views 30 replies 6 participants last post by  star_master 
#1 ·
Hi

Over the past month or so, the central locking hardly responds to my remote. I have changed the battery on 2 different remotes and it hasnt had any real effect. So I am thinking that the remotes are not the problem, but instead it must be the "central locking control unit" (if that is the correct name for it ?) that is not working properly. The thing is, I dont know where the control unit is located :huh:

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
#2 ·
We call it a GEM.

Put the car into program mode and see if it responds to the remotes.

Switch the ignition on and off 4 times within 6 seconds a tone sounds. Press unlock on fob 1,

then fob 2 etc..

A tone should sound each time.

Turn the ignition on and off to exit program mode.
 
#4 ·
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
but just so you know, the remotes buttons can act up & stop things working etc

also, does it improve when your out in the countryside ??

I ask this as if you have recently installed a wireless door chime or home CCTV stuff then these can on accasion really nark the remote central locking system & seriously reduce or even stop it working fully etc. ( some high voltage lighting in carparks & phone masts can have the same effect too. )
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
I know that feeling, 2+ years I have been meaning to do my front brakes - only managed em last weekend due to em failing the MOT for being metal on metal ( according to the tester anyway, a good 3mm pad left when removed, you just could not see it when on the car :whistling: )

but while I was there I changed out the entire front suspension too seen as I had the parts & had advisories for a rumbling bearing & play in the link rods too so why not do the lot ( especially at near 190k miles :D

I am steadily working my way through the neglect my mota has received over the last few years ( suspension & brakes are all wearing out - the engine is about the only thing I have kept up on servicing regular, the rest has been fix when broken until recently :} )

on the todo list is

fix exhaust leak ( myself this time as garage who I asked to do the work last in order to get through the test merely bodged it with gungum & it lasted less than 50 miles :( - I had taken em in the new bolt/nut & seals they needed to do the job - drop cat & replace the nuts/bolts & seals & refit )

new rear disks, pads, calipers & handbrake cables ( most still factory stuff & got a handbrake imbalance advise so start from fresh )

brake fluid change - not been done since 2007 & got 3% water content when tested so needs doing pronto

possibly think about changing all the rear suspension components ( all the links are on 190k ish miles & the dampers are on 119k - got the replacements already :} )

it will be like a new mota if I manage to get through the list :}
 
#10 ·
Excellent post compuwiz! lol :} :}

All the work that we put into our cars. It's SURELY a labour of love :wub: :D :D .....or at least I HOPE it is :wacko: lol :}

Before I properly come back to this thread, I need to take a photo of something that I have seen hanging down under the car (some red electrical connector box) and post it on here, cos I dont know what it relates to, and I'm wondering if it is anything to do with the central locking.
 
#11 ·
it must be a labour of love, otherwise i would have scrapped my mota already - especially with all th grief its given me on sunday just gone

did the rear end work mentioned above & found the rear bearings were getting past it too so got on with them while the car was apart & all 8 bolts were almost seized up ( took nearly an hour each side to get out 4 ruddy bolts on each :( )

did not get round to the zorst due to the above bearings trouble :(

defo worth a post on the dangling box but i dont think that will be part of the problem - sounds more like a aftermarket addon thats come loose - suppose if its part of an old alarm then maybe but otherwise i doubt it - but i am often wrong so i'll wait & see ur piccies :L
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
I had loads of trouble doing my brakes and caliper due to seized bolts, but thankfully one of my mates lent me his cordless electric impact wrench, which helped a lot - I am definitely gonna be buying one of those at some point.

This sort of thing :-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/24V-Cordless-Impact-Wrench-1-2-Square-Driver-Electric-Li-ion-Power-Tool-CT3730-/281450542295?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item4187c274d7

My mates was 160 nm, and it did ok. But if you can get one with MORE power, then that would be better.
 
#13 ·
i have one like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAVY-DUTY-24V-1-2-DRIVE-CORDLESS-IMPACT-WRENCH-RATCHET-2-BATTERIES-IN-CASE-/271593956051?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3f3c42e2d3

it was no good whatsoever on the rear bearing bolts, sadly it made things worse on the very 1st bolt, it impacted it so far out that it got very stuck indeed did the bolt & needed the biggest breaker bar i have to turn the bolt the other way to start the in/oil/soak/out/repeat work - i thought i may have had to drill & tap that begger but thankfully it eventually moved :D

but yup, its a favourite toy of mine otherwise is that impact gun, makes light work of most bolts & i really miss it when it cant get to a bolt or a bolt is far too tight for it.

glad i invested in a load of penetrating oil & rust disolver spray lube stuff too as they helped plenty on them bolts & getting the bearing off the rear suspension :D
 
#15 ·
The clarke 24v one gets good reviews also. That one does look very similar.
 
#16 ·
the type like i have gets mixed reviews

some get low battery life or duffers straight away, others have a charger that packs in fast, others say they dont last 2 mins before they break etc.

but ( touches wood ) i aint had any of them yet but i dont use it on every bolt & i dont sit there with it hammering away like a loon etc - prefer to zip in with that & then set to with the torque wrench for the final drive etc.

the only thing i would say is that i agree with the reveiws it gets about its claimed 320nm, dont expect that all the time, at most you will probably get that for the 1st few uses on a fresh battery & then after that it drops along with the charge level etc.

mine mostly gets used for buzzing on/off the wheels at summer / winter changeovers & my folks borrow it to drop the legs on there caravan as it saves using the hand crank thingy :}

but one battery did last me for each of the front corners easily ( lots of stuck bolts & ruddy tight ones ( that driveshaft one is a begger but it only needed it cracking the 1st bit & then it banged it off in no time, same bor back on, in it went for a couple of seconds of impacts at the end & then back on the breaker bar for the final Fecking tight bit ( dont have a torque wrench that goes upto 300 or whatever that beast needs so its done up F.T instead ) ( it was the complete off & back on again it lasted - ns drained the battery almost fully but i needed it more on that as i snapped a pinch bolt & probalbly upset a neighbour or 2 with my language so it got a proper hammering on that side trying to get that bolt out :} - os left just enough juice to buzz the wheels back on )

on the recent rear end it got used for wheels only & had to resort to socket set for the rest ( dammed suspension parts in the way for use getting to the rest of the bolts )
 
#18 ·
for working at home i may look out for a decent sized nm impact gun that works off 240v & then i dont have to worry about the battery running out ( but till then i can make do with the cheapy battery one as its served me well upto now :) )
 
#21 ·
Check the feedback? Cannot undo a Galaxy wheel nut...
 
#22 ·
Check the feedback? Cannot undo a Galaxy wheel nut...
The thing is Purple, I have seen quite a few of these machines (air compressor ones included) where they struggle to undo wheel nuts sometimes. Personally I think that nearly all of them struggle at times. But yes thanks for mentioning it though cos I will check out more reviews before I buy. Thanks!
 
#23 ·
i have a aircompressor impact gun, its a weedy git, its undone my motas wheelnut ( done up to proper torque ) when 1st tested but then refused to shift my folks old rattle box's wheelnuts that i had tightened with the tiny wheel brace a few test drives earlier ( seen as they started coming loose after many years of storage :whistling: )

never tried it since & that compressor is resigned to tyre inflation duties for now ( mainly as thats the only air tool i left out before i put the rest of em right at the back of the storage shed its all in & loaded stuff ontop of it all. )

but its a cheap compressor & i think its this ( or at least the pipework on it ) thats the cause for the lack of power, seen net blurb from folks who have bought cheap, changed a few pipe/regulator bits from there old compressors & had the same level of power as before etc.
 
#26 ·
Ahh yes that does help. I think reviews are a PITA sometimes.

Missus was after a new iron, Went onm the argos website and some said it was very

light and others said it was really heavy. It cannot be both,,,,
 
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