Power Door Locks
#1
04-11-2007, 10:12 AM
Power Door Locks
Has anyone installed power door locks on a 04 thru 07. Appearently they have CABLE locks instead of rod type locking mec. I bought a kit that has the type actuators and then you have to mount a small plate that holds the cable down, and strip the cable to the bear wire to attach..
I'm a little nervous to install this. thinking it is going to mess of trouble. both installing and will it work without bending the cable and having to keep adjusting it.
I'm a little nervous to install this. thinking it is going to mess of trouble. both installing and will it work without bending the cable and having to keep adjusting it.
#3
07-26-2007, 03:06 PM
RE: Power Door Locks
Dude!!!!
It is a pain in the A__
the back doors are not that bad,but the front wasa bitch to mount the actuator.
you will have to do some cutting of the plastic under door panel and pull some of the foam off. the wiring is anotherstory in its own.
good luck
It is a pain in the A__
the back doors are not that bad,but the front wasa bitch to mount the actuator.
you will have to do some cutting of the plastic under door panel and pull some of the foam off. the wiring is anotherstory in its own.
good luck
#4
07-27-2007, 09:39 AM
RE: Power Door Locks
Ho ya
I just wanted to add, Plan on taking your time. Its can be very frustrating.
I think I spent around 3-4 hours a day, over four days.
I simplfied things by just hooking up the horn for notification. you can add lights, interior lights on at unlock, etc... but I kept it simple. Power, Gnd, horn, and ignition on power.
Let me know how you do. I'll try to help if you have any questions.
I couldnt find a wiring schamatic on the internet for free.
also I had trouble getting to the battery/fuse box under the hood.
I tried going through the fire wall, that didnt work so I ran the main power up by the drivers door and through the black plug when you open the door.
then up by the front fender and into the engin compartment.
You can prob., go throught the fire wall. but I didnt have anyone to watch and see if I was coming through. so I gave up and went the easy way.
I just wanted to add, Plan on taking your time. Its can be very frustrating.
I think I spent around 3-4 hours a day, over four days.
I simplfied things by just hooking up the horn for notification. you can add lights, interior lights on at unlock, etc... but I kept it simple. Power, Gnd, horn, and ignition on power.
Let me know how you do. I'll try to help if you have any questions.
I couldnt find a wiring schamatic on the internet for free.
also I had trouble getting to the battery/fuse box under the hood.
I tried going through the fire wall, that didnt work so I ran the main power up by the drivers door and through the black plug when you open the door.
then up by the front fender and into the engin compartment.
You can prob., go throught the fire wall. but I didnt have anyone to watch and see if I was coming through. so I gave up and went the easy way.
#5
07-31-2007, 09:28 AM
RE: Power Door Locks
Thanks for the info. Iam going out of town this weekend but I'll try it next week. I looked at the front door and was wondering how you mounted the actuator? Did you trim the cover on the cable to get access to it? Thanks for any info you can provide. I am tempted to take it to a local after market installer but he wanted $700 for the system. We'll see. Thanks again.
#6
08-02-2007, 01:05 PM
RE: Power Door Locks
Not sure ex. what u mean?
You have to trim the cover off the cable and then cut all the little wires that surround the center cable wire. my kit had a bracket that screwed to the door with clips to hold the cable in place.
[ul][*]after you secure the cable you cut the cover off. (black plastic)[*]then cut all the little wires so just the cable itself is left.[*]then mount the actuator. this is the hard part on the front. you have to cut some of the plastic away on the inner door panel in order to set the actuator far enough back to put the outer door panel back on. otherwise it will hit the actuator.[/ul]
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it sucks. I went to 3 local shops and no one would touch it. I had a guy say he would do it for $100 a door plus the cost of alarm and door locks. which came to around $700 bucks.
then when he found out it had cable locks he backed out. He said he had done some in the past and had to many complaints. So he wont do them until they come out with a better kit.
You have to trim the cover off the cable and then cut all the little wires that surround the center cable wire. my kit had a bracket that screwed to the door with clips to hold the cable in place.
[ul][*]after you secure the cable you cut the cover off. (black plastic)[*]then cut all the little wires so just the cable itself is left.[*]then mount the actuator. this is the hard part on the front. you have to cut some of the plastic away on the inner door panel in order to set the actuator far enough back to put the outer door panel back on. otherwise it will hit the actuator.[/ul]
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but it sucks. I went to 3 local shops and no one would touch it. I had a guy say he would do it for $100 a door plus the cost of alarm and door locks. which came to around $700 bucks.
then when he found out it had cable locks he backed out. He said he had done some in the past and had to many complaints. So he wont do them until they come out with a better kit.
#7
05-05-2008, 09:04 AM
RE: Power Door Locks
I recently bought the MEC door lock system w/ keyless entry. I am about 60% thru the process and I can tell you that it is a major pain! Plan on it taking a few days and many, many hours!
Getting the actuators in place is simple however there is a rod that connects to the cable style door lock which is a major pain to connect due to interferences. I am having trouble because the ideal location to strip the cable and connect the rod actuator pinches once the door panel is reinstalled.
Bad news is in order to test the actuator to ensure it is working properly, you must bolt the actuator in place, strip the cable and bolt the cable interface in place, then finally wire it. Well, if there is any pinching (which is my case), then you will have to relocate something...ie the cable in my case. This is a problem due to the fact that the cable is already stripped. Relocating the cut in the cable means butchering the cable which WILL cause weakening of the cable system door lock.
Make sure that you are absolutely certain that the actuator rod has no interference before cutting the cable - this is extremely tedious! I thought I had it until I powered the locks and there was jamming.
Good news is that if you come to a point where the damage you have brought to your Mazda 3 door locks is too great and you want to just have the original manual lock restored, then you can purchase the replacement kit which will run you about $70 a piece for the front doors. It will require removal of all the guts in the door including the window but it will repair any damage taken for the aftermarket attempt.
More good news. The wiring is simple. If you are handy with wiring and familiar with car electronics, then finding all the wires to connect is pretty easy, just a little tight in some areas. The fuse box has all the generic connections for base-model on up. That means it is already wired for power door locks, mirror, windows etc.
Other options - due to the above statement, if you want the expensive route ( and it is really expensive) then for about $300-700 depending on if you want all 4 doors locks or not, you can convert your doors to the factory style which is a dependable 100% success. There would be almost no wiring involved execept for a wiring harness (approx. $200 per front doors) and some simple bolting and unbolting of the original door lock actuators. A new latch bezel and door lock button and you are done.
I am currently looking at defeat with this aftermarket MES system. Even if the install went perfect, the door locks are extremely weak when you operate them manually. The cable is just too weak. What I mean is when you manually touch the door lock and slide it to the lock/unlock position by flipping it back or forth, that little cable is under some serious strain because it is attached to that handy dandy aftermarket MES door lock actuator. The cable can and WILL become jammed and just bend inside there. You would be at the mercy of a keyless entry key fob.
My personal assessment of this science project is that if you like the challenge, go for it but be prepared to either spend $150 to put it back like you never touched it OR pay the $300-700 to do it OEM factory style. This is not my first time installing aftermarket door locks, just the first time with a cable system - NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!
Getting the actuators in place is simple however there is a rod that connects to the cable style door lock which is a major pain to connect due to interferences. I am having trouble because the ideal location to strip the cable and connect the rod actuator pinches once the door panel is reinstalled.
Bad news is in order to test the actuator to ensure it is working properly, you must bolt the actuator in place, strip the cable and bolt the cable interface in place, then finally wire it. Well, if there is any pinching (which is my case), then you will have to relocate something...ie the cable in my case. This is a problem due to the fact that the cable is already stripped. Relocating the cut in the cable means butchering the cable which WILL cause weakening of the cable system door lock.
Make sure that you are absolutely certain that the actuator rod has no interference before cutting the cable - this is extremely tedious! I thought I had it until I powered the locks and there was jamming.
Good news is that if you come to a point where the damage you have brought to your Mazda 3 door locks is too great and you want to just have the original manual lock restored, then you can purchase the replacement kit which will run you about $70 a piece for the front doors. It will require removal of all the guts in the door including the window but it will repair any damage taken for the aftermarket attempt.
More good news. The wiring is simple. If you are handy with wiring and familiar with car electronics, then finding all the wires to connect is pretty easy, just a little tight in some areas. The fuse box has all the generic connections for base-model on up. That means it is already wired for power door locks, mirror, windows etc.
Other options - due to the above statement, if you want the expensive route ( and it is really expensive) then for about $300-700 depending on if you want all 4 doors locks or not, you can convert your doors to the factory style which is a dependable 100% success. There would be almost no wiring involved execept for a wiring harness (approx. $200 per front doors) and some simple bolting and unbolting of the original door lock actuators. A new latch bezel and door lock button and you are done.
I am currently looking at defeat with this aftermarket MES system. Even if the install went perfect, the door locks are extremely weak when you operate them manually. The cable is just too weak. What I mean is when you manually touch the door lock and slide it to the lock/unlock position by flipping it back or forth, that little cable is under some serious strain because it is attached to that handy dandy aftermarket MES door lock actuator. The cable can and WILL become jammed and just bend inside there. You would be at the mercy of a keyless entry key fob.
My personal assessment of this science project is that if you like the challenge, go for it but be prepared to either spend $150 to put it back like you never touched it OR pay the $300-700 to do it OEM factory style. This is not my first time installing aftermarket door locks, just the first time with a cable system - NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!
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