Help! - Drivers Door Central locking unit - Mk1 F (1995)

380 Views 18 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Man in the Car, 5 d ago

IanMc

Discussion Starter · 12 d ago

6

Hi all,

My drivers door central locking packed up a few months ago. I have been able to lock the car and set the immobiliser/alarm etc using the key, so wasnt too worried.

Now the weather is warning up a bit, I decided to swap out the lock unit for a working one.

After removing the door card and disconnecting a few electrical connections, I see that my car has a slightly different arrangement to the new lock unit - see below:

My lock and the existing wiring:

The new lock connections:

You can see that the actual locations and shape/size of the electrical connections on the lock body appears to be the same, but the number of pins differs on the larger of the two connection points, plus I am not certain that the smaller connection point actually comes off / out on my car.

So the questions are:

Will the new lock work ok? (after some assumed wiring mods!).
If 'yes' what are those wiring mods please?

Thanks in advance to anyone that can assist an electrical numpty

lol

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1 - 19 of 19 Posts

Roverlike

· #2 · 12 d ago

If I am seeing this correctly you actually have your existing lock with part of wiring attached (disregard fact that you managed to disconnect large connector from lock - put it back and look at the lock with that part of wires as one). Now when you disconnected the wires (from the lock with wires attached) you actual,have connector with 6 pins and connector with 2 pins. These connectors should connect to your "new" lock. I just hope you have enough slack in wiring.
I do hope I managed to explain you what I see/think?

IanMc

Discussion Starter · #3 · 12 d ago

Aha, thanks Roverlike - I can see what you mean. I will see if those first two connectors fit the new lock.

I will update over the weekend 👍

JoCoLo

· #4 · 12 d ago

I can’t see any pictures.

Roverlike

· #5 · 12 d ago

JoCoLo said:
I can’t see any pictures.

That is a problem of imgur hosting site where pictures are uploaded and linked here. Imgur restricts IP addresses due to too much traffic on their host/s, so some can see the pictures and some do not. That is changing over time and at some point you will be able to see the pictures, but when that will be depends on imgur.

IanMc

Discussion Starter · #6 · 11 d ago

Quick update: the loom main (6 pin) connector fits and gives basic lock and unlock operation. However, the smaller two pin connector doesn’t fit…

Upon investigation, it seems as though my early F has been updated at some time to a later locking unit.

I have contacted the Seller, and he is kindly sending me a unit for my loom, so it will be ‘plug and play’.

👍👍

Reactions: 1

mowog73

· #7 · 8 d ago

Ian, How early is your 1995 Mk1 MGF? I have a 1995 December-built MGF and have replaced the driver's door lock 10+ years ago without a problem, no funny looking wiring loom. My wife has one of the original 200 Sept-built Fs but I have never had to service the door lock.

Is the later locking unit, the 3 pin unit?

Mark

IanMc

Discussion Starter · #8 · 8 d ago

mowog73 said:
Ian, How early is your 1995 Mk1 MGF? I have a 1995 December-built MGF and have replaced the driver's door lock 10+ years ago without a problem, no funny looking wiring loom. My wife has one of the original 200 Sept-built Fs but I have never had to service the door lock.

Is the later locking unit, the 3 pin unit?

Mark

My F is a November '95 car from memory.

I think what has happened is that the central locking unit has gone in that door previously, and the owner has 'upgraded' it with the unit from a later car.

I could either go back to factory, but those units are much harder to find, and therefore more expensive, or just use the same type again.

I think they are all 6 pin on the main/larger connector.

dert

· #9 · 8 d ago

If I recall correctly the lock mechs changed around late 1996/97, had similar issue with a failed passenger one on my 1996 ginger F and had the same issue through purchasing a later model lock mech. I ended up buying an earlier lock mech connected to a second hand door for £15.00

Reactions: 1

rogrover38

· #10 · 6 d ago

IanMc said:
My F is a November '95 car from memory.

I think what has happened is that the central locking unit has gone in that door previously, and the owner has 'upgraded' it with the unit from a later car.

I could either go back to factory, but those units are much harder to find, and therefore more expensive, or just use the same type again.

I think they are all 6 pin on the main/larger connector.

Hi all not really up on this locking part but fixed my rover 75 one by changing the motor inside of the mechanism . Would that be possible here if you have two locking mechanisms but with different plugs on ?

IanMc

Discussion Starter · #11 · 6 d ago

rogrover38 said:
Hi all not really up on this locking part but fixed my rover 75 one by changing the motor inside of the mechanism . Would that be possible here if you have two locking mechanisms but with different plugs on ?

Possibly, probably - but I never seem to have enough time to look at these types of fixes. Family life just gets in the way sometimes.

MGB281

· #12 · 6 d ago

I don’t mean to take this off topic but it is slightly relevant. I collected some MG TF parts from a seller in the Midlands and he told me that the passenger door lock was making a funny noise and I should replace it otherwise I could be deadlocked out. I am quite deaf and I can’t hear any clicking noise when the door locks so should I change it? should I get a pair of working ones for the future?

IanMc

Discussion Starter · #13 · 6 d ago

MGB281 said:
I don’t mean to take this off topic but it is slightly relevant. I collected some MG TF parts from a seller in the Midlands and he told me that the passenger door lock was making a funny noise and I should replace it otherwise I could be deadlocked out. I am quite deaf and I can’t hear any clicking noise when the door locks so should I change it? should I get a pair of working ones for the future?

A repeated 'machine gun' type clicking is the first warning sign of problems ahead with these door lock units.

As advised, don't press the lock button twice if you have that sound, as sorting that out is 'difficult'...

MGB281

· #14 · 5 d ago

I am assuming that a used one is the only solution or can you get new ones.

IanMc

Discussion Starter · #15 · 5 d ago

MGB281 said:
I am assuming that a used one is the only solution or can you get new ones.

No idea, sorry.

MGB281

· #16 · 5 d ago

IanMc said:
No idea, sorry.

It seems that you can get the manual locks but not the central locking ones.

Prof Riley

· #17 · 5 d ago

I am pretty sure that new are now available from the usual sources, but,
WOW!! they are expensive.

I went with a used one first being cheeper, but being 20 years old it did not last long, then "had to buy twice."

MGB281

· #18 · 5 d ago

I have had a look on ebay and what is strange is that there are 21 for the passenger door (left) and only 3 (right) for the drivers door. There are brand new ones for both sides for LHD cars for just £60 each, since I have never seen a lock and the reason for its failure, is there a possibility of rebuilding one from new LHD parts? or is there a catch, no pun intended

Man in the Car

· #19 · 5 d ago

Looking at Rimmers online version of the XPart parts list, it appears that RHD locks for the passenger side are still available, whereas the drivers side lock is no longer available (I would think they are existing stocks left over from MG Rover's days and there will very likely have been more demand for replacement drivers side locks as these incorporate the central locking activation parts and are more prone to faults developing, and so stocks of these have run out.

I would think it may not be possible to use LHD drivers lock parts to rebuild an RHD drivers lock as I would think the mechanical components will be 'wrong-handed', but it may be worth looking into.

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