Freelander 1 Passenger doors constantly unlocking / clicking

I hope for my sanity somebody can point me in the right direction.

2006 Freelander 1 HSE and when unlocked it’s repeatedly unlocking and clicking all the passenger doors but not the boot.

I’ve had this before but it stopped some months ago before I could find the fault.
Several months have passed and not a sound.

The only thing that’s happened recently any different is having a couple of rear seat passengers the day before it started again. Any chance it’s come about through using the interior door handles? I’ve opened/closed the doors several times, using both interior and exterior handles in case something reset.

Sometimes I’ll be driving along with all 4 doors clicking every second or it’ll click a few times randomly then nothing for a minute or two. No set rhythm or pattern whatsoever.

If parked and left unlocked it’ll keep unlocking itself with the ignition on or off.

When the car is locked it’s fine, it won’t unlock itself (although once in a while the damn alarm goes off so I then lock it on the key so the interior sensors aren’t activated).

Also, the electric lock/unlock buttons on the front door armrests are having a hissy fit.

Sometimes they work perfectly. Sometimes they will lock but not unlock and sometimes they lock but the car unlocks itself about 2 seconds later.

They were working perfectly before all this self unlocking started again.

Cycling the ignition and opening/closing both front doors will usually reset the switches to working but they soon start malfunctioning again.

Any advice greatly appreciated, it’s driving me mad.


Edit: clarification in case the above sounds contradictory. If locked on the remote or using the key it won’t unlock itself but it has a fault with the interior lock switches and will sometimes unlock after 2 seconds.

I'd be running a diagnostic on all modules. It's possibly a fault in a door module, or maybe even the emergency key lock.
A diagnostic should tell you what item is at fault.

Nodge68 said:

I'd be running a diagnostic on all modules. It's possibly a fault in a door module, or maybe even the emergency key lock. A diagnostic should tell you what item is at fault.

Click to expand...

I’ve got a Hawkeye (not the Pro), can’t find any body fault codes. Do I need more than Hawkeye is capable of?

If you mean within the EWS 3D menu I can’t access that. I have the correct 5077 adapter the Hawkeye asks for but keep getting “communication failed” every time.

The Freelander 2 uses a completely different diagnostic protocol to the early LRs, so you need a reader capable of reading the FL2 (Ford based IIRC) diagnostic data.
I've several, including JLR SDD, but I have an Icarsoft I930 which I keep in the glove box for reading codes when out n about.

Mine’s an FL1, looks like that level of diagnostic isn’t available to me then.

I’ve got a Nanocom for my D2 but just had a look and it won’t work with the FL1.

Disco Magic said:

Mine’s an FL1, looks like that level of diagnostic isn’t available to me then.

I’ve got a Nanocom for my D2 but just had a look and it won’t work with the FL1.

Click to expand...

Ah, then ignore what I said.
The FL1 isn't nearly as electronic dependent as the FL1, so the locking issue isn't likely to give any codes.

I'd be looking at the front door locking motors, as it's possible one of them isn't sending the open signal to the CCU, or maybe the faulty lock isnsending lock commands all the time. It's very likely as switch inside a door lock actuator.

Nodge68 said:

Ah, then ignore what I said.

Click to expand...

Nodge68 said:

The FL1 isn't nearly as electronic dependent as the FL1, so the locking issue isn't likely to give any codes.

I'd be looking at the front door locking motors, as it's possible one of them isn't sending the open signal to the CCU, or maybe the faulty lock isnsending lock commands all the time. It's very likely as switch inside a door lock actuator.

Click to expand...

Thanks

So basically unplug one lock at a time and see if the unlocking stops?

Disco Magic said:

Thanks

So basically unplug one lock at a time and see if the unlocking stops?

Click to expand...

You got it.

An update:

I haven’t had time to strip the door cards out but think I’ve at least identified which corner the fault is.

If I sit with the front passenger door open to the halfway stop the car will happily sit there not clicking. If I closed the door by a few mm it’ll start clicking. Push it back to the halfway stop and no clicking. I’m not closing/latching it so don’t think it could be the lock motors or micro switches.

I’m thinking it’s a damaged wire in the rubber flex tube.

The door electrics are connected to the main loom behind the side panel at the bottom of the A post, I’ll probe the door lock wires for continuity. The other thought was a tester like the one linked.

Is it easy enough to reach inside the door and disconnect the electrical plugs off the door locks in situ and without removing the actual lock (I’ve got big hands)?


allsun Automotive Short Circuit Tester Finder Cable Tester Wire Tracker Detector Tone Generator EM415PRO https://amzn.eu/d/iP3YqLk

The door isn't closed according to the CCU on the safety latch, so it could still be the lock assembly.

Nodge68 said:

The door isn't closed according to the CCU on the safety latch, so it could still be the lock assembly.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the continuing advice Nodge.

I’ve just flicked the lock to closed with a screwdriver and it’s still doing the same. Strangely it’s when I push the door out a little from halfway rather than close it this time.

So, simulated closed but left unlocked it clicks to unlock when I move the door. Other doors unaffected.

I do it really gently and it still clicks. Is it possible the micro switches are that sensitive to movement vs a damaged wire? I don’t doubt a micro switch could be jolted while driving.

I think the next step is test the door lock wiring when I get time.


Edit: I’ve answered my own question. From near closed to halfway I can really shake the door back and forth with no clicking.

Just around the half way stop it’ll click however gentle I am.

Stranger and stranger update:

I still haven’t pulled the door card off, perhaps fortunately.

I’ve just got around to fixing my front interior light. Neither the courtesy light nor the map lights were working. Rear courtesy light was fine.

I had the battery disconnected while repairing the the light with a new connector from the scrappy. It now functions perfectly but surprisingly the doors are no longer clicking.

I’ve no idea whether this is due to a battery disconnect resetting the CCU or if the dodgy courtesy light wiring was upsetting the CCU.

Fingers crossed it’s a permanent fix for unlocking doors fault.

Disco Magic said:

Stranger and stranger update:

I still haven’t pulled the door card off, perhaps fortunately.

I’ve just got around to fixing my front interior light. Neither the courtesy light nor the map lights were working. Rear courtesy light was fine.

I had the battery disconnected while repairing the the light with a new connector from the scrappy. It now functions perfectly but surprisingly the doors are no longer clicking.

I’ve no idea whether this is due to a battery disconnect resetting the CCU or if the dodgy courtesy light wiring was upsetting the CCU.

Fingers crossed it’s a permanent fix for unlocking doors fault.

Click to expand...

At work yesterday I was working on a camper, but it was getting close to "home time", so decided to lock the van up and finish it off today.

I closed it all up, pressed the fob button to lock it, which it did, then hung the fob/key up on the rack in the store room which is quite close to the van.

A few seconds later I see the lights flash on the van and hear the locks click. It then did it a couple more times. So I unlock it, open and close all the doors, then lock it again. Again, it starts flashing lights and activating locks. Pretty sure it also did it if I left it unlocked with all the doors closed.

I had to get off, so in the end I left it unlocked, put the fob in the box in the office out of range of the van in case that was what was causing the problems and left it hoping it wasn't going to be clicking all night.

Another problem to sort out on this van when I get in today - as if it hasn't got enough already!

GrumpyGel said:

At work yesterday I was working on a camper, but it was getting close to "home time", so decided to lock the van up and finish it off today.

I closed it all up, pressed the fob button to lock it, which it did, then hung the fob/key up on the rack in the store room which is quite close to the van.

A few seconds later I see the lights flash on the van and hear the locks click. It then did it a couple more times. So I unlock it, open and close all the doors, then lock it again. Again, it starts flashing lights and activating locks. Pretty sure it also did it if I left it unlocked with all the doors closed.

I had to get off, so in the end I left it unlocked, put the fob in the box in the office out of range of the van in case that was what was causing the problems and left it hoping it wasn't going to be clicking all night.

Another problem to sort out on this van when I get in today - as if it hasn't got enough already!

Click to expand...

Joy of joys, I hope it’s not a PITA to diagnose that.

Well that was some short lived joy.

I always keep the car on single point entry although I’ve turned it off before now and confirm the unlocking fault was still present.

Driving this morning on SPE, about 20 mins down the dual carriageway it unlocked the remaining doors then started clicking furiously.

Whilst I’ve detailed above about how moving the passenger door made all doors click I wonder if this points more to the drivers door.

Right now moving the passenger door (or any door for that matter) isn’t causing the repeated unlocking.

I’ve neglected so far to consider the bonnet switch. Maybe I should disconnect that too.

My Hawkeye is limited to showing if doors are open / closed.

Would a Pscan or DS150e show doors firing unlock/lock signals? @pscan.eu I know I’d ruled out the expense of buying your unit in another thread but this could be a game changer for me.