Power door locks malfunctioning

Hi folks, I've got a 2007 Aveo5 hatchback, and for the last few months my power doors have been making a clicking sound every once in awhile (maybe once every few times the car is driven). They weren't locking or unlocking, just making some random noises on occassion. When my wife and I took a month long trip, we came back to find that the battery was completely dead, and wouldn't hold a charge after it was jumped. It was about time to replace the battery anyway, so no big deal.

Well, when we replaced the battery, it turned out to be faulty and blew a bunch of fuses out, such as the windshield wiper fuse, the 100A alternator fuse, and a few others. Anyway, we got a good battery and replaced all the fuses, and for the most part the car is working normally again. However, the power door locks are now pratically going berserk, the sounds are much louder and they are more frequent. Also, they are causing a current drain on the battery; about 650mA. So I had to yank that fuse so it doesn't drain it down.

Anyone have any ideas on how to troubleshoot this issue? I can't find a location for a power door lock relay, or any sort of wiring diagram. There may be a short somewhere. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I know this is an old thread, but did you ever get a solution to this issue? My son has a 2008 Aveo 5 and recently the door locks started clicking repeatedly after the alarm system is armed by the keyless entry FOB. It seems as if the RKE system is trying to re-lock all of the doors every second or so. It won't do it if the drivers door is left unlocked. Anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions for diagnosing/fixing it?

Kharon--same issue here on 2008 Aveo 5. 2008 Aveo 5 hatchback. We replaced the trunk actuator but still happening. Did you or anyone find a solution?

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Originally Posted by bgreeneee1

Kharon--same issue here on 2008 Aveo 5. 2008 Aveo 5 hatchback. We replaced the trunk actuator but still happening. Did you or anyone find a solution?

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Did some quick tests. Theory - the drivers door lock mechanism feeds back to the under dash control module when the security system is armed. If the drivers door mech does not tell the ctrl mod that the door is secure, the module repeatedly tries to activate the lock solenoids on all 5 doors. I would open the drivers door inside panel and use a meter to check it before ordering parts. I'll post results when I get around to that. Until then, I pulled the fuse so the solenoids don't wear out, and I'm open to any info that will confirm or debunk my theory.

Having the same issue on 2009...car acts like it's possessed. Lock doors with remote and they go nuts...unlocking and locking repeatedly....when you can get it to stop it there is a remaining click.

I searched the forum for a solution to this problem... several owners have posted about it, but nobody has reported back with a solution.

I joined this site just for this thread. My daughter's 2007 aveo 5 is doing the same exact craziness with the power door locks as others have described in this thread. Please post if you have found any answers. Thanks!!!

Kharon, I have a 2007 Aveo 5 with the same lock issues noted in this thread. I brought the car to the local Chevy dealer, and after a day of trying (unsuccessfully) to find the root of the problem they threw their wrenches in the air and gave up! I took your advice and pulled the remote door lock fuse. At least I don't have to deal with the constant lock "clicking" while I drive. I'll keep hunting for a solution to the problem - but no luck so far.

I first tried replacing the door lock relay, but I managed to fix my daughter's car by replacing the driver door latch assembly. Since it also serves as the only interior lock/unlock switch, I was able to troubleshoot to that component. You can test this is your problem by simply unplugging the 4 wire connector from the assembly (everything will work without this connected except the ability to lock all the doors using the driver door lock). I tried contact cleaner in the sensor portion of the assembly. It helped some, but ultimately needed to be replaced. I found the best price on it from ebay (be sure to check that it is compatible with your model car). Everything is working perfectly now. After further inspection of the latch assembly, I found that the lock actuator portion could in-fact be replaced separately from the latch itself. It would take a little motivation to get them separated and put back together. I found the actuator on rockauto for a good price. It would save $40 going this route.

I hope this helps others out there!

Comporder1
This helps a lot. Many thanks.

Many thanks for this post. This put me on the right track to fix mine. Easy fix in the end. Dismantled the two slide switch mechs on lock body and found green corrosion (copper) on one of the switch contacts. Cleaned out the tunnel with cotton tip, put a smidgeon of vaseline on contact, reassembled and checked continuity on multi-meter (buzzer was best to hear any intermittent breaks). Have attached a wiring schematic of internals of switches and . From what I found with meter the heavier gauge white plastic slide(one of three) didn't appear to be a switch.(couldn't prise out). Make some probe adaptors to lock onto pins to get a good contact while testing your cleaned switch contacts. Note the lock body is from a right hand drive:DShould also add that my corroded dodgy contact was the snib button UP contact (between pins 2&3) so locks went haywire when snib button was in UP position.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Comporder1

I first tried replacing the door lock relay, but I managed to fix my daughter's car by replacing the driver door latch assembly. Since it also serves as the only interior lock/unlock switch, I was able to troubleshoot to that component. You can test this is your problem by simply unplugging the 4 wire connector from the assembly (everything will work without this connected except the ability to lock all the doors using the driver door lock). I tried contact cleaner in the sensor portion of the assembly. It helped some, but ultimately needed to be replaced. I found the best price on it from ebay (be sure to check that it is compatible with your model car). Everything is working perfectly now. After further inspection of the latch assembly, I found that the lock actuator portion could in-fact be replaced separately from the latch itself. It would take a little motivation to get them separated and put back together. I found the actuator on rockauto for a good price. It would save $40 going this route.

I hope this helps others out there!

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Parts ordered, thank you. I hope it works too. 2008 Aveo, the locks repeatedly went up and down until the drivers door closed. I tried the fuse pull thing and after doing so, while the locks quit going up and down, I could no longer get my key out of the car and the transmission was locked in park. Put the fuse back in and I could now remove the key and put the car in drive, but the locks started cycling again. Again I hope this works, if not I will just give unplugging the connector a shot.

Keep us posted. My Aveo is having the same problem.

Echoing Comporder1. Replaced the driver door latch assembly and it fixed it. I started with the trunk actuator before I saw this post but the driver door latch assembly was the fix.

Ok, have a related issue with electric door locks; the right front door on my 2009 Aveo5 won't lock/unlock with the remote; the door makes "the gear is stripped out" noise. Found the part/parts I need on rockauto, but I am clueless about how to take the door panel off without causing damage. I have a set of upholstery tools for cars but unfortunately it didn't come with a chart showing which tools are for what. I think I know which one to use, but need some hints on where to start prying.

A helpful clerk at AutoZone suggested searching YouTube. I did a face-palm; I have searched and found a lot of car-related tutorials there before. Found this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXPB8Bt9zIY among others. My search results: https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...+panel+removal

I'm hoping people will see this message even though this isa very old thread. I don't know how the actuator or assembly looks inside the door. I'd rather not take it apart. I've noticed when I put the key into the driver's lock, I can click the button on the key to lock or unlock all the doors but when it's out on a cold day I can't control the other doors by turning the key in the lock. I'm also having the same constant locking and unlocking. When I come out in the morning I find the door unlocked. I'm worried someone is going to steal the car one day.

I am wondering if the sensor that is malfunctioning is in the key lock and if there is some type of cleaner I can use if there is dirt or rust causing it and id there is a spray of electric gel that is like the stuff that's put in the ends of spark plugs to give a better contact when installing them. Could cleaning it and finding a spray or covering my key with the gel and putting it in the lock possibly fix the issue?

If I'm way off basis and the problem is in the wiring inside the door, is there some easy way of fixing it? My 2007 aveo5 has the pin in the top of the door panel to pull up or push down instead of newer cars that have a latch where the inside door handle is that moved sideways not up and down. Does anyone know if some have this kind of door handle and latch so if I absolutely have to take apart the door, could I get a version that would bolt in even if it's from like a suzuki that's supposed to be the same car so I don't have the annoying pin to pull up and down after? Is it very difficult to take out the door panel? I will have to buy tools. I will have to pay 400 at Canadian tire to do it because they charge a lot for labor and the part. If it's easy and I could find parts from a junk yard and have the actuator shipped from rock auto, I'd like to change out both front door lock levers to ones that have the locking mechanism in it rather then on top. If I have the change the assembly for the drivers door then I can do the other door as well if it's easy and can achieve my goal of not having the pin in the top anymore.

If you could explain or better yet make a video so I can see how to change the actuator or better also change the door latch and switch.

I'm wondering if a sonic might be interchangeable?

Thank you.

I have a 2009 Aveo LT with the power locks, and i share your pain. I replaced the passenger side actuator, and it was a real pain, almost no space for your hand, doing everything blind, and taking about 4 hours. I recently tried to also replace the drivers side actuator, and gave up after 2 hours. (Maybe i'll try again another day). Unfortunately, a spray of any type isn't going to help you or me. The problem is the linkage and shafts are wearing out on the actuator part itself. What's happening is because of the wear, when you use the remote key fob to unlock the door, the wear slack in the actuator linkage means the switch/sensor part of the actuator thinks the door needs to be locked when the solenoid part of the actuator is actually trying to unlock. A good way to confirm this is to pull the power door lock fuse (located at the side of the dashboard). If you pull the power door lock fuse, and then find you can easily manually lock and unlock the doors normally with the key or the knob at the top of the door, then you know the actuator is the cause of the headache.

In my opinion, the main problem with replacing the actuator, is impossibly tight space for the hand, doing everything blind, and trying to connect the 2-3 rods coming from the inside door handle, locking knob, etc. It baffles me how they managed to install it in the first place?? Maybe the inside or outside sheet metal was installed after the actuator and linkages were installed. There are youtube videos for removing the door panel, but nothing for replacing the actuator itself. Probably because there is no room for a camera. The only way someone can make replacing the actuator easier, is to use a blow torch to cut a hole in the inside metal door panel by the actuator.

For me, i am satisfied with disabling the power door locks by removing the fuse, and therefore, having only manually locking doors using the key (not the fob).

Don't bother looking at Sonic parts, not interchangeable for the door.

Hope this helps. If anyone has some tips or pointers for making the replacement of the actuator easier, i'd love to hear it.

Deano

Hi shiver22, the fix I described above in post #11 is still working almost 4 years later. It did play up once, about a month after the initial attempt so dismantled the master mechanism again and found that during the clean of the internal tunnels where the copper contacts are some of the cotton bud/q-tip was left behind which was enough to make it malfunction intermittently again, sending the actuators berserk again. The key barrel is just a standard barrel (no electrics). You really have to remove the drivers side master mechanism and do the above fix, and yes reconnecting the actuating rods to the key barrel/ lock snib/ and internal/ external door handles is the hardest part of the job.

Thanks jingles. Could you tell me how to take out the actuator? I got desperate after ordering the part from rock auto and was going to pay Canadian tire to do it but they said the rivets on the door would need to be removed from an auto body shop. This was before I saw your reply to me. I don't see any rivets. I got a Bluetooth camera to try to see inside so I can try cleaning the stock wires but since I bought a new actuator with housing, I'd like to replace it if possible.

Btw I can see your pic attached to your first message.