Urgent - transit sliding door won't lock

whitevanwoman

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Help urgently needed please - Transit 350TD LWB 2002 self build campervan (ex network rail)

Problem with central locking sliding side door not working, apparently a common fault. Just noticed tonight though I think its been intermittent for a while as I've found it unlocked when I thought it was locked on a few occasions recently. Thought I was losing my marbles.

Have lightly sanded the 3 flat circle metal / copper contacts on the body of the van, and checked and cleaned the 3 corresponding posts on the door. Presume these are the Remote Control contacts.

Checked for anything obstructing door from closing properly.

Fob - top Left button pressed once locks front and rear doors, I can hear it doing that. It isn't locking the sliding door. But it should be, it used to. Pressed twice, dead locks front doors.
Fob - top right button unlocks front doors no problem
Fob - centre bottom button (red) should unlock sliding and rear doors but only the rear doors are responding.
The only keyhole is in the driver's door but I only ever use the fob for locking / unlocking.

A few weeks ago the sliding door was removed to fit a window into it. Am sure it has locked ok since then but wondering if additional weight of window has caused movement of door on bolts so that the contacts between door and body are now misaligned ??

Currently in use fulltime so urgently needs fixing tomorrow!

Is it worth just getting a deadlock fitted? Or what about a slamlock? How could I lock it from inside if deadlock or slam lock on outside?
There is no way of locking the sliding door from the inside without using the fob.

What kind of money should I expect to pay for deadlock or slamlock fitted?

Back doors no problem, central locking is working and also have big house bolt fitted inside at top of doors plus brackets and broom handle lower down near where latch is. Confident that will be secure even if central locking fails on them.

Luckily I have 2 biggish dogs in van with me so not too worried tonight, but darent go shopping or leave van now till sorted.

Parked on industrial estate 300m away from trade motor spares company so should be able to get hold of parts ok and maybe local recommendations for autolocksmiths. Or should I take it to the garage where I go for repairs and MOT, just 5 mins away?

I have full breakdown cover, is it worth phoning them or will they just refer me to an auto locksmith?

All suggestions welcome but especially cheap suggestions. Thanks.
 
does the key in drivers door ,lock\unlock it ?
does side door make any clicking noise when trying to lock or unlock ?
 
take off the lower door card,this is just the cover and usually held by push studs that just pull off [carefully] this should allow you to see the lock mechanism,under which should be a black plastic actuator about 6inches long. are the 2 wires still connected to it ?
close the door and try to lock it with the fob, does it click? can you see any movement from the top of it ?
 
If you want something cheap drill a hole through the rear pillar of the door, and then into the body and slot a 6" nail in. That will stop that part of the door moving outward, so it won't open.
 
Take it to your local garage, as Mr Broon has already said it will most likely be the actuator. Easy job for a competent mechanic.
 
I can't like posts as I'm using android app which doesn't allow it but thanks to all for replies, especially n brown - from other sources it seems that it may indeed be the actuator / solenoid.

Am now going to sit and digest the Haynes manual with regards to replacing actuator, even if I can't do it myself, at least I'll know what kind of job and time is involved.

Its times like this I'm glad of being a Staffy owner - the prejudice against the breed works in my favour on this occasion. Dont tell anyone but the soft git would probably be delighted to see a thief open the door and if not caged, would probably leap on top of them in excitement.
 
10para - a poster on here - is a mobile vehicle door lock guy... depends where you are in the country... give him a private message.....
 
Thanks for the heads up about 10para, might try that if stuck, although you know what they say about Paras and what comes out of the sky... ;-) But as ex WRAC he might be able to help out an ex rack in distress... I'm up north, in Cumbria.

Have just tested (using Marmite) that the 3 posts are lined up ok with the 3 metal discs on the body and they are so door isn't misaligned.

So most likely either faulty actuator / solenoid or wiring.

New actuator / solenoid is £60 on eBay (ford part). Gulp! Is this a reasonable price?

Nigel, could you expand a little on your advice about removing the card etc, not sure what you mean. The lock mechanism is at the rear of the sliding door, will the solenoid be near that or buried somewhere underneath the middle of the panel (now full of insulation). Have seen a picture of one so I now know what to look for.
 
hi you !take off whatever is covering the lower half of the door. my lock is on the right. wherever your lock is,the actuator is attached to it by an arm which may be flat metal or a wire rod,and bolted to the door body with one or 2 bolts.normally has 2 wires.
you should find it and test it to see if it moves at all,as it might need a drop of oil,or if there's no power,a damaged or disconnected wire
there are universal actuators CENTRAL LOCKING 2 WIRE SOLENOID ACTUATOR MOTOR UNIVERSAL | eBay Maplin's do one similar for a tenner if you can't wait

10para is round surrey i think, but might be worth getting advice re; universal off him !
 
Last edited:
n brown said:
hi you !take off whatever is covering the lower half of the door. my lock is on the right. wherever your lock is,the actuator is attached to it by an arm which may be flat metal or a wire rod,and bolted to the door body with one or 2 bolts.normally has 2 wires.
you should find it and test it to see if it moves at all,as it might need a drop of oil,or if there's no power,a damaged or disconnected wire
there are universal actuators CENTRAL LOCKING 2 WIRE SOLENOID ACTUATOR MOTOR UNIVERSAL | eBay Maplin's do one similar for a tenner if you can't wait

10para is round surrey i think, but might be worth getting advice re; universal off him !
Click to expand...

Nigel, you are a star, ty for the above info. I'll tell you the tale of today's events over a beer sometime but to be (unusually) brief, its now fixed, cost £25 but your info meant that I was about to try that next and would have needed the simpleton instructions you gave... it meant that had it come to it I would have attempted to replace it myself, (and would have probably managed eventually).

Lol, its been a strange one today, all in all. I now know all about Ford's central locking system, have a print out of the components of the sliding door and locking system courtesy of an older gent in the ford parts dept, I learned how to reprogramme my key fob courtesy of a ford mechanic (and no, that wasn't the cause of the problem!), I learned that the inside of the sliding door is missing a locking latch /lever but that I can stick a screwdriver in the hole and turn it to manually lock and unlock the door, I discovered there's a scrap yard in penrith which I never knew after living round here for 14 years, found a useful local auto electrician, and learned how to use a riveter. And discovered that new front wings are £140 each from Ford which (if I had a spare £280) would probably be money well spent instead of trying to repair the growing daily rust patches above wheel arches.

And I remembered that funny law of physics that says that if something doesn't work, if you take it apart and put it back together again, sometimes (not always but today the gods smiled on me) it just starts working again and you dont know why it wasnt working cos you didnt actually do anything to fix it. But it doesn't matter as its bloody working again :-D

To be fair, Firefox was giving me similar advice via Fb and the pair of you helped me work through and eliminate various possible causes of the problem. I could well have saved £70 + labour for new actuator plus considerable stress and major financial catastrophe.

But best of all, never again will I flap and stress about the locks not working.

And as soon as funds allow, I'm off to buy a riveter, a useful bit of kit ;-)
 
Well done you. It sure makes you glow inside when you got something beat that seemed so daunting. :bow::bow:
 
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