jawsk2

I've got a 1998 Accord EX 4 door with factory power locks. Neither the driver's side lock/unlock switch or the passenger's side switch will lock or unlock the doors. The remote doesn't work either, even though the lights will flash and the horn will sound.
I can hear a click under the dash when I hit the remote, or use the switches, but the signal doesn't make it's way down to any of the doors apparently.

Anyone ever had this problem and fixed it?

I'm guessing that it's got something to do with a relay somewhere maybe?

Thanks for any help...

YeuEmMaiMai

get in car close door and with the car off do the following

1. set the intermittent wiper ring to halfway
2. turn the car on for 10 seconds
3. turn car off

test door locks

jawsk2

I tried that several times. Both with turning the key to "ON" and not starting, and with turning it to "ON" and not starting.

Still haven't had success.

Anything else that I should try?

Heat

Do you hear the door locks trying to open / close when they are supposed to, but they just don't have enough power to do so? Maybe one or two locks will work at a given time? Or are the locks just dead?

Did the problem occur suddenly, or was it gradual?

If it was gradual, and especially if the locks try to work, I'd suspect the door actuators. If it was sudden, and if the locks are just dead, I'd guess that a relay is the problem but I wouldn't have an idea which, or where, it is.

jawsk2

Occurred suddenly.
I can hear a tiny click up under the dash, but not the noise of the actuators. It is all 4 doors, not 1 or 2 at a time.

I'm probably gonna have to try the stealership, just thought someone might have found a solution to the same problem.

brose

I have a ’96 Accord 4-door and have had similar problems. The service manual for my year Accord states to first check the driver’s and passenger’s door lock switch. From what you described, I'm guessing that both of your switches are ok. I assume you also checked the fuse in the engine compartment fuse/relay box too. However, since it occurred suddenly, and it’s happening to all four doors, it sounds like your problem may be a defective Power Door Lock Control Unit. Unless all four actuators failed simultaneously, it’s probably not the actuators.

On the ’94 to ’97 Accords, this control unit is located in the driver’s door behind the door panel. I'm assuming the ‘98s have a similar setup. Once you remove the panel and the plastic covering, this unit is a rectangular-shaped box below the driver’s side mirror. A local Honda parts department quoted me a price of $160.00 just for a new power door lock control unit alone, not including labor. If you have a service manual for your Accord, it will show how to do diagnostics on this unit, so you can rule out if the unit itself is bad. It’ll also show how to remove the door panel too. I recommend searching in a local junkyard to see if you can find one to replace the power control unit in your Accord. Make sure you get the right one, as the early ’90 Accords had a 12-pin connector, and yours is probably a 14-pin connection. If no joy at the junkyard, google for one of the aftermarket Honda parts distributors for this part.
Good luck!

jawsk2

That sounds like what it probably is.

Thanks for such detailed info. Doesn't sound like fun, but at least I have a direction to head!! Thanks man.

jawsk2

Just thought of this...
Do you know whether the control module also controls the trunk release on the remote? Because it's not working either!


EDIT: Actually, the trunk popper does work from the remote. I just didn't try holding it down long enough!


Modified by jawsk2 at 3:21 PM 12/11/2007

johnboy033

I have a 99 EX. A few years ago the door locks went haywire. Sometimes the door switches wouldn't work, sometimes the remotes wouldn't work, sometimes both. It got really frustrating when the alarm (horn) started activating randomly after unlocking the doors with the key. Same as you, I could always hear clicking inside the car. I tried the wiper switch/key routine several times too. Nothing helped. Getting Honda to diagnose it was a bear because it was intermittent.

It turned out to be a bad passenger side multiplex unit. $120 for the part, $140 to install, though I think it's an easy DIY. The unit is located behing the passenger side kick panel (I believe)...

themdw

Worked Great on first try! Thanks dude!

jsalathe

This is a picture of the door lock control unit which can be found in the front center of the driver's side door panel. For reference, the box is about 6 inches wide.

None of the door locks worked at all on my car, but I could hear a barely audible click in the front of the driver's side door panel. Rarely, the locks would work.

When I opened the "Mitsuba Door Lock Control" box I found the solder joint was imperfect and failing (sorry, I forgot to take a "before" picture), so I reheated the joint and added some solder to pile it on the joint so it was less likely to fail again in the future. This was the piece that attached the solenoid to the motherboard (solenoid is a big, black rectangular electronic component on the other side of the motherboard.)

This was on a '94 (aka 1994) Honda Accord.

75aces

I had a lock/unlock issue on my 96 accord sedan. I could hear a buzzing sound when I would use either front door lock switch. The buzzing sound means that the module is trying to lock or unlock, but the door lock actuator that is attached to the door lock itself has failed. Not sure if this applies to you, but do you hear buzzing noise? Did the resolder work? You may have bad actuators or something went wrong with the wiring to the key fob.

Chris Ric

I need your help guys! I got a 99 accord and only the passenger side lock doesn't work with the switch or remote except for maybe 1/50 times. I tried the wiper 10 second thing and everything worked fine immediately, then after a few more tests it stopped working and eventually the driver door locked by itself. Twice before (recently) my car has locked itself on me and idk if its related by my "maintenance req'd" light flashes when I first start my car and my 3rd break light mysteriously stopped working even after I replaced the bulb. Any help please?

75aces

Have you tried using the key in the door lock? If you hear a buzzing sound that means the lock acctuator is trying to activate but not respond.

seb9316

Hi guys,
I am new to the site (but not new to Honda, I have previously owned a 2001 Accord, a 2007 Accord -- the rare sedan with the V6 and 6-speed manual -- and a 2011 Honda Fit.
I now have just purchased a 1998 Accord sedan 5 speed manual just like my 01. Everything works great on it except the power door locks- which is why I am resurrecting this thread. My problem is that with the engine OFF, when I hit the lock switch ONLY the front passenger door lock works (none of the other doors work.) However, with the engine ON, NONE of the door locks work!!
I have tried the intermittent wiper ring trick and it does not seem to make any difference. I am pretty good with electrics and know how to take this car apart (having owned an 01 before) but this one has me baffled. Can anyone suggest any ideas? Thanks!!

seb9316

No one??
I also discovered that the engine doesn't have to be on, only the key in the ignition, to cut power to the door locks. If I just sit in the car and hit the door lock switch it will operate the front passenger door, that's it. As soon as I insert the key into the ignition none of the door locks work.

Lost Again

If you use the key to lock the doors - what happens?

Is this a pure factory set up?

Yes, key "in" sends a ground signal to the door mulitplex (BRN wire, pin A15).

seb9316

Hi, thanks- yes I mentioned it briefly to a Honda service tech on the phone yesterday and he stated key in disabling the door locks was normal, it is so you don't lock the keys in the car.
When I use the key to lock and unlock the doors, all the door locks function normally except the right rear. (Right rear doesn't work at all.)
When I use the driver's door switch, only the front passenger door and driver's rear door work.
Yes it is a purely factory setup.

CorpAv8r

WOW!!!! After having work done to my daughter's 1998 Honda Accord LX, all the power door locks stopped working and the right front and right rear power windows wouldn't work from the driver's door master panel.

After watching countless videos on how to troubleshoot and repair the problems, I came across this post and figured why not give it a try. To my amazement, everything started working again after I followed the 3-step instructions. My daughter's car is now fixed after a couple minutes of free, simple work.

Thanks so much for the post!!!

Onevox

I registered for this site just to thank you. I didn't believe it would work. Thank you for this.

Albee

CHOTTY

Wow.
I came across this forum re: mom's almost mint 1998 Accord.
Power doors & windows just stopped working from the main driver up/down switch.
Tried this trick, skeptically... it worked!
Registered just to reply to you. Awesome trick!!

seb9316

The intermittent wiper ring trick does NOT work for me, all of my door locks are dead. I see the locks try to move when I try to lock/ unlock the doors and I can hear the audible "click" of the locks along with what sounds like a click over near the passenger side footwell (which lends credence to the post above regarding the muliplex unit and its location.)
But I have tried the wpier ring trick several times with no luck.

Steven Barkdull

had the EXACT same problem. Nonfunctioning power locks and passenger side power windows. I followed the 3 step instructions and they also worked for me. Anyone know the cause of the problem and why this magic sequence fixes it?

brakedrum

There is a multiplexor control unit that falls "asleep," which is how Honda refers to it, and that particular sequence of steps "wakes" it up and restores normal operation. I imagine a lot of parts have been purchased when the solution was right at the owner's fingertips.