360 CS Alarm System / Locking Issues

Today my CS had a somewhat unpleasant surprise for me, so I'm asking for your help in diagnosing and fixing this issue (or these issues, if there is more than one). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Symptoms:
- fobs don't lock/unlock doors anymore
- LED on the dash is blinking fast
- pressing the button on the fob makes the light flash even faster
- there is a 'switching' noise audible when pressing the button on the fob; it seems as if this noise is originating somewhere behind the seats
- hazard lights are flashing constantly and won't turn off
- no beeping sounds etc.
- car will crank and start
- windows won't move

- passenger side can be locked and unlocked with the key; key rotates normally/smoothly
- driver side can be locked but NOT unlocked with the key; key does not rotate smoothly at all

- no errors messages visible (Launch X431)

Attempts made so far:
- tried second key/fob -> same results
- battery switch off for more than 30 minutes -> no change

How it happened:
While I was washing the car, suddenly the driver side window lowered to the "open door" position, so I went and got the key. I had to press the button on the fob a couple of times until the doors would unlock. I put the key into the ignition, closed the window, closed & locked the door and continued washing the car. When I was done, I tried to unlock but the doors wouldn't unlock and the hazard lights came on.

As stated above I would be really thankful for any assistance how to solve this. Thank you!

 

Did you try changing the batteries in the fobs? Maybe they are both weak?

 

I will try that tomorrow (currently all stores are closed).
I'm not sure if that is the issue though since both fobs were working well before (one of them 60 minutes earlier).
And the car does react to the fobs (LED blinking speed increases momentarily, and switching noise is heard from behind the seats).

The cars battery is brand new (routine replacement; less than a month and less than 1000 miles old). Car is on a trickle charger when not being driven.

 

Both windows (either manually or when opening the passenger door)?

 

Neither window will react to opening the door or pressing the window buttons.

 

Initially, it sounds like water triggered something which made the Window ECU think that the door was being opened (so dropped the driver’s window). So either a microswitch in the door was affected by water (or water pressure?) or water may have ingressed into the Window ECU or ECU wiring.

On some cars of this era, not sure about the 360, when a door is opened, the LED does blink faster, but yours sounds like it was flashing even faster.

 

Sorry, cross posted. This makes me think that either water has affected the Window ECU or a fuse has blown. I’ll check the wiring diagrams and see what I can come up with.

(EDIT: The sticky driver’s lock may be a clue, but I’m trying to fit it in with all the other symptoms).

 

Well, the left and right windows have independent power so not a window fuse issue. Ignition key power is required for proper Window ECU operation, but the car starts and runs, so obviously no ignition system fuse has blown. The doorlock ECU has a single fuse. Maybe check that whilst I'm still checking the diagrams.

See blue fuse in graphic:

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Do you know where the Window ECU is? Check the top plug for signs of water ingress. I think I read somewhere that leaky windscreens can allow water to drip on the Window ECU next to the driver's left foot under the dash (LHD car).

 

Usually lots of symptoms helps identify the issue faster. In this case, we have too many symptoms

360 owners... if you set the alarm when inside the car with the fob, if you put the key in the ignition and turn it to ON, can you operate the windows?

 

With the doors closed and ignition on, does the instrument panel indicate that all the doors and lids are closed?

 

With the doors and lids closed the panel displays only the triangle symbol (hazard lights I assume), but no open door/lid symbol.

With the front lid open, the "front lid open symbol" is displayed (ignition on).

With the rear lid open, the "rear lid open symbol" is displayed (ignition on).

Opening either door will show the corresponding symbol on the display (ignition on).

Letting the car sit overnight (main battery switch off) did not improve the situation.

 

That's a good sign that the microswitches in the door latches are ok.

Did you push the Hazard switch accendentally?

 

Maybe just try a little lubrication to see if there is any difference. With the battery off, does the passenger door feel similar to the driver's door? Moving the key in the lock usually triggers the electric actuator to assist the manual locking/unlocking. If the driver's door actuator is playing up, it may be the cause of the stiffness.

 

No, the hazard switch was not pressed. Pressing it, seems to change the "blinking noise" inside the car, pressing it again returns to the lower "blinking noise" level.

I suspect that the lights are part of the alarm system. I do not have any siren/honking/beeping which leads me to believe that the siren is defective or was disabled by a previous owner.

 

I guess another cause of blinking might be the inertia switch, but you haven't mentioned seeing this symbol

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Also, the car starts.

Did you check the doorlock fuse?

 

Withe battery of and a small amount of WD40 applied, the driver side lock still feels considerably stiffer than the passengers side

 

I did not see this symbol, or any other symbol except for the "check ok".

In the meantime there is some progress:

I heard the central locking mechanism while i was in the car.
Windows came down to the open door position on their own and after some fiddling with the window switches I was able to move the up/down manually.

I was able to lock/unlock the doors using the fob, albeit not reliably. It would unlock and when I try to lock it would lock and immediately unlock. Then the fob stopped working and the car was locked.

After several seconds the car unlocked on its own and moved both windows down (open door position). Hazard lights (alarm?) Still on and wont turn off.

 

I believe there is a timeout if there is a continuous command (to prevent damage to the circuits). Maybe there is a contiuous unlock command from a faulty switch or device. At least we know the fuse is ok.

So you're saying when the fob stopped working, the unlocking stopped and it locked?

To have both windows drop down would mean there is a central control issue. i.e. either the doorlock ECU has issues or the Window ECU has issues.

I can only suggest resetting/inspecting the connectors on the Window and Door ECUs (battery off).

 

I locked/unlocked a couple of times with the fob (which seemed to work) and then the fob stopped working while the car was locked, i.e. the fob would no longer unlock. Had to unlock with key (passenger side). Turned the battery off.

I went to buy batteries for the fobs. When I came back, I turned the battery on, heard the locks do something, but fobs no longer work. Put a new battery in the red one. Behaves exactly like both black ones.

Windows wouldnt move by pressing the buttons.
After roughly 1 minute driver side window started coming down on its own.

At the moment I can not work on the ECU & fuses, because the car is in a place where i can't open the door wide enough. Will take some time to move the car to a better location.

I did not see or feel signs of water intrusion near the ECUs; everything feels dusty.


What puzzles me most is this: why are the hazard lights on and won't come off?

 

Just the driver's side? I thought you said both windows came down.... or is this at a different time?

It's like immobiliser has gone into panic mode or it thinks someone is trying to force their way into the car. Oddly, the immobiliser gets its "door open" input from the switches near the door hinges, which has nothing to do with window operation. Anyway, if you can, try resetting the inertia switch in the drivers footwell.

 

Pressing the fob continuously for a roughly 30 seconds solved the hazard light issues.

Windows are working normally again. Fob tries to lock the car, but it locks and immediately unlocks.

We are getting closer.

 

This time just the driver side and it opened half way, while on the previous event both opened only an inch.

It felt like the driver side window was reacting to my inputs on the window control, but with a giant delay.

 

Ah, so that sounds like panic mode. If you push the fob button for too long it does that. AndI believe if you push it again for a long period, it resets.

You mean half way to fully down or half an inch instead of an inch?

 

Half way to fully down, so roughly 5 inches. Windows seem to work now. The main symptom that is left is that the car won't stay locked. It locks but immediately unlocks again ...

 

Perhaps a door lock actuator issue or interior/exterior door handle microswitch issue.

If the window plays up again, there is a microswitch on the window mechanism which tells the window when to stop (when the doors trigger a drop).

I’m still struggling to find a common theme here (other than an ECU failure)