"clicking" Door Locks When Nothing Touched...

[90LS400Lexus]

I just got home from work a little while ago. Came in for about 10 minutes and I went out to move my LS into another part of the driveway, because we are going out to eat and driving my mothers car. I opened the door and immedietly heard the door locks making a faint sound of them "locking/unlocking", but they were not moving. About every 3-5 seconds, they would make the sound. I shut the door and it stopped. I reopened and they did not do it.

I have noticed they have been doing some peculiar things lately (about a week ago) - such as automatically locking after I shut the door and I was not touching any buttons or the key remote button. I know they are supposed to automatically lock, if the remote is used to unlock and door is not opened, but in this case- it was unlocked, opened and shut, then before I got to the other side of the car - they locked. Luckily, my keys were in my hand and not in the car, or I would had to went and locate the valet key to unlock it.

So, is something (something else) starting to go bad on my car? A little concerning to think that your car is starting to lock itself. What else can go wrong? :(

[FreddT]

Sure sounds like you have a problem with the drivers door controls. Which is probably caused by the fact that the drivers door is slammed thousands of times, while the other doors are opened much less.

I'd remove the drivers door lock/window console (a piece of cake), and tweak the interior connections. This means spraying all the contacts, and cleaning the whole assembly, including the "lock" button.. Also, my secret solution is to be sure to gently stretch the 5 upright springs that affect the up-down buttons. If this doesn't work, then we have a problem. But I bet it works. Good luck.

[90LS400Lexus]

Sure sounds like you have a problem with the drivers door controls. Which is probably caused by the fact that the drivers door is slammed thousands of times, while the other doors are opened much less.

I'd remove the drivers door lock/window console (a piece of cake), and tweak the interior connections. This means spraying all the contacts, and cleaning the whole assembly, including the "lock" button.. Also, my secret solution is to be sure to gently stretch the 5 upright springs that affect the up-down buttons. If this doesn't work, then we have a problem. But I bet it works. Good luck.

Thanks. Actually this is the only problem I have with any of my controls or driver door. It works fine. I do not think the door was opened and closed too much on my car, because a lot of the miles are freeway miles, but perhaps just 14 years of it may have teken a toll- or something electronically is failing. That is just how my luck is though when it comes to cars.

Really not a problem (yet), but puzzled as to why it was doing that sound w/no action and without any buttons pressed.

Thanks again.

[leo]

You might have a bad courtesy light switch. Switch that pop out when you open your door to turn interior lights on. You said that even when the door was unlocked and you open and shut the door the door locked. Look at you interior light the next time it does this. If you light is off, that is why you locks are locking, which tells you that your switch is not opening far enough, which causes your keyless system to think the door is closed sending a pulse to lock. I had this happen to me also, all I did is removed the switch, removed the rubber cover on the switch, sprayed some W-40 into the spring contact, push on the switch a few times, re-install rubber cover and re-install. Problem solved. If this does not help you, then you need to replace the faulty switch.

[90LS400Lexus]

You might have a bad courtesy light switch. Switch that pop out when you open your door to turn interior lights on. You said that even when the door was unlocked and you open and shut the door the door locked. Look at you interior light the next time it does this. If you light is off, that is why you locks are locking, which tells you that your switch is not opening far enough, which causes your keyless system to think the door is closed sending a pulse to lock. I had this happen to me also, all I did is removed the switch, removed the rubber cover on the switch, sprayed some W-40 into the spring contact, push on the switch a few times, re-install rubber cover and re-install. Problem solved. If this does not help you, then you need to replace the faulty switch.

Thanks LEO. I never thought of that causing it, but it definitely does not work on occasion, because a while back I noticed that the headlamps were not automatically turning off when I opened the door and I would have to "giggle" that switch you are referring to in order to get them to go off- unless I just switched them off at the headlight switch, but it was easier to more-less touch that switch on the door. That explains the "relocking". Has not did that, nor the "clicking" without locking since then, but I will clean that switch- actually all need it. Thanks again!

[leo]

No problem, here to help out all Lexus brothers/sisters. :D

[vyhanh]

Leo's diagnostic was exactly what happened to my 91. When I took off the driver door panel to fix a loose screw and put it back, I did not do the courtesy light properly and it did cause your kind of problem.

[RA40]

Dunno if it is the same mechanism...on mine, it was due to a worn keycylinder contact. It read the key in an open/closed position and would actuate the lock accordingly in multiples. It would also lower the window. (The UCF 20 has this feature in the driver door key cylinder.)

Once it was fixed, no problem...but it was an expensive repair at just under $500. :(

[jzz30]

i have a similar problem where sometimes as i get in and when i turn the key the locks, lock and then unlock. doesnt really irritate me but its just kind of funky. also i can leave my car unlocked when the car is off because some how it locks itself and sets off the alarm. this can get a bit irritating <_< but i just have to lock it.

[SKperformance]

Jzz it sounds like you have an alarm in the car that you don;t know about