Power locks snapping on and off: sounds like a machine gun going off.

I need some help with my 2008 Aveo; automatic; 5 door; power locks. The battery started dying about a year ago, it's a newer battery. Turns out the power door locks are draining the battery if it sits for more than a day without being driven. My mechanic tried to disconnect the power door locks as manual locking is fine with me but when he tried the disconnect, the alarm kept going off: major drama and flashing lights. So that didn't work. My mechanic ended up installing a "kill switch" on the battery so I now turn the connection from the battery to the car off whenever I'm not going to be driving it for a while....which is quite often as I drive under 2,000km/yr. I'm old. I lock the doors manually now. One of the rear doors won't lock or unlock due to the lock thingy on the door refusing to be pulled up or pushed down depending on the mood of the day apparently. But this new issue with the power door locks is pretty bad. It's worse in wet weather and it rains a lot where I live. When I drive the car it can sound like a machine gun is going off as the door locks are snapping on and off so rapidly. It's LOUD. It's pretty hard to believe. If I leave it parked the locks will snap on and off rapidly unless I use the kill switch every time I park which was not the intent of its installation. It seems worse in the 2 rear doors; they're extremely noisy. I just want the power locks completely disconnected and then I want to sell the damn thing. I can't afford to have a mechanic poke through the electrical system to find the short that drains the battery and I can't afford to have a mechanic poke through the power lock wiring to find the source of the machine gun locks. I can't have my dog in the car with the locks going crazy as they're doing; it would terrify him. Can anyone help? I hope to pass along your info to my mechanic to use. The car itself is running like a top with only 155,000km on it but I feel like I've been stuck with the proverbial lemon.

Very high probability that you need a driver door lock actuator since that is the master for the car. Cycling locks are a common symptom and it's a part that many others (myself included) have replaced. It's a pain to access just because of it's position inside the door, but not a particularly difficult repair otherwise nor an expensive part. Part number should be 96252707

Just to add more context as to why the locks are cycling:

The driver door lock position is what commands the other doors to lock/unlock. The cycling is caused by the door attempting to lock but then still seeing an opposing trigger. So the system gets in a loop where it thinks you locked the door, then thinks you just unlocked the door, repeat ad infinitum.

None of the other door locks control the lock behavior, so the only part involved is the driver door lock actuator. Naturally this is where the erroneous signal is originated from just due to normal wear on the contacts inside the unit.

Thanks very much for your reply. I'm going to forward this to my mechanic; I don't know if he's looked at the driver door lock actuator or not so we'll discuss it. I do sincerely hope this is the issue and it's an easy fix. It is, quite frankly, driving me nuts. Once again thanks!

Just shot a copy of this off to my mechanic: fingers crossed for successful outcome!

Any update on the locks? I'm curious if if the fix was successful.

I forwarded your info to my mechanic who has been absolutely swamped so have not been able to get the car in to have the locks fixed. However today is the day! The car is going in to have the actuator replaced. The mechanic was able to locate the part and find a time to do it today so I'm quite optimistic. Driving around in a car that sounds like a machine gun being fired can be a bit distracting. I'll let you know how it goes; thanks for the follow up!

And I have my car back early! The remote locking now works: the locks stay locked; there's only one brief slight buzzing noise from the driver's rear door lock when the car is remotely locked using the keyfob that now works!!! And I can easily live with that: such a wonderful improvement! No more rapid cycling of the power door locks!So now it's parked, waiting for me to drive it. I still have the "kill switch" on the battery and I'm turning the battery off when I park it as there are times I don't drive it for days. The battery was being drained somehow so the kill switch has stopped that: no more dead battery and no more boosts required (hopefully for a long time....). Many thanks for your help! It's deeply appreciated and my mechanic was happy to read your instructions/description of the issue instead of listening to me recount poorly remembered instructions :D Cheers!

Great news about the fix! Hope it stays working well for you.

I am so very pleased! It is great news! It's so much pleasant to drive now that I don't sound like a machine gun coming down the road. And my big senior dog isn't scared of the car any more. Terrific and many thanks!!