[seventh]

My locks have stopped working. They lock after I'm moving down the road but do not unlock when I shut the car off as they usually do. If I press unlock on the panel they lock again but usually do nothing. Sometimes they will unlock if I press lock. I also have a remote which no longer works but the start works. Is this a problem with the actuator?

 

[ImperialCrown]

I believe that the auto door unlock at key-off and the remote start features weren't factory options.
Look to see if there is a make and model on your remote or on the module that may be wired in next to the steering column. If you Google this information, a user instruction/troubleshoot/wiring guide (.pdf) may be online for free.

 

[valiant67]

IC is right, the unlock is not a factory feature. It is part of whatever aftermarket system was installed.

 

[seventh]

The problem exists if I'm not using the remote. I know the remote is not factory. I can't unlock doors with the buttons on the armrest on the door and It doesn't auto unlock when I shut the car off which it should do. It does automatically lock when I put it in gear.

 

[valiant67]

The auto-unlock feature is not a factory feature. Whatever was added when the remote start was installed probably also added the auto-unlock feature. I don't know how this system works, but generally the system will require some splicing into the factory wiring. The factory system also does not lock when put in gear but locks at 15 MPH. It could be that the system added some relays and they are getting intermittent. It's also possible the factory lock motor is getting old and doesn't move as freely as it should though generally each door would behave differently if that were the case.

 

[seventh]

Yes it doesn't lock until I'm moving but I thought unlocking after shutting it off was part of the original locking system. If not I guess it's the remote. It does remote start though. It's had this remote lock system for 20 years so it's old. It's a manual locking car now. Oh one more thing I discovered. I can lock the doors by pressing unlock on the arm rest but cannot unlock them with that button.

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Cars of that vintage did indeed lock at speed (15-20 mph in gear) and did not automatically unlock when the engine is shut off. My wife's last car, a 97 Camry, and her current car, 2012 Chrysler 200, both unlock when shut off, but they both had alarm systems that I think altered their behavior.

As to locking them with the unlock button, either the switch is faulty, or the Body Control Computer may be caught in a latchup condition. I had this happen when I got my car back from painting, and they had had the door panels and switches out. When I got it back, the lock button was not fully snapped into the door panel, and it misbehaved like this. I unplugged and plugged the switch a few times, disconnected the battery and the BCM, and finally it cured itself. Not sure which specific action did it, but I never had trouble again, 10 years later when I got rid of it.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

Cars of that vintage did indeed lock at speed (15-20 mph in gear) and did not automatically unlock when the engine is shut off.

This. Even the Imperial didn't auto unlock, and that car was three trim levels up from the Dynasty. I should know, I have one.

It would help to know which model year this is. Early AC body cars had a lock relay, but its only function was to auto-lock the doors at speed. I believe some newer ones went to a dual relay system, particularly if they had remote keyless entry... not sure. You'll have to get your hands on some wiring diagrams for the factory system and figure out where the remote starter was spliced in (and how) to locate the problem. Could be a switch, wiring, or a remote starter issue.

Wiring in particular may be an issue if it's a high mileage car. The wires tend to crack, corrode, and go intermittent in the rubber boots that join the body to each of the doors. When I sold my second 1988 New Yorker, the new owner complained that it blew fuses when he used the power seat controls. Sure enough, I had to go over and replace several bad wires in the driver's door.

 

[seventh]

It's a 1990 3.0 it looks like it will be manual locking now. The wiring everywhere is acting up. The low beams wouldn't come on from high beam last night until I wiggled the switch a bit. The clock doesn't always light up and in winter here in northern Minnesota the instrument panel stops working sometimes. 135,000 miles and it runs good though.

 

[Oklahoma Wolf]

In that case, you do have both a lock and unlock relay. They will be located next to each other in the relay block above the glove box... should be the two closest to the driver's side.

Sounds like you may have some issues with the pins on the cluster connectors... they do come loose. Soldering them down usually fixes it.

Clock issue is probably bad solder joints in the radio. Very common problem, especially with the Mitsubishi built ones.

For the low beam issue - I've had those multifunction turn signal switches fail before. The Imperial's original worked fine except for the minor little detail where the headlights went out completely if you tried to use the flash to pass feature at night. I replaced it with one from a 1994 Acclaim and it hasn't had a problem since. Let me tell you the night I found that problem was not fun. Good thing I was on a road I knew well.

 

[seventh]

I've settled the problem. I got a 1994 Geo Prizm. Now I will probably scrap the Dynasy, the fuel pump is humming loudly and that looked like it could be a pain to replace. I've put in a transmission, power steering rack and power steering pump and I don't want to work on this car anymore.

 

[chuzz]

I had a 94 Prizm several years ago. It was a very good car. It's basically a Toyota Corolla with the Prizm logo. Just watch for rust being that you're so far up north.

 

[B10alia]

See what you can get for it used. I would note what's wrong with it and what you think it may need. I would imagine that you're not going to be able to scrap it for more than about $500. Depending on the condition of the car, you might be able to get three to four times that, even with issues. The used car market, at least here on the east coast, has exploded in the past couple years.