HJAMES608

Completely stumped at the moment. Original problem - Door locks would not respond to remote. PSE pump could be heard running. Checked out the pump, cleaned and changed out the internal hoses. Solenoids ok. Leaks were detected at the doors, and the actuators repaired and replaced. They all now will hold a vacuum. Now, after assembly, the doors will all lock with the remote, but none of them will open! I have to use the mechanical key to open the door. Note that the trunk however will soft-close and open with the remote. And i have reset the system several times by removing fuse, or disconnecting the battery.

Any ideas what to try next?

GrepAwk

I have not dealt with this problem before. However, it sounds like you made some good progress on getting them to lock.

Do you have a locks circuit diagram? Is vacuum power used for BOTH locking and unlocking the latch? Or is unlocking an electrical function?

if you double-push the unlock button, do the 3 other doors unlock? If so, your problem is limited to the driver’s door. If none of the doors unlock, then it’s something central.

GrepAwk

And…does the security system flash the taillights when you press the unlock button on the remote?

HJAMES608

Thanks for the response.
I believe the system works by using vacuum to lock, and pressure to unlock. The PSE pump has both functions. I wasn't able to get an actual reading of the pressure/vacuum values, but I could feel the effects from each of the 2 tubes inside the pump.

All four doors lock, and the lights do flash when I press the lock on the remote.

My thoughts are that the problem lies with the PSE pump - there's not enough pressure being exerted to do the unlock function. I have checked for blockages, and blown out the internal hoses. However, the fact that the trunk functions normally - soft-closes, locks and unlocks via the remote, does seem to indicate that the PSE pump is ok.

maw1124

Yeah, I’d suspect PSE pump as well… wouldn’t be the first… what happens is the system springs leaks, causing the pump to overwork itself over time… I have a 2 or 3 second leak from my drivers door handle when locking, but since the pump shuts off in 5 seconds (and won’t burn itself out), no one thinks it’s worth replacing the whole handle to fix the small escutcheon leak within… I approve of that message… you can imagine a system with multiple, prolonged leaks… PSE pumps are often available on eBay used but still 15 years old, so YMMV… I’m unsure if anyone rebuilds the PSE pumps but that’s worth a look too.

GL

maw

HJAMES608

Yeah, that's what I was thinking would be the next thing to do, unfortunately. There are a few videos on YT dealing with rebuilding these pumps, but they all deal with pumps that are non-functional. The motor on mine runs strong. I was kinda hoping there was some sort of valve or switch within the pump that had gone bad or something, and that could be easily repaired, etc. Oh well, going to try get a another pump and see what happens.
Will keep you informed.
Thanks for the help.

maw1124

How long did leave the battery disconnected? Maybe leave it disconnected for 15 minutes. I’ve had that reset things before. Someone with STAR diagnostics would be an intermediate step before the pump.

Also not sure if you’ve seen this… https://w220.wiki/Pneumatic_System_Equipment_(PSE)_Pump

maw

PS... related point... how difficult was it to fix the door leaks? Did you need new handles or was there some ingenuity that made it simpler?

HJAMES608

Yes, I know about that excellent source of info about the PSE system. It really is very informative and helpful. I used it for my own detective work.
The battery has been left disconnected for extended periods of time [weeks, etc] as I have worked on other areas of the system.
The leaks at the door locks involved the usual plastic "caps" of the actuators. There are 2: a larger one, which is prominent on the lock assembly, and a smaller one that is well hidden deep within the assembly. Leakage at the door locks appears to almost always occur at the large cap, and is usually immediately obvious when the door panel is removed - it is dangling down from the lock! Leaks at the smaller unit are more difficult to detect - and more difficult to repair, as it is difficult to get to them.
I have repaired the large cap by buying a new replacement from eBay [very common on there, about $70], and following the various YT videos. After installing the new cap I try to reinforce it by using a large hose clamp around the base and adding epoxy adhesive. This fix is only temporary, though, and will only last 6 - 12 months, YMMV. The problem is the thing is plastic and the pressures involved are quite high, apparently, and the thing can't take the repeated beatings. The original OEM cap probably used stronger plastic, I suppose. Interestingly, the failures I have noticed aren't always due to the replacement caps themselves, but the base the caps are attached to. The anchor points simple break off.
Leaks in the smaller cap usually occur at the open end of the round unit, and appear as splits or cracks in the plastic opening. Sometimes hard to detect. I have used JB Weld clear epoxy to seal those cracks, and it seems to work as evidenced by the unit achieving and holding a vacuum.

HJAMES608

Quick update:
Bought used PSE pump on eBay. Quite a few of them on sale on the site, which took some time to determine which one to take a chance on! Chose one offered for sale by "Windy-City-Autoparts" in Illinois because they offered a 30-day warranty. Paid $199.5 + 10.00 shipping. Arrived in 4 days via USPS Priority Mail. Plugged all the connections in, and ....everything worked!! Doors and trunk all locked and unlocked via the remote, and the central locking system inside the car. Made my day.
So obviously the fault was with my old pump. Not sure what it was, as I had run a quick check of the electric motor, the individual solenoids, and the connecting hoses. Found a split in one of the hoses and had replaced both of them. When I have more time I might go back and see if I can figure out the problem.
Anyway, just pleased I can finally lock and unlock the car!

ChampagneC

Good job that must have felt GREAT seeing them work again!

HJAMES608

Yep, quite a relief seeing the door locks opening and closing! Simple pleasures. lol.

Just received a repair kit for the Actuator cap that I had ordered from a company in Taiwan. It has a protective collar that fits over the base of the existing cap. Made of thick hard plastic. Looks interesting. Great idea, if it works. Going to fit it over over one of the door actuators and see if it extends the life of the fixes on the other doors.
Will post results.

Now on to the other repairs.

elMacko

Gents, I landed this thread since I was looking for the why my doors do not power lock, so making a diagnostic found the issue was a bad PSE pump... So, I remove the pump and disassembled. Took apart the pump itself and bingo...the impeller was all in pieces. I just ordered a repair KIT for $60 that includes the impeller and the vanes. Awaiting for delivery since it comes from China!