Cannot Open Rear Doors

[Adwarrior]

Hi there

I have a problem with the rear doors of my 2000 Focus Ghia. The central locking isn't unlocking them and I can't open them from inside either. I suspect the child safety mechanism is applied. I was able to remove the door panels, but I don't know how to now open the door.

Any help please?

[jeebowhite]

if you pull the handle it should be able to unlock the door, it sounds like perhaps the connection is broken.

[Adwarrior]

No, it's definitely pulling on the rod and I don't think it's come un-attached at the other end. I think the child safety latch is applied that stops children opening the doors while inside. I'm trying to work out how to open the door with the panel removed. I would have thought there is some way. Also they don't open from the outside and having taken the front mechanism out I see that it's 2 separate rods one for the interior handle and one for the outer, so the chances of both being broken on both rear doors are very slim.

[jeebowhite]

it osunds like its possibly a wiring issue to the back of the car causing the deadlocks to seize, sadly I dont think there is a manual override, or at least not one I know of.

[Adwarrior]

When I try to lock the doors on the key fob I can feel and hear the mechanism click, but when I try to unlock with the key fob I can't hear or feel anything.

I was also having the problem of the front two doors locking and then unlocking on their own. I disconnected the passenger door lock wiring and the driver door would then stay locked when locked, which maybe points to a problem with the passenger door lock. It's all very odd. The car is due it's MOT and I'm pretty sure the rear doors not opening will mean a failure.

[jeebowhite]

I would suggest you may be best off if you get the car to a garage who can give you a better idea, it sounds like a wiring issue and without being able to open the doors and get at the grommets, and have a decent look around its extremely difficult to resolve on your own.

[STEADS]

That locking unlocking sounds like a wire on one of the locks going to earth this is a common problem on the fiat punto because you have detached the connector to the passenger door there's a possibility your. No making a circuit to the back doors I would have a look at the four or five black wires that go to the lock see if you can see any that are chaffed .

[STEADS]

As for your mot I had a clio that had a rear door lock jam and it passed every mot .

[mecmark]

The MOT test changed not so long ago rear doors have to open and latch securely in the closed position as do the front doors (also have to open from inside), bonnet, boot lid/tail gate these are some of the things that are supposed to be checked before it is tested. yeah like sorry mate i've had your car all day and not tested it because i can't open the boot . :D

anyway you've got knackered wiring somewhere and it sounds like the back doors are deadlocked, before you go knackering up the rear locks to open the doors have a look at the wiring to the front doors and the control module.

you can also split the wiring into the rear lock n try powering it up from a good battery

[Adwarrior]

The MOT test changed not so long ago rear doors have to open and latch securely in the closed position as do the front doors (also have to open from inside), bonnet, boot lid/tail gate these are some of the things that are supposed to be checked before it is tested. yeah like sorry mate i've had your car all day and not tested it because i can't open the boot . :D

anyway you've got knackered wiring somewhere and it sounds like the back doors are deadlocked, before you go knackering up the rear locks to open the doors have a look at the wiring to the front doors and the control module.

you can also split the wiring into the rear lock n try powering it up from a good battery

Thanks for that info. The connectors to the front doors have 6 wires and the rears only 3. Are you suggesting I apply 12 volts to the socket on the rear lock mechanism? The front doors lock and unlock again when I use the key fob (they wont stay locked), however if I disconnect the passenger door connector the drivers door will lock and remain locked. It makes no difference to the rears though.

[STEADS]

I'm sure you will find you have one of the wires going to earth somewhere possibly on the passenger door

[mecmark]

Yeah that's it. Steads is right you'll prob ave a bust wire on pass door it would be better fixing that first it'll prob make all the doors work then

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

[jeebowhite]

if it is this, you might be able to poke a small wire into the earth pin and then short it out against a piece of bare metal on the car, that should allow you to open the door (if this is the issue) so that you can take the rest of the door apart to track the wire.

The problem is most likely in the rubber conduit taking wires from the B pillar to the door itself.