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Central locking - vacuum or electrical troubleshooting?

Glen

Glen

Site Admin, auto enthusiast...
Staff member
I'm continuing to address what I consider minor issues with my high-mileage cruiser...the current anomaly is the central locking system. Here are the symptoms:
Doors and trunk lock normally with either the key or by pushing down on either the driver or front passenger lock pins, engine on or off. When coming back to the car, say from the grocery store, all doors and trunk unlock correctly using the key in either door or trunk. Sounds like a perfectly working system, right?

Here's the oddity: After arriving at a destination with the doors locked (engine running), if you attempt to unlock the doors by pulling up on the lock pin, it is very hard to pull up. And when doing so, only that particular (front) door unlocks. If the engine is turned off and you immediately try to unlock the doors, either with pin or by using the handle, again it's hard to open and only that particular door unlocks. During this time, you can hear the vacuum pump running under the rear seat. If you wait about 15 to 20 seconds, the pump turns off and the door locks function normally.

So, do you think this is electrical or vacuum related? Where should I start looking?
 
Been doing some research and it sounds like I have a vacuum leak. Stay tuned.
 
I think it could be one of your door pods. Break out the Mityvac.... Pumps often go bad too :deniro:


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Found it. It's the fuel filler vacuum element. I put a cap on the line for now so the other locks work.
 
I have a related problem on my e320 coupe. But my mistery is still unsolved. My car keeps blowing the fuse to the central locking system. I have been told I might have a locked p central locking system, whatever that means. I guess a lockked up system could cause a short perhaps.
 
Does it blow immediately when you try to lock/unlock the car or after some use?
 
Final follow-up: I ordered a new vacuum element through the MB Classic Center and just installed it. All key locks and fuel filler door lock now operate correctly!
I took the old element apart and sure enough the diaphragm had a small tear.
 
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