P38A Lock micro switches

Quick post to pass on some hard earned knowledge to all those long suffering. "EAK doesn't work" peap"s. This has cost me 2 BeCM"s. Although that's an old story. A couple of weeks ago she went into engine immibilised mode on the driveway, so I bit the bullet and ordered a replacement RF unit for £270 delivered to France, but still could not enter the EAK. NOTHING, NADDA, ZIPPALL!
I then decided I should really buy a nanocom unit, so that I could use it to enter said code and help with future issues.
In the meantime, I had a quick look, at the locks and latches. Now this is where the knowledge comes from! In the latch assembly the micro switches are situated below the mechanical components. If like me you are fond of spraying,a bit of say silicone lubricant onto the lock arns DON'T! It runs down into the electrical bits and gums them up.
Anyway with the delivery tube on I drowned the lock parts in spray degreasent just to see and voila. The alarm suddenly armed it's self. I then closed the door entered the EAK and first attempt it worked! I've subsiquently cancelled the nanocom untill later in the year.
Hope this helps a couple of you out.

Handy bit of info. Will be of use to many poor souls

Tony e said:

Handy bit of info. Will be of use to many poor souls

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Wouldn't have worked in my case with the black one,I had to cut out the 4 white connector blocks at the bottom of the A posts and solder the wires together. Hope it helps someone in the future

Get the Nanocom anyway. It will save you lots of grief when the next issue appears . . . and something will.

The "cleaning" of the lock and/or microswitches is probably temporary. I suspect a build up of grease & dirt getting stuck in it slightly reduced the plastic mechanism movement, hence hindering whether the microswitches were pressed or not. The real issue is that the small buttons on the microswitches wear down, and eventually the arm cannot push it far enough. The button on new mircroswitches is noticeable taller (even to my crappy old eyes) than the old worn switches, and ensures the levers successfully activate them.

pwood999 said:

Get the Nanocom anyway. It will save you lots of grief when the next issue appears . . . and something will.

The "cleaning" of the lock and/or microswitches is probably temporary. I suspect a build up of grease & dirt getting stuck in it slightly reduced the plastic mechanism movement, hence hindering whether the microswitches were pressed or not. The real issue is that the small buttons on the microswitches wear down, and eventually the arm cannot push it far enough. The button on new mircroswitches is noticeable taller (even to my crappy old eyes) than the old worn switches, and ensures the levers successfully activate them.

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No doubting that you are right on the wear and tear aspect. But how nany people have previously posted about an unability to input the EAK after carrying out repairs. The lock and latch are hellish tricky to seperate and replacing locks is an expensive business requiring updating the BeCM. So as a "get out of jail card" removing the door card if required and a flush worked imediately. It is suprising though why the lock was designed with such an obvuous weakness. Oh the joys of saying I do for better or worse. LOL

viking56 said:

The lock and latch are hellish tricky to seperate and replacing locks is an expensive business requiring updating the BeCM.

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Personally I think they are easy to dismantle & re-assemble. . . . .but maybe fiddly at first, but eBay parts are plentiful, and cheaper if you go the MGF route. BECM does not need "updating" or otherwise when changing locks, only if replacing the RF FOB.