By Victor (4wheelneil) on Thursday, December 06, 2001 - 05:18 pm: Edit

I've tried, Lord knows I've tried to figure this 'Rubik's Cube' of a system out, but to no avail. Here's the entire synopsis:

Door actuators began to operate weakly. After a short period of time, they ceased to work altogether. The central alarm still worked however. When the key fob is pushed, (1 button unit, 1994 Discovery), there is a sound eminating from the doors. The actuators are trying to work, but don't seem to be getting enough current to pop the locks.

I checked the relay by the drivers kick panel, and I can feel the relay click when the key fob is pushed. I checked the connections on it and cleaned all connections with electrical contact cleaner. I checked the Central Locking ECU located in the passenger side, and it too makes a clicking sound when I operate the key fob.

Manually opening the drivers door does not actuate the doors either if that was your next question.

I am totally lost. Should I buy a new ECU or could it be something else?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is the most aggravating electrical problem on this vehicle yet, (and there have been many).

By Scott Moszkowicz (Eagle) on Thursday, December 06, 2001 - 05:47 pm: Edit

I just had this same problem fixed. The door that was causing me all the grief was the front passenger. I would hit the key fob and hear the door trying to lock / unlock but nothing actually happened. The alarm still worked. (by the evidence that people would open the door before I could unlock it.) When I took it to Land Rover they said that the actuator motor was bad. They replaced it and it works fine.

By cartner on Thursday, December 06, 2001 - 05:52 pm: Edit

ah...interesting. what about when it works sometimes, but not most of the time? hmmmm

By Kingfish (Kingfish) on Thursday, December 06, 2001 - 05:54 pm: Edit

I had an actuator going bad and it sounded like it was attempting to lock the door. Upon inspection of the actuator, I saw that the two plastic halves were coming apart, causing the plastic gears inside to distance themselves enough for the lock to not operate. They made a grinding type of noise. I then took a bunch of long tie-wraps, and strapped the two halves back together. I think I used about 10 total. Since then, no problem at all (knocking on wood).

By Kingfish (Kingfish) on Thursday, December 06, 2001 - 05:57 pm: Edit

One other thing I forgot to mention was that the actuator looked fine when not being used. It was when I clicked the remote to lock ot unlock the door, that I could see the actuator halves spreading apart as it attempted to function.

By Victor (4wheelneil) on Thursday, December 06, 2001 - 08:21 pm: Edit

Scott,

When you had the same problem, did none of the doors work? I mean, you mentioned that the culprit was the passenger door, but I wasn't sure if you meant it was the only door not working.

And does anyone know of a way of checking out the actuators? Can I just disconnect the three doors (other than the drivers) and see if that one door will work?

Thanks everyone. Really helps to have company in these situations! LOL!

Victor