Electrics Lock failure - any ideas?

hurricane · 2nd February 2012, 19:50

Well it has been cold here in Finland over the last couple of weeks, and almost hitting -30 this week in my area, and that is the south!

So the problem, I noticed the other day that my hatch/boot will not open. Locks all working ok so I presumed it was frozen solid (like most of the car). I took it to a heated indoor car park to defrost for a couple of hours but still no joy. I thought I might give manual locking/unlocking a few jiggles to see if anything freed up and noticed that I could not lock or unlock the car with the key any more either.

Anyone come across this? Using the keyfob for locking/unlocking works ok (apart from the hatch/boot of course).

And before anyone says it, I did try searching the forums first but could not find anything.

Sorely tempted to leave it as my Alfa will be delivered in a few months, but I need to get my skis in!

hurricane · 3rd February 2012, 16:18

Does no-one have any ides?

Woette · 3rd February 2012, 16:34

Your problem seems to be the opposite of what is more commonly known here. Most people report the remote locking not working but manual still works. Have you tried starting the car and then locking?? My boot sometimes doesnt fully unlock after one press but after another go it usually unlocks. If you can enter the car, perhaps disconnecting the battery for a while might solve it, BUT make sure your keys are OUT of the ignition or it will wipe it clean and you wil be left with a bigger and costly problem!!

Julius · 4th February 2012, 21:00

Boot lid? Central locking?

Maybe something like this?

hurricane · 7th February 2012, 09:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by Julius

Boot lid? Central locking?

Maybe something like this?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woette

Your problem seems to be the opposite of what is more commonly known here. Most people report the remote locking not working but manual still works. Have you tried starting the car and then locking?? My boot sometimes doesnt fully unlock after one press but after another go it usually unlocks. If you can enter the car, perhaps disconnecting the battery for a while might solve it, BUT make sure your keys are OUT of the ignition or it will wipe it clean and you wil be left with a bigger and costly problem!!

Thanks for the help guys. Was planning on popping into the dealer this week but tried the boot this morning and it opened no problem. We have had very cold temps in the last week as I mentioned, and today it was up to only -9°C, positively balmy after -30°, so I think that a frozen mechanism was to blame.

Got my skis in today and off to the local slopes

2nd February 2012, 19:50	#1 (permalink)
hurricane Supporter Car: 2008 1.8i SP LHD, Milano Red Join Date: 22nd May 2008 Location: Kymenlaakso, Finland Posts: 537 Thanks given: 4 Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts iTrader: (0)	Lock failure - any ideas? Well it has been cold here in Finland over the last couple of weeks, and almost hitting -30 this week in my area, and that is the south! So the problem, I noticed the other day that my hatch/boot will not open. Locks all working ok so I presumed it was frozen solid (like most of the car). I took it to a heated indoor car park to defrost for a couple of hours but still no joy. I thought I might give manual locking/unlocking a few jiggles to see if anything freed up and noticed that I could not lock or unlock the car with the key any more either. Anyone come across this? Using the keyfob for locking/unlocking works ok (apart from the hatch/boot of course). And before anyone says it, I did try searching the forums first but could not find anything. Sorely tempted to leave it as my Alfa will be delivered in a few months, but I need to get my skis in!

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3rd February 2012, 16:18	#2 (permalink)
hurricane Supporter Thread starter Car: 2008 1.8i SP LHD, Milano Red Join Date: 22nd May 2008 Location: Kymenlaakso, Finland Posts: 537 Thanks given: 4 Thanked 21 Times in 17 Posts iTrader: (0)	Does no-one have any ides?

3rd February 2012, 16:34	#3 (permalink)
Woette Car: '07 1.8 MR Type-S 63000 km Join Date: 7th October 2007 Location: Leuven, Belgium Posts: 1,833 Thanks given: 90 Thanked 115 Times in 114 Posts iTrader: (0)	Your problem seems to be the opposite of what is more commonly known here. Most people report the remote locking not working but manual still works. Have you tried starting the car and then locking?? My boot sometimes doesnt fully unlock after one press but after another go it usually unlocks. If you can enter the car, perhaps disconnecting the battery for a while might solve it, BUT make sure your keys are OUT of the ignition or it will wipe it clean and you wil be left with a bigger and costly problem!!

4th February 2012, 21:00	#4 (permalink)
Julius Join Date: 23rd May 2011 Location: Vilnius, Lithuania Posts: 92 Thanks given: 1 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts iTrader: (0)	Boot lid? Central locking? Maybe something like this?