Hi everyone. I'm new here. I just found this site today and had to register. I bought a 1988 Bonneville SSE last year with 155,000.00 miles on it. I bought as a winter car but the more I drive it the more I like it. Although it does have some nagging problems that keep popping up. The latest one which has me baffled is the fact that niether RH door can be opened, either from the inside or outside. What to do? I think it is an electrical issue with the power lock and dome light circuit ( Fuse # 15) because I have to pull that fuse or it will kill the battery if I don't. Even though the dome lights go out when the doors are shut. I found a constant draw on the battery when that fuse is left in place.
When I install the fuse I can hear what sounds to be the door locks being briefly energized.

This is really baffling me as to why all of a sudden I can't get either passenger side door open. The lock ***** move when using the power lock switch and also when using the key from the outside. This has the factory anti theft system also. I suspect it has something to do with that. I think I'm going to have to remove the inner door panels with the door shut, Not fun, in order to get my doors to open.

I'm hoping someone may have encountered this problem and can offer some help.

Rich.

This may or may not help and may solve the issue and may not. Look at the outside of the handles on the stuck door’* and then go to the drivers side and note if they are not sticking out as far as the drivers side or not? If they are not sticking out the same as the two that are opening then the door handle (push button is sticking) I have the issue with my rear drivers side door on my 91 SSE. I have rear where you take the panel off and spray the handle from the inside or such and it help, I haven’t tried this since I very seldom use my rear door’* but at times I use a towel and lightly clamp vice grips on the button and pull the button out as far as I can to get the door open.

I don’t know what to say about the dome lights and the possible battery shortage. Does all the dome lights work and work right? Mines shorted someplace so you cant run them unless the outside lights are turned on and when your turn2 on at the same time they dim out very low and if you turn 3 or all 4 on then its so dim of a light one wouldn’t notice they are on even. Have you checked to make sure the headlights are not turning on by them self with the auto on and off switch?

My car also has the factory alarm and such (don’t work) the light is burnt out on my dash I think also, I do know it don’t sit however as I have tried the test and it don’t go off when I unlock and open a door after the time set has elapsed. The light in my keyholes don’t work as well also (sure its all tied in somehow) maybe someday I will get around to seeing what the issue is with it, is one of my extra cars and just drive it at times.

After the car senses the last car door is closed you should hear a light sound from the door’* sorta like a lower locking sound that is the car checking to see I the doors are locked so it knows to set the alarm or not. My car does the check but it still don’t ever sit the alarm, have you also checked the under hood and trunk light and glovebox/mirrior lights to make sure that none are running all of the time also?

Good luck let us know when you find your gremlins


Donnie H.

find yourself a BFH and show the door who is boss!!!!! nhhh but anyways you have a short somewhere, that would casue the batter to die. as if you dint already know that.

but as for the door. i would just take the panel off and open the door manualy there at teh catch pin. you might have broke a rod or something along them lines.

but like i said if all else fails at least a BFH makes you feel a tit bit better......


have a good one

Tosun26
Thanks. You gave me a couple of ideas to try. I also wondered about the twighlight sentinal feature as my headlights do not work automatically. The underhood lamp has been removed. The trunk light does go out when closing the trunk. I know I saw it. I will double check that one just in case though.

Also a note on the locking problem. I noticed when locking the doors with the inside lock button that the rear doors don't lock. I mean the rear inside lock buttom moves down but it will not go all the way down and actually lock the doors in the rear. I found that out the hard way. I opened the door one day and it set off the alarm. I thought the car was unlocked but it was actually locked. It'* embarrasing. Go figure. Another irritating problem. When the alarm goes off are the lights supposed to flash? Mine don't. Just the horn keeps going off. The owners manual says something about the parkin lights flashing.

I just ordered a service manuall for this beast so I hope it helps, especially with the electrical.

Its840
Throw me down the stairs the hammer.
I thought that it might be a Rod at first but then I thought again and wondered, what'* the chance of both RH doors having the same problem at the same time?

I think maybe I think too much.

Thanks for the replies Gents.

I will post back when I find the problems. This may take a while.

http://www.geocities.com/autotronics...e/SSEDoors.htm

This is my experience with the door problem. So far, I've not had a problem with either of the front doors but the rears are known for crusting up with infrequent usage.

I looked in my 90 manual but it is showing that fuse 3 in the relay center operates the power locks. It sounds like either one of your lock/unlock switches are stuck in, lock relay assembly is stuck or the keyless entry has a constant output to the lock relay assembly. Sometimes these components are fused separately which makes pinpointing the problem easier. While you are waiting for a service manual you may want to search the fourm for the Factory Service Manual thread. This is a list of members that have service manuals and the years too. You can send a PM to a member that has one for an 88.

Doors seem to be fixed now. I had to remove the seat to make easy acces to the door panel. What a pain those seat belts are. Soon as I fiddled with the rods I heard a click. Everything is working fine. I don't know what i did but all I can figure is the latch mechanism was sticking from infrequent use.I can't duplicate the problem now. There was no rust in there. I sprayed the crap out of it with brake clean which took a lot of gunk out. I then generously sprayed the whole thing with Golden Spectro Chain Lube because it is the only form of sprayable grease that I have. I then opened and closed the door from the inside and outside and I locked and unlocked the door with and without the key. I basically cycled everything about a good years worth. It'* all buttery smooth now. The rear door now works. Must be from slamming the front door shut several times. However the rear door feels sticky and the button is harder to push in like the front door was. I guess i know what I need to do there. So now that I got the door open I could go on to investigate my original suspicion and pull the door jamb switch out . I believe I found my other problem. It was very corroded. I cleaned itall up with a wire wheel on my drill, greased it all up with dielectric greas, put it back in, and bingo, my current draw seems to be gone. I will drive it as is without putting it all together just to be sure it'* all sqared away. I would hate to put the seat back in and door panel together just to have to rip it out all over again.

I actually have a smile on my face right now.