Monty51

Hi folks, new to the forum and recently bought an '01 Windstar. Overall it's in good shape, but I have some issues with the power door locks I'd like some advice on. They have peculiar behavior:

- All doors - except the driver's door - lock when the vehicle is taken out of Park

- All doors seldom lock/unlock using the switch on the driver's door or passenger's door control panel

Should I be looking at some control module for these or the lock actuators themselves? Is there something else entirely I should be looking at?

Thanks

Bert

There could be a connection problem at the front GEM. Unplug it and clean all of the connections and see if it helps.

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Bert

Monty51

This GEM...General Electronic Module? I'm seeing in other places that it's also known as a Body Control Module and is on the back side of the interior fuse panel. Is that the one you're referring to?

Bert

That's the one.

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Bert

Monty51

I'll take a look at it this evening...thanks!

Monty51

After taking a look around I see I don't have a GEM, but a FEM and a REM. The FEM is a little complicated to get to (not overly), but I didn't have the time tonight.

I should add one piece of information to my symptoms: when using the driver or passenger power lock/unlock button, regardless of whether it works or not, I hear the clunking of solenoids or motors as they attempt to work the locks, and the locks themselves jiggle just a bit. Could this be an undervoltage getting to the solenoids?

Bert

They're actually front GEM and rear GEM in the Ford manual. As for the clicking, I couldn't say but you could check the voltage at fuse #14 in the inside fuse box. When you press the lock/unlock button on the drivers switch, it grounds either the light blue/orange or the light green yellow. You could try grounding one or the other and see if the locks work. Make sure the black wire is a good ground.

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Bert

Monty51

Thanks for the tip. I'll look into it at a convenient time.

TDIDog

Any update on this?

Looking at a wiring diagram, the front right door lock is controlled by the Rear Electronic Module which is fed by 10 Amp fuse #11 and controls the sliding door lock and the liftgate lock. Also the liftgate lock and right, front door lock are teed together so when you unlock the right right door, the liftgate should unlock.

On ours, it's just the right front door that doesn't unlock so we can figure that the REM is sending the unlock signal to the right front door. The right door unlock switch doesn't work, but the door locks when the van is put in gear, so that circuit is working. The only circuit not working is the door unlock.

Something I don't understand for sure though: if I hit the unlock switch in the right door, the signal goes through the door hinge to the REM, then back through the hinge tot he lock actuator. Does this sound right?

Bert

Here are the diagrams for the locks. Fig. #1 shows the right door circuit. | Repair Guides | Door Locks (2001) | Door Locks (2001) | AutoZone.com

You should have power in the yellow/red and orange/black wires at the right switch. The 20amp fuse #8 should be good too.

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Bert