97 Camry XLE door locks clicking like crazy!

[c***@yahoo.com]

Dear Experts,

I have 97 Camry XLE with 170 miles on it now.

Today, I went out to the car. As I approached, I
heard the door lock click, as if it was unlocking.
And then it did it repeatedly. Very odd.

After locking the car with the key, the next time
this occurred, the front door clicked, and the
manual door lock had moved to the unlock position.

I walked to the other side. All four doors seemed to
be doing this. Sometimes both front and back. Sometimes
just the front door.

Inside, above where you put your left foot when you
drive, I can hear a relay clicking. It is like the
sound of your turn signal.


Yesterday I washed and waxed the car. And then a
huge rain came down. I opened the car door, and
moved the car. The car door stayed open long
enough for me to see water stains on the wood
where the power window control is. Perhaps a short
occurred???


Does anyone have any experience with this symptom?
What is the secret and the solution?


Thanks a lot!

[mrcheerful .]

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Dear Experts,
I have 97 Camry XLE with 170 miles on it now.
Today, I went out to the car. As I approached, I
heard the door lock click, as if it was unlocking.
And then it did it repeatedly. Very odd.
After locking the car with the key, the next time
this occurred, the front door clicked, and the
manual door lock had moved to the unlock position.
I walked to the other side. All four doors seemed to
be doing this. Sometimes both front and back. Sometimes
just the front door.
Inside, above where you put your left foot when you
drive, I can hear a relay clicking. It is like the
sound of your turn signal.
Yesterday I washed and waxed the car. And then a
huge rain came down. I opened the car door, and
moved the car. The car door stayed open long
enough for me to see water stains on the wood
where the power window control is. Perhaps a short
occurred???
Does anyone have any experience with this symptom?
What is the secret and the solution?
Thanks a lot!

most likely a failed 'door closed' switch, may even be full of water, if the
car thinks a door is ajar it won't lock the doors.

[satmech]

On Sun, 29 Jul 2007 15:30:45 +0000, mrcheerful

Post by mrcheerful .

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Dear Experts,
I have 97 Camry XLE with 170 miles on it now.
Today, I went out to the car. As I approached, I
heard the door lock click, as if it was unlocking.
And then it did it repeatedly. Very odd.
After locking the car with the key, the next time
this occurred, the front door clicked, and the
manual door lock had moved to the unlock position.
I walked to the other side. All four doors seemed to
be doing this. Sometimes both front and back. Sometimes
just the front door.
Inside, above where you put your left foot when you
drive, I can hear a relay clicking. It is like the
sound of your turn signal.
Yesterday I washed and waxed the car. And then a
huge rain came down. I opened the car door, and
moved the car. The car door stayed open long
enough for me to see water stains on the wood
where the power window control is. Perhaps a short
occurred???
Does anyone have any experience with this symptom?
What is the secret and the solution?
Thanks a lot!

most likely a failed 'door closed' switch, may even be full of water, if the
car thinks a door is ajar it won't lock the doors.

It should be easy enough to unplug the door lock switch for purposes of
elimination....

[Ray O]

Post by c***@yahoo.com
Dear Experts,
I have 97 Camry XLE with 170 miles on it now.
Today, I went out to the car. As I approached, I
heard the door lock click, as if it was unlocking.
And then it did it repeatedly. Very odd.
After locking the car with the key, the next time
this occurred, the front door clicked, and the
manual door lock had moved to the unlock position.
I walked to the other side. All four doors seemed to
be doing this. Sometimes both front and back. Sometimes
just the front door.
Inside, above where you put your left foot when you
drive, I can hear a relay clicking. It is like the
sound of your turn signal.
Yesterday I washed and waxed the car. And then a
huge rain came down. I opened the car door, and
moved the car. The car door stayed open long
enough for me to see water stains on the wood
where the power window control is. Perhaps a short
occurred???
Does anyone have any experience with this symptom?
What is the secret and the solution?
Thanks a lot!

As mrcheerful suggested, a failed door closed switch may be the cause. Some
other possible causes are:

A problem with the ignition lock where the door lock control computer thinks
there is a key in the ignition;

A problem with the master door lock switch - water can corrode the contacts
in the master power window control switch if you drive with the window
cracked open while it is raining like some smokers do.

[c***@yahoo.com]

Thanks for all your thoughts.

Ok, here is an update, and what worked for me.

As I mentioned, we had incredible rain that day, and I
had opened the door for a bit when trying to move the car.
The door inside got a fair bit of water on it.

I figured that it could be water getting into something somewhere.
It was very hot the next day. So I opened all the doors for a few
hours
with the car in the sun.

After a few hours, no more symptom. Phew!

Now I just have to be aware not to let the door get soaked when there
is a torrential rain. That's something I've never been aware of
before.