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Hello everyone, just to start, I do apologize if this has been discussed before and I did search for it. However, I got a lot of conversion threads and the ones that were relevant posted schematics on how to test the 12P plug. I took a look at the wiring, but it is all hacked up and other than the diagram, I can't find a video or photos to give me a visual of how it is supposed to be. I have a black and red wire that is crimped on the two green wires from the plug and then the black and red wires got cut and connected two more times after that. I'm uncertain of where to find the ground location for the switch. Any help is greatly appreciated. I have a video of the wires, but it won't let me upload it. Here is a link to it: http://www.mediafire.com/file/97by5p...65504.mp4/file
Yes, sorry. Power locks are not working. I tested the lock switch with a test light in the lock and unlock and it gets power. I'm not sure where the switch actually grounds to or if it actually grounds to the body or not. I followed it and it was bundled with other wires going through the door loom in a plug so I assume it was fine? I know next to nothing about wiring, but trying to make an effort to learn. The car has an alarm on it and it doesn't unlock/lock the car. I followed the wires from the alarm and they went towards the top of the fuse box, I felt the wire, but no idea where it actually led to.
Hi - First step is to nab the service manual for the troubleshooting walkthrough. It's a set of specific diagnostic steps to follow. (Google to download.) That said, with those wires exposed like that, the first place I'd check is whether they shorted out and blew the fuse. Replace ONLY with a fuse of the same amperage. Very important.
Hi - First step is to nab the service manual for the troubleshooting walkthrough. It's a set of specific diagnostic steps to follow. (Google to download.) That said, with those wires exposed like that, the first place I'd check is whether they shorted out and blew the fuse. Replace ONLY with a fuse of the same amperage. Very important.
I have the downloadable PDF and went through everything regarding it, I also checked other sources provided from other threads stating to test the wires from the 12P connector. I went to the junkyard and checked two vehicles, one was the same as how mine is (the split to wires one to each green wire connected to the switch and leading up into the fuse area (a black and red) where it connects into a thin rectangular box with other wires. The other set up I saw was that there was to wires (one wires each connecting to one of the two green power lock wires) and then leading into the rectangular box. I checked another civic after that and then there were no two wires at all (black and red) going into the fuse box area. Excuse my explanation, rather difficult to describe an issue I am having trouble with relating to wiring. I checked the switch itself and also picked up an extra just in case it was the issue. One of the cars wiring I saw, sorry for the photo size. Edit, my car has an alarm.
FYI, that black and red wiring is for the alarm and remote locks trigger. I should have made that clear. I'd suggest removing it for the time being (disconnect at the red and white clippy things on your door wiring, you can see this 2 seconds in to your vid).
Thanks for telling me it was the alarm, makes a lot more sense knowing that. I read up on the attached photo. I'll be honest, I'm new to wiring and learning how it all works. I have a voltmeter, but I am uncertain of how it works. I went ahead and tested these with a test light to check for power and as far as that goes, it checked out. I also checked the switch with the test light. I'm assuming the black wire (ground) is a plug or something of the sort as I tried to follow it and it is part of the harness. I checked the under dash fuse and that was good as well.
With the alarm, mine is tapped closest to the power locks switch/plug rather than closest to the control unit. Does it matter where it taps into for the alarm or what is best?
Nope, doesn't matter where the wire taps in. It's all connected together through the string of copper inside the insulation of the wire.
When you say you have a voltmeter, does it measure more than just volts? If so it is probably a multimeter, and the most useful function for you right now is the ability to "ohm out", meaning to test for continuity. I never bother with test lights, they are pretty single purpose and annoying. I've never needed one with a half-decent multimeter. Here's a basic guide that will get you going: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+To+...ltimeter/25632
Yes the black is 99.99% of the time going to be a wire to ground on our Hondas. If it's the original Honda wiring from the factory! Your aftermarket alarm, it's anyone's guess, but usually it goes to ground. If some schmuck has added their own wiring to do god know's what some time in the car's past, it's anyone's guess (i'd start by removing crap wiring, myself, tbh.)
Thanks for that piece of info. I'm not entirely sure what it is, I attached a photo of it. Tried researching the brand and tutorial, but honestly just struggling grasping the basic concepts needed to do the simple tests. Thanks for the link, I'll check that out. Do you know other likely causes or known issues based on past related issues? Thanks again for your patience and help.
**** son, that's a decent multimeter. Innova makes decent stuff - they make my timing gun.
NP, we all start somewhere.
That setting on the bottom right (looks like the WiFi symbol!) is the continuity checker. The guide I posted shows how to use it. Play around and get comfortable with it, and what it's telling you, then try experimenting with checking various places on your car. For example, if you touch the black wire at the lock switch with a multimeter probe (as in, the metal at the end of the wire, not just the black insulation part, hehe), and touch the other probe to another black wire anywhere in the car, the continuity meter SHOULD beep, since these two wires are connected through the body of the car! This is what is meant by "ground" - "ground" is the car body. If it doesn't beep, then you've likely got a problem with one of those black wires, meaning one of them is broken, and lost "continuity". (Keep in mind, here, that I'm not suggesting that this is the problem you're having, of course, I'm just suggesting a way to play around with the multimeter to figure out how to use it.)
Well ****, I got a lot of leaning to do then. Should be a fun process. $20 on Amazon!
So, I know you were just very thorough and the ground wire is actually what I'm curious about. I appreciate the tapping into the wire tidbit as I put it again the inside of the back of the plug. Do you by chance know where that ground goes? I tried to follow it, but it goes through the door loom and then up near the fuse box I believe and honestly I just lost sight of it. Too much going on for me to follow. I'm not sure if it is a plug or if is bolts to the body, but it isn't in the diagram (as far as I know). I'll mess around with the continuity tomorrow on the switches and see if I can't get a more accurate reading to what they have. I test the other wires for continuity and they did beep, but not the ground since I have no clue where it is. Also, I wanted to ask would the other doors unlock if the drivers door actuator is bad or is every door reliant on the driver door actuator working? Appreciate the shared knowledge!
In some ways it doesn't matter where the specific ground wire goes, as long as it goes to ground. That said, I do know the answer to your question as I have disassembled these door wiring harnesses a number of times and I know exactly what happens to your black wire: It merges with the other black wiring to the other electrical devices in your door, and exits the door as one wire at the door connector. After it enters the main body harness it is grounded by a bolt hidden behind the bracket for the cruise control brain in the driver's footwell.
Now, for diagnostic purposes here, if you put one probe at the door lock switch black wire and another probe at the power window switch black wire (and your power windows work!) and you have a continuity "beeeep", then you know that your power locks black wire is connected to ground and there is no need to hunt down the specific place/bolt where your power locks wire is grounded. How do we know this? Well since your power windows work properly, you immediately know that THAT ground is working fine. And logically if the power lock black is connected to the power windows black, then ......... see where I'm going with this? When it comes down to it, it's all basically a logic problem, and you're methodically eliminating possibilities.
I've seen some of your posts and your builds, their intense and your work is very nice along with the unique parts you incorporate. You mentioned the brain of the cruise control, would this be behind the panel the button is on (the inside/backside)? My guess is near the steering column? Unfortunately, I have a lot of things to take in to learn and becoming familiar with it is a bit overwhelming.
The black wire for the power locks is a thin black wire and the black wire for the power windows is a thicker black wire. I do know that for sure. You're saying that those two black wires merge into one? I'll have to do that test tomorrow, but I just want to make sure I understand you correctly. If it does in fact work that way with them being the same wire since they are both grounds then that would make it much easier to eliminate that as the issue.
Not sure if this is relevant, but I tested the plugs to the left side of the door (you'll have to forgive me as I'm uncertain of how to describe them otherwise) with a test light and I didn't get any power/current.
The cruise brain is in the driver's lower footwell, on the left. The service manual will show you where it is more exactly. Page 23-252.
Yes the various black wires all merge into one before exiting the door, somewhere within the bundle of wires. There's another black wire for the door lock control unit (that's the grey box), and another one on the door lock actuator (that's the thing by the door latching mechanism). Page 23-235 is where you need to start. The test light on those other wires, don't worry about that for now, you might wind up chasing your tail. Just focus on using the multimeter as your diagnostic tool right now.
Curious: With your door fully closed, do all doors lock if you push the lock **** down? Not the switch but the door lock up/down thingy where your elbow would be if your arm is along the door at the base of the window.
Thanks for the page numbers on that and the general location.
I didn't check for a black wire on the control module, but I know there are two others, one of the power windows and the power locks. Thanks for letting me know all the black wires merge into one. I'll check out those pages and go over it tomorrow.
All the doors lock with no issues, just the driver door I pull in the open position and press the lock down. Standard I assume. Also, the question regarding the actuators, does that matter?
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Curious: With your door fully closed, do all doors lock if you push the lock **** down? Not the switch but the door lock up/down thingy where your elbow would be if your arm is along the door at the base of the window.
^^ Wait, so you're saying that if you do this, then all your doors lock? Just so we're clear?
Edit: What if you use the key in the outside lock when your door is closed? All doors lock?
My apologies, I misread what you said. They only unlock/lock when I personally do it by hand or with the key itself. However, I did go out to my car and just tried both methods right now and neither work.
Right, OK, so no doors ever power lock or power unlock no matter if you use the key or switch, etc. Well, that's another clue. OK, tomorrow you'll have more deetz for us!
Correct, no power anything. Is there anything you'd recommend picking up part wise? I'm going to the junkyard tomorrow so could potentially kill two birds at once. If in fact the tests do not come to what they should be based on the diagnostic procedures.
It could be the control unit, it could be a bad fuse, if you're looking for parts to repair it. There really isn't much to the system to be honest. It's more likely a bad wire, like the WHT/GRN that is the main power wire for the control unit. But, I strongly advise doing the diagnostics before throwing money at parts.
But if you find a black glove compartment handle from a 92-95 Civic with NO passenger-side SRS ... I'd like it.
The actuators don't have a tendency to go out on these cars? I'll keep an eye out for that handle and if I find one I'll shoot it your way. I'll update you tomorrow when I do the tests again. Thanks again, Desch!
Not all four, but would the power locks still work even if one of the actuators go out? Also, you mentioned no SRS, do you mean the years of the vehicle that didn't produce a SRS on the passenger side? Wasn't that from 92-93? Just for clarification in case I do come across one.
Power locks would work on the doors that had actuators that were still good. That said, someone on here with a 6th Gen Civic recently posted that they had 3 of 4 actuators that were bad ... so it does happen, but would be really rare.
And yeah, if you're in the USA then 92-93 only had no passenger SRS. Canada, where I am, was a mixed bag.
04-10-2019, 10:26 AM
95' Civic Power Locks Not Working
