Door Lock Relay Replacement
How to Change a Door Lock Relay
A door lock relay is an electromagnetic switch that uses very little electric power to turn on a bigger current on and off. The central part of a relay is a wire coil that turns into a magnet when current passes through it. The button to the door lock relay sends a signal that triggers current to the actuator that unlocks the doors.
Before, it was a specification found only in luxury cars. Now it is a feature all modern vehicles come with to make it easy to open and close doors.
Where Is the Door Lock Relay Located?
You can use it in different locations within a motor vehicle:
- Behind car stereo.
- Under dashboard near the brake pedal.
- Behind the passenger airbag under the dashboard.
How Do I Know That My Door Lock Relay Is Malfunctioning?
- If the doors refuse to lock when you press the lock button but unlocks when you press unlock button.
- When only some doors lock while the car is in motion or packed.
- The relay switch has lost its functionality and will not open or close the doors.
- Lock or unlock buttons do not work.
Reasons Why Your Electric Door Locks Are Faulty
The below issues can cause a fault in the door lock relay:
- Bad Fuse: A blown fuse can prevent the doors to lock or unlock uncontrollably. Fuses can save you a lot of money because they’re inexpensive to replace. Always be on the lookout for signs that your fuses may be bad.
- Faulty Central Locking System Wireless Device (Key Fob): The keyless gadgets that open doors instead of keys may malfunction. When the door locks don’t operate, you might need your key fob tested for any faults.
- Central Locking System Device (Key Fob) Battery Dead: Before visiting your garage, check your key fob battery. If the battery is dead, then a replacement is imminent to restore the functionality of the device.
- Damaged Circuit Wires: Troubleshoot for damaged electrical wires by pressing on the key fob button to open and close the doors. When there is a faulty connection, you will get an irregular response from the door locks.
Tips on How to Fix a Door Lock Relay
The door lock relay components come as a unit. Accordingly, replacement is the only option when they are malfunctioning.
Note: Always remember to disconnect the battery terminal when servicing an electric part. This way, you will prevent damage to a system or injury.
- Have all the required tools ready before commencing.
- Locate the relay using the diagram in the fuse box. This will depend on the location of the relay.
- Using sharp tip pliers, pull the relay out.
- Get a new relay and install it in the same slot as the old one.
- If you had opened any covers to access the relay, close them up to secure the area.
- Reconnect the battery terminal and test functionality.
The Cost of Replacing a Door Lock Relay
The replacement of the door lock relay costs between $121 and $195. The cost will be dependent on the following:
- vehicle type and model. Luxury cars might be costly because of the service parts.
- Shop location and target market. The price may vary between locations and clientele base.
- Preference. Mobile services that come at the comfort of their home or office differ in cost from in-shop services.
The door lock relay is a small device that you may take for granted. But it doesn’t affect the car’s movement, so you can fix it at an opportune time. But don’t underestimate their importance in providing safety and security to your vehicle, and the passengers. When ready for service, visit our shop for testing and replacement.