# 1990 Power locks don't work right



## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

I have a 1990 SE 4 door. The button on the door will unlock all of the doors, but will not lock any of them. I've done as much research as I can before posting this but I am out of ideas. I have taken the lock switch out from the cargo area and resoldered everything on that board. Same problem. I've ran all the wires, none are broken. Today I took apart the acuator in the driver door, and by all appearances it functions properly, other than actually locking. the motor turns when i unlock it. No noise when I try to lock it. Same thing on all the other doors.

I know my passenger door key won't unlock because the clip is broken, but I really don't think that would cause this problem. I don't think the driver door actuator would control all of the doors locking. I feel like I am missing something that is probably obvious, but I'm stuck. All fuses are good, and I read the 4 doors dont have a relay for the door lock. Help please


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

most likely it is a problem with the master window/lock switch on the drivers front door, it is a common problem, if you can see if you can try another switch from a friend or something. The pathfinders in the junkyards rarely have the switches in them as they are one of the first things to get removed.

If no other switch is available to try, take the switch out of the door, remove the white plastic cover and try jumping the pins to unlock/lock the doors.


Your not trying to lock the doors with the key in the ignition are you? the doors shouldn't lock when the key is in.

I don't have a FSM for the 90 but this is taken from the FSM for my 94, which should be the same and you may want to check the door lock timer, see picture below:










I know on my 94 PF I can unlock the doors from outside with the key, not sure if you can lock all the doors with the key from the drivers door,


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Ive already looked at the lock timer switch, resoldered all of it. I've had that white plastic cover off, but I'm not sure exactly what I would be jumpering. Pushing the contacts makes them unlock, but it won't lock them.. I dont see how those could fail as they are just a bunch of contacts. I have cleaned them. I will try to jumper the pins like you said, do you happen to know which pins I would want? Thanks


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

Thought I had a pic of my switch but guess not, Ill pull my door switch and take it apart in a little while and take some pics of the contacts.


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks, I am guessing the switch still needs to be plugged in to test this? I tried jumping random pins in the wire harness part last night, but im guessing that one of those connections is a ground that needs to be connected for anything to work.


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

I'm going outside in a few minutes to take pics, yes the drivers switch needs to be connected as none of the other door switches will work without it, of course each door window switch works independently of the drivers switch but all the door switches run thru the drivers side switch.

As far as the contacts just being contacts, I had a problem with my pass. front window switch, window went down fine but you had to press really hard on the switch to bring the window back up, the contacts in the switch looked fine, I took the rear switch out and swapped it with the front one and the window will go up fine now, don't use the rear windows as much no one sits back there.

be back in about 30 minutes with pics


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

Ok, I'm back.

This is using my 94 pathfinder which may be different as far as features compared to your 90 I'm not 100% sure if all the PF's had the same features, the switch should be the same.

On my 94 from outside I can unlock all the doors with the key, when I lock the doors with the key all the doors will also lock.

this pic shows the 2 metal parts to touch together to unlock the doors:










this pic shows the 2 metal parts to touch together that should lock the doors, the key has to be out of the ignition or the doors will not lock:










if the doors do not lock when jumping these 2 metal parts in the switch than I would start checking to see if the outer metal part (pin) has power going to it, I believe the center metal pin is the ground, it may be the power I didn't check, but as you can see from the 2 pics whether you are locking or unlocking the center metal pin is touched, if you have a test light you can check it easily.

I had a problem with my pass. rear window it would work fine from the drivers door switch but not from the pass rear door switch, I ended up finding the power wire that feeds the rear pass door switch was broken under the carpet under the front pass seat, it looked like the wire had burnt, re-connected the 2 halfs and all was fine again.


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Ok just tested it. The unlock works and my light comes on. The lock does neither. shoulds I look for a break in the lock wire? It's black with a yellow stripe on mine


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

I tried hooking it directly to the battery and that doesn't make it work either


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

what light? you mean you have power to the switch? If you checked the metal for power was it the center one or do each outside metal strip have power?


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

I have a little LED i use for a test light, it comes on when I hook it to the middle and unlock contact. It doesn't come on when I hook it to the middle and lock contact. I didn't try touching both outsides together. I figured the light not coming on means it wasn't getting power, but the lock button didn't work when I wire it directly to the battery either. The unlock button did work directly off the battery.


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

I wouldn't touch the 2 outside contacts together, was just trying to figure out if the center was the hot or ground, if power is coming in thru the center contact than pressing the lock/unlock completes the circuit to either the left or right contacts. You would need to know if the center was the hot before jumping power to it, don't want to blow anything up you know. I can check mine tomorrow. I'm studying the diagram in the FSM now to try and figure it out. I'll check in and get back to you if I see anything. I checked on the NPORA forum and there are quite a few threads about lock problems.


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

ok some more info,

lock & unlock switch wiring colors:

B/Y = black/yellow strip
B = black
BR = brown

1994 FSM shows 4 wires going to the lock/unlock switch

here are the diagrams for the power locks out of the 94 FSM, I color coded the wires:



















have you checked the fuse that the diagram shows going to the key switch? It seems the wires all go through the door lock timer so maybe that is the problem, I know you said you re soldered it but that doesn't mean it is working.


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Just checked the fuse, it is still good. I actually had that thought earlier about the door lock timer. Is there any way to test to see if it is working correctly? Can I just jumper the connections on the lock timer harness or would all those resistors and relays and stuff be vital to its operation? thanks for your help by the way. its awesome to get these fast responses!


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

don't know about actually testing the door lock timer, as I said if you knew someone local that had a pathfinder you could swap parts to see what is wrong. Where are you located?

also sent you a private message

did you see this:


http://www.q45.org/timers.html


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

That q45 page is actually why I resoldered them all. I will definitely head over to NPORA for stuff in the future! I just got done playing with the switch a little.









I don't know what the actual pin numbers would be, but assuming the top 3 (longer ones) are 1,2,3, and the little ones below are 4,5,6. If you jumper pins 1 and 4, the doors unlock and the relays click. if you Jumper 3 and 5, they all LOCK!! with authority too! I have no idea how this helps me, but at least its something to work off of. I am wondering if I could just run a new wire from the driver master switch to whichever pin I need too, but I'm not sure what color I would be looking for. The 6 wires on this plug are completely different colors than master switch. I have no idea what pins 2 and 6 do however.


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Oh, I'm in Grand Junction, CO. I'm not working right now, that's why I haven't looked for any junk yard parts. No funds to buy them if I did find them.


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

I just tried jumping directly from the black/yellow in the master switch to all 6pins (separately) on the lock switch, and the lock button still didn't work.


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

using the numbers in my pic below, just so I'm clear on which pins you jumped let me know which ones you did:


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Oh on your pic I did what you said. 3+4 = unlock, which works, and 4+5 = lock, which doesnt work, nor does my test light come on. I was referencing the door lock timer that I had a pic of above. i should have taken a bigger picture, but here are my numbers.. this is the part that is in the back of the truck.









Its hard to see, but there are 3 longer prongs that come out what would be the top, and then below them is 3 much shorter prongs. On my pic, 1+4 = unlock and 3 + 6 = lock which does WORK. But I can't figure out the missing link between the two. Even if I run a cable directly from your picture to my picture, the lock button on the arm rest still doesnt work.


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

don't see any pic that you posted, if you are jumping pins in the door lock timer itself and the door locks will lock than I would think there is a problem in the wiring between the timer and the door switch. On my truck I figured out which wire was feeding power to the rear door switch than poked it with my test light until I reached a spot where it wouldn't light up, once I found that I moved back until it did light up than as I said previously I found the wire was broke and it was an easy fix at that point.

according to the diagram in the service manual there are 4 wires coming off the lock/unlock switch on the drivers door, 2 of them are black grounds one the black/yellow should be the lock wire and the brown wire should be the unlock wire. The diagram shows when you press lock 3 pins are connected the black/yellow and the 2 grounds, is one of the pins you are jumping at the timer the black/yellow wire? If so does that wire have power at it before you jump it to the other pin? If not does the pin you jump from to make the locks work have power at it? sorry I know this sounds confusing, always hard to troubleshoot over the computer, especially electrical stuff, let me know, thanks

if one of the wires you jump at the timer is the black/yellow and it doesn't have power to it and the other pin you jump from does than the power wire going to the lock switch in the door is interrupted some where.


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

The pics must not show up because they are links from my gmail account. I did some more playing today, and got it to lock if I run a wire from the switch to the timer, I must not have made a good connection when I tried yesterday. The wire is fine from the master switch to where the plug in the footwell is, but after that it is too jumbled for me to even begin trying to trace it. 

So I'm just going to run a new wire from that plug all the way back to the timer. Next question is, when I shut the doors, I have to hold up on the handle for them to remain locked. Is that normal or is it fixable so I can just shut the door?


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

Hello, for pics I use TinyPic - Free Image Hosting, Photo Sharing & Video Hosting, just upload them there ( you may have to create a free account), than after uploading on the left it gives you codes, just copy the one that says "IMG Code for Forums & Message Boards".

So when you ran the new wire does that allow the locks to function properly locking an unlocking?

I know what you mean about the wires being jumbled I had to un wrap the harness in my 94 when I was working on my window problem. I was able to get to the wire after removing the seat and lifting the edge of the carpet out of the way, either running a new wire or trying to find the right wire and checking for power under the seat area is fine I guess, there is a spot where the harness goes around the rear seat mount bolt where the harness isn't completely covered.

Early Nissan's, not sure when they changed this you have to hold the handle up when you lock the door and close it. My 90 Sentra is like that but the 94 pathfinder is not.

Well sounds like you are almost done troubleshooting your problem, good for you, electrical stuff is usually the hardest. If you can figure out the schematics in the FSM you are already a step ahead of the next guy !! LOL

Let me know if your locks function correctly when you are done.


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## hamster_13 (Apr 21, 2011)

Yep! Everything locks and unlocks as it should. I am very happy about this! I just got done putting everything back together. It's not the prettiest job I've ever done, but it is all hidden and out of sight, so it doesn't matter to me  Electrical stuff is such a pain! I found out during this that my back left window doesn't work at all using either the master or the one for that door. But I think that is a project for another day haha. I very rarely have passengers anyways. Thanks again for all your help!


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## ahardb0dy (Nov 9, 2003)

Good !! Glad I could help you.

First thing with your rear window would be to verify the motor is good, I would pull the door panel unplug the motor and run power and a ground to each pin in the plug, (there are only 2 pins), the 2 wires actually change from positive to negative depending on whether the window switch is pressed up or down. If the motor doesn't work, I have a possible fix for that as well !! Worked on mine anyway!! Let me know when your ready to tackle the window, If I'm not on here I'll be on NPORA.


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