I have a central locking issue on my 2003 S-Type.

More correctly it seems to be 2 issues:

1. The car auto-locks when you set off as it should but when you stop, the passenger door doesn’t unlock when you pull the handle and it won’t unlock by pulling the lock/unlock button either. It locks and unlocks perfectly with the remote, and with the button on the dash. It also unlocks when you pull the lock/unlock button on the driver’s door. If I cycle the locking using the button on the dash a few times, it sometimes comes back to life for a bit.

2. The only caveat to that is when problem 2 crops up. Occasionally, the driver’s door doesn’t unlock when I pull the handle and if I pull the lock/unlock button, only the driver’s door unlocks. If I use the remote or the button on the dash, all 4 doors unlock fine.

I’ve googled the issue and everything seems to suggest either dousing the locking mechanism with WD40 or replacing the actuator to address the first problem. I plan to try the former and, if it doesn’t work, do the latter.

What I’m wondering is whether the problem with the passenger door is having a knock-on effect on the driver’s door.

Any suggestions, advice, words of wisdom, or sympathy gratefully received.

 

Hi

I had the exact same issue last week. I gave each lock mechanism a good squirt with GT85 (a bit like wd40 but it has teflon) and it's not done it since.

 

I have some GT85 on the shelf I prefer it to WD40 because it smells so nice. For rusty nuts I prefer plusgas but it stinks.

Did you just spray it on the outside?

 

I sprayed the lock mechanism in the door - open each door and spray into the lock itself from the end of the door. I also sprayed the silver door handles - but not the outside ones.

 

I shall give it a go tonight.

 

The problem is a tiny microswitch that controls deadlocking. You have to replace both actuators I am afraid.